During the 2023-2024 design cycle I led the development of the Suspension system, ensuring that the system achieves the set system goals and enabling the integration of the system into the vehicle.

Suspension

The goals of the Suspension system for the 2024 vehicle were the reduction of the weight of the system, standardization of the suspension hardware across front and rear, and introduction of more tuning opportunity.

To achieve these goals, I managed a small team of students on introducing carbon fiber linkages to reduce component mass, implementing anti-dive slugs to allow for tuning of the suspension pick-up points, and modifying hardware to follow a single design across all corners. I also collaborated with multiple systems to integrate the Suspension system into the vehicle.

Skills developed:

  • Suspension kinematics

  • System and component design

  • Cross-system integration

  • Composites manufacturing

  • Metal machining

  • Standardization

  • Validation and testing

Software utilized:

  • SolidWorks (CAD, FEA)

  • OptimumKinematics (kinematics design)

  • Autodesk Fusion 360 (CAM)

Tools put to use:

  • Instron (5569A)

  • Hand tools

Carbon Fiber Links (R&D)

One of the goals for this system was defined to be mass reduction, which I intended to approach through downsizing hardware and through the introduction of carbon fiber links to replace steel tubes used in pushrods, tierods, and toelinks.

I realized that in order to safely and reliably implement carbon fiber tubes in suspension links, the team needed to perform lots of physical validation on the links. To achieve this, I directed a small team of students through the research and development steps of this project: I outlined important milestones, justified the project to the board of club advisors, coordinated time-sensitive purchases, and helped establish consistent testing and validation procedure using an Instron machine.

Tuning & Hardware Standardization

Another two goals of the Suspension system during the 2023-2024 development cycle was to introduce more tuning opportunities into the system and to standardize hardware which previously varied between front and rear suspension assemblies.

To achieve the latter goal, I downsized the rear suspension tubes to match the front suspension, designed custom hardware for outboard points, and developed a new suspension tab design that allowed me to standardize mounting hardware for all suspension wishbones. The new tab design also made tuning of the anti-dive and anti-squat kinematic effects possible through the variation of the z-coordinate of the suspension pick-up points using anti-dive slugs.