Rocker Optimization

As we decided to replace the earlier diesel engine of the CUF1 vehicle with an electric one, everything –including the frame and the suspension systems– of the vehicle had to be redesigned and rebuilt. So as my first task in CUF1, I was assigned the new design for the rear rockers. In doing this, I used SolidWorks and Ansys to conduct topology optimization simulations with a goal to minimize the mass and the factor of safety while sustaining a safe stress distribution that would survive the rigorous maneuvers and vibrations during the race. My biggest challenge with this project was determining the most accurate load and fixture representation for the FEAs. I ended up informing this decision with comparing mesh plots, convergence graphs and load distributions for different simulations. I utilized h-adaptive convergence on SolidWorks, which significantly sped up the validation process for my force-constraint assumptions. The final design presented FOS of higher than 3 all around and was of little mass. So we manufactured the parts by waterjet cutting them from 6061 T6 aluminum, which I determined was an ideal for the rockers, as it is durable and light weight.

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