Formula Student Design and Manufacturing

Do and Dont

Illustrated with pictures mostly taken at Student Formula Japan 2016 and 2015

Claude Rouelle

What makes me qualified to speak about race car design.

I made the same mistakes

1979 Master Thesis

What makes me qualified to speak about race car design.

I made many mistakes

Race Car Engineering 1980 to 1997

What makes me qualified to speak about race car design.

And I had a few success

What makes me qualified to speak about race car design.

Created OptimumG in 1997
Located in Denver, CO, USA
Multicultural and multidisciplinary staff
Training

Simulation

Consulting

Design Judge Formula Student competitions for over 15 years

Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Italy, Russia, Spain, UK, USA.
Several Universities course in Europe, USA, Australia and South America

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing

Do and Dont

Some basic design errors you should and can avoid

Illustrated with pictures mostly taken at Student Formula Japan 2016 and 2015

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Rod end in bending
If this top wishbone would break
Where do you think it would break?

Right here!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Rod end in bending
What is the solution?

Linkage axis going through

outboard rod end center

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Rod end in bending
Linkage axis going through
outboard rod end

Pull rod axis good

but could have been better

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

The suspension link axis must go through one node of the chassis
Suspension
links through the outboard upright point

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Decreased compliances with good design
All these points should be
in the same plane
Reduce
compliances
causes!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Suspension links axis not through a chassis node

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Suspension links not through a chassis node

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Suspension links not through a chassis node

Determine your suspension points coordinates, then draw you frame,

not the other way around!
The chassis frame is one of the last things you should draw

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Suspension links through a chassis node
Coud have been shorter

Reduce
compliances
causes!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Unnecessary compliances

Too big distance

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Decreased compliances with good design

Reduce
compliances
causes!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Single shear attachment

Big, unnecessary shear forces that will create compliances

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Double shear attachment
Better forces distribution
Less compliances

Reduce
compliances
causes!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Rocker attachment not at a chassis node

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Damper / Spring unit attachment not at a chassis node

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Unnecessary big rocker

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Same Rocker Ratio. Lighter

Bigger is not better.

Try to make each part light, stiff, simple and cheap to manufacture
Make it compact.

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Anti Roll Bars are supposed to work in torsion not in bending

Too big distance

Very weak point

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Anti Roll Bars are supposed to work in torsion not in bending

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Anti Roll Bars compliances
ARB bearing cap
not at a chassis node

Single shear

Too big Distance

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Anti Roll Bars sizes

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Anti Roll Bars unnecessary compliances
Droop link
attachment point
in the middle of
suspension linkage

Single shear

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Anti Roll Bars Design and Installation

Bigger is not better.

Do not start manufacturing anything until all drawings
(including antiroll bars) are finished

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Overcomplicated chassis
6 tubes
2 Nodes
..so close to each other

2
1

A
5

B
4

Unnecessary
complicated

Simple Recipe for good frame design:

1. Triangulation everywhere. 2. Minimum amount of tubes and nodes!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Unnecessary heavy uprights

Heavy

Lighter

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Unnecessary long suspension elements
The longer
each suspension element
. the heavier
. the more flexible
Think
- Small
- Light
- Stiff
- Smart packaging

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Big, heavy radiator poor efficiency, aerodynamic drag
The fan only sucks
a small portion
of the air going through
of the radiator
The air will follow the
path of a lesser resistance
Low cooling efficiency

Does it need to be that big?

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

A big radiator is needed.

Because low fan use and no side pod ducting

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Cooling Efficiency

Light, Efficient, Low Drag!

Formula Student Design and Manufacturing Do and Dont

Conclusions
Weight is your enemy. Compliance too. Avoid compliances
Make is simple, small and light
Form follows function
Claude Rouelle