Subteam Developments

Spring Quarter ’24

Week 5 Updates

Powertrain:

Finalize motor, controller, differential, chain tensioner, and chain guard mounting​​

Subcomponents:

  • Motor Mount​
  • Differential Mount​
  • Chainguard ​
  • Chain tensioner​
  • Controller​
  • Cooling System​
  • Axles

Suspension:

  • Front and Rear Suspension hardpoints fixed on Chassis v6.0​
  • Front Roll center on ground​
  • Rear Roll center 0.3 in above ground​

Accumulator:

Accumulator Enclosure

  • Designed Exterior Walls to best fit chassis slot​
  • Proposed Interior Walls lined with NOMEX paper + UL94V0 Araldite (Interior Walls finalized end of this week)​
  • Dimensions: 27.68″(l) x 19.02″(h) x 8.42″(d)​
  • Submodules finalized (connected in series)

Chassis:

Relevant Edits since v5.8:​

  • Main Roll Hoop shortened by 5″ based on driver model repositioning​
  • Additional Tube members added to mounting components of Powertrain, Ergonomics, and Suspension​
  • Nose plane altered for mounting both ergonomics and Aerobody’s Front Wing​
  • Accumulator/powertrain Bulkhead reconfigured to account for new accumulator dimensions​
  • Simplified tube geometry for weight reduction​
  • Front Roll Hoop nonplanar for Driver ergonomics

Ergonomics:

  • New seat CAD and head rest ready to manufacture​
  • Dashboard printed and installed into EVO​
  • PO for impact attenuator submitted​
  • Ergonomic Mock-Up tests completed​

Electronics:

  • completed Tractive System Active Light​ Brake System Plausibility Device​ Resettable Latch for AMS, IMD, and BSPD​
  • Now that all soldered prototypes are complete, we have begun assembling a safety system test bench.

Embedded Systems:

  • Updated system schematic with Dash​
  • Sensor Board partially soldered​
  • Code updated to accept two throttle inputs of different gradients​
  • Digital dashboard​
  • Researching communication between Raspberry Pi and CAN Bus​
  • Configured Raspberry Pi for SPI communication​
  • Front wheel speed sensor​
  • Made PO for Hall Sensor and Tone Ring​
  • Created pseudo code​

Week 2 Updates “Kilozott”

Suspension:

  • Wheel assembly
    • Brake Rotor and Caliper Assembly
    • Hub, Upright, and bearings assembly
    • Wishbones assembly
  • Simulated using multiple potential materials for rotor
    • A36 Steel, Cast Iron, 4130 Chromoly steel
  • Chose 4130 Chromoly steel
  • Machined rotors through SendCutSend

Accumulator:

  • New accumulator submodule design:
    • All 6 segments can be dropped in as “bricks” 
    • Has physical features to prevent reverse connections

Chassis/Aerobody:

Chassis for R.R.R (v5.8)

  • Material: 4130 Chromoly Steel
  • Weight: 92.8 lbs
  • Alterations were done for SES verification, simplify geometry, and other subsystem components
  • Colors on CAD are to denote tubes of certain wall thickness. (Red (0.095”)>Blue=Green>Yellow (0.035”))
  • Aerobody model on RRR 5.7
    • Completed modeling for Front and main roll hoop
      • Improved the bump in the front roll hoop
      • Added a skirt and cut holes where needed for aerodynamics
      • Cut out holes for front suspension

Embedded

Precharge Circuit

  • Ruggedized using soldered breadboards and molex headers
  • Board was wired to the motor test bench
  • Precharge constants were tuned to the battery and resistor
    • With a 60V battery and 400 Ohm resistor, we found that a reliable precharge curve was charging to 91% battery voltage in 2.5 seconds (±0.3 seconds)

Winter Quarter ’24

Week 4 Updates

Suspension:

  • Determined cast iron rotors were too expensive after receiving multiple quotes
  • Finalized the thermal analysis and simulations to verify the brake rotor material (Hot-rolled A36 mild steel)
  • PO form sent for RCV front and rear Hub components and for Brake Caliper
  • Scanned centerpiece for rim

Powertrain:

  • Ordered Motor and Motor Controller
  • Design for Differential mounting and motor mounting completed

Chassis-Aero Body:

  • Remodeled aerobody to support SW Flow simulations
  • Remodeled nose-cone to reduce drag
  • Successfully ran SW Flow simulations with previously used conditions
  • Obtained a 14% drag reduction

Embedded Systems:

  • APPS/Brake Pedal Plausibility Check implemented
  • Vehicle state diagram corrected
  • Key switch adapted to pushbutton
  • Voltage to frequency IC breadboarded

Electrical:

Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor (A):

  • Assembled circuit
  • Logic tested and verified
  • Wrong MOSFET transistor identified

Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor (B):

  • Assembled Logic section of circuit
  • Logic tested and verified

Insulation Monitoring Device and Crystal Oscillator:

  • Assembled circuit
  • AND gate verified
  • Flipflop/latch troubleshot
  • Solution found: SR latch

Fall Quarter ’23

Week 10 Updates

Suspension: Done various FEA testing on parts:

  • FEA on the brake rotor when decelerating by 2g. (According to Brian’s simulation conditions)
  • Applied a 2452 N force to the area where the brake pad would clamp the disc
  • FEA on the brake rotor when decelerating by 2g. (According to Brian’s simulation conditions)
  • Applied a 2452 N force to the area where the brake pad would clamp the disc

Powertrain: Remodeled Motor Mount

  • Reduced Motor Mount height from 17.5 inches to 12.6 inches
  • Added additional bolt holes – Outer ring of bolt holes for ME1507 (Increased width by ⅝ of an inch)
  • Results: Motor Mount assembly’s mass (without the motor) reduced from 16.6lbs to 10.5lbs
  • Determined the distance between the center of each sprocket to be 13.6 inches
  • Results in the driven sprocket having:
    • 4 teeth fully engaged, 2 teeth partially engaged

Chassis: Remodeled Main Chassis and Done Various FEA

  • Front roll hoop aerobody complete
  • Created new nose cone that would adhere to surface better
  • Nose cone dimensions:
    • 25” long
    • Base is 16” x 18”
    • Thickness of 0.10”
  • Main roll hoop shortened in width by 6” (39” – 33”)
  • Rear Impact member deleted, accumulator section lengthened to compensate for accumulator/powertrain packaging
  • Firewall angled to 55 degrees (prev. 30) to account for seat ergo
  • Main Hoop braces lowered by 5” (FSAE Min) to account for CG
  • Removed redundant members on Front Bulkhead Triangulation (~1.5 kg)

Embedded: Completed Schematics and prototyping

  • Completed schematic
  • Finished safety circuits schematics and physical prototype
    • Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor
    • Brake System Encoder
    • Ready to Drive/Ready to Drive Sound logic