Formula Sae Chassis Design & Manufacturing

Preface

This document is written by Raghav Arora, pursuing a Bachelor of Technology at National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur, while working on the formula student project, which involves designing and manufacturing of formula one prototype. This project works under the brand name “Drift Racing Team”, he heads the department of Chassis design. He is responsible for the design of chassis, CAD-modelling of complete car and providing assistance in the manufacturing of car.

This document shares his experiences right from the beginning of the design phase to the manufacturing phase.  He is currently working on his second project termed as “DR617”. Earlier, he had worked on “DR516” project as vehicle dynamics engineer.

He has a keen interest in setting sponsorship plans and marketing strategy for the team.

A new phase

• Let's start from scratch.

It all started with curiosity, craze, and energy.

I must say, it was like “early honours of doing it yourself, you are making a Racecar yourself”

You call it “Formula Student”

First query came into my mind, how does it look? Whenever  someone  used Chassis, an image came in my mind showing body of a car. But, with time, I had to separate two words ie. Bodywork and frame. So from now onwards, I will be considering both “chassis” and “frame” are same. Now, I will think of frame whenever I will say or listen Chassis.

 Chassis acts like load-carrying component of a car. A space-frame is analogous to a truss style bridge which is made up of small (generally straight) members in a triangular pattern which are always in pure compression or tension.

Here I am going to specify chassis governed by formula SAE rules, and which is designed to compete in fomula SAE/Student events.

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