SIMPLIFIED APPROACH FOR FORMULA SAE CAR SUSPENSION DESIGN AND COMPONENT SIZE OPTIMIZATION USING FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

摘要

Multiple parts with varying degrees of freedom create complexity in the analysis and design of car suspension. Formula SAE® teams design their cars based on the governing rules for competition every year. A proper selection of suspension components, body weight and geometry is required for well-designed racecar. Handling of a car during cornering must be carefully considered during design because of the presence of both lateral and longitudinal accelerations. A calculated balance has to be made with the placement and size of each of the suspension components. One critical component of the suspension is the Anti Sway Bar (ASB), which stabilizes the car during cornering. Simplified 3-D CAD model of an open wheel formula style car is created and analyzed for performance with and without ASB. The results indicate a superior control over the car during cornering when ASB are installed. Static analysis of the different suspension components were carried out using the maximum dynamic loads generated during rigid dynamic simulation. The objective of the static structural analysis is to examine the suitability of size, material and attachments to the chassis of these components. The results of the analysis presented here are validated with theoretical values and other results in literature. This work is an attempt to seek a simple approach for designing and analyzing a Formula SAEK racecar.