DESIGN & OPTIMIZATION OF A FORMULA STUDENT RACE CAR

TEAM MEMBERS:
Divyanshu Thakur
Sanjay Job
Zohaib Ali SK
PROJECT GUIDE:
Mr. B. Prabhakaran

PROJECT PLAN:
To complete the design and calculation of the five major sub systems of the car- Suspension, Braking,
Cooling, Steering systems and the Space frame. Our design philosophy is to reduce the overall weight
of the vehicle, improve performance of all systems and improve ease of serviceability.


SUSPENSION SYSTEM:
We will be designing a push-rod actuated suspension system. This will help to improve the dynamic
vehicle performance, as we can centralize mass and reduce aerodynamic drag. This also helps us to
have a greater degree of control over the damper through the linkages from the bell crank. We are
also using more accurate & modern procedures for suspension calculations. Every component of the
suspension system will be designed in CAD & will be thoroughly analysed by FEA. Another major
innovation we are implementing is correlating the results from the kinematic analysis with tyre data
obtained from the tyre manufacturer.

BRAKING SYSTEM:
Instead of using a traditional outboard brake system, we will incorporate an inboard brake system,
where the disc is mounted on the chassis of the vehicle rather than directly on the wheel hub. Since
it is mounted on the differential, we will design our own case for the same. There will be reduction in
unsprung mass and it will simplify packaging of the suspension system.

COOLING SYSTEM:
We are planning to use a dual flow type radiator or a dual radiator setup instead of a single flow
radiator. This will help us in weight distribution and improve cooling efficiency, since the coolant will
travel through two radiators instead of one. The system will be designed in such a way that it will be
packed close to the engine and placed as low as possible to centralize mass & lower the center of
gravity of the vehicle.

SPACEFRAME:
To improve the dynamic performance of the car, it is essential to reduce the weight of the chassis.
This will be done by designing the frame around the driver and the engine so that there is efficient
utilization of space and reducing the frontal area which will also reduce drag. The space frame will be
made stiffer by using node to node triangulation. We will also design our own differential housing as
well as engine mounts which will form a part of the rear sub frame so that ergonomics and ease of
serviceability is achieved.

STEERING SYSTEM:
Even though our current steering setup is working optimally, the weight of the entire steering
system is 10 kgs. This makes the car heavy and more difficult for the driver to handle. We will reduce
this weight by at least 50% by designing our own gearbox housing and steering knuckle. To minimize
steering error and further optimize it, we will run multiple iterations on OptimumK to attain the best
possible steering geometry. We will also design a lightweight steering wheel.