The entire suspension was modeled in WinGeo3 (top) to

create a functional and competitive suspension geometry. In

short, the linkages and components were arranged such that

the camber of the wheel is at an optimal value, whether the car

is in the middle of a bump, turn, acceleration, or braking.

Next, the system was created in Solidworks (bottom). Many

design iterations were required to produce a system that

integrated fully with the other subsystems without sacrificing

dynamic performance.

MEEN Capstone - Formula SAE Team: Suspension

Y. Doron (MEEN), Dr. P. Hamilton (MEEN)

C. Daniels (MEEN), T. Dobbins (MMET), A. Kostrzewa (MEEN), J. Olmon (MEEN), D. Yu (MEEN)

Design Priorities

Component Design and Simulation

It was very important to design components for machinability, as it

doesn’t matter what your factor of safety is if it cannot be turned

into a reality. There were many components manufactured in-house

using HSMWorks to produce the G-Code and run on a lathe and

mill, both CNC and manual.

Need Statement

-Stabilize the vehicle throughout dynamic interactions

-React to user and road inputs to increase traction

-Controllable by the driver

Suspension Team Priorities:

• Lateral Acceleration

• Minimal Compliance

• Reliability

• Adjustability

Dynamics (WinGeo3) and SolidWorks Models

Manufacturing

Tuning

Testing and Design Iteration

With any complex system there is a chance that things might

not all come together as you planned in your SolidWorks

model, or that they may not preform as you expected. Since

completing the assembly of the car we have looked for things to

improve on and update to reduce compliance and increase

performance.

SolidWorks Finite Element Analysis was performed on all critical

components, and additional analysis in Microsoft Excel was necessary for

many. Throughout the process, cost, weight, and deflection were optimized

relative to location and function.

One of the most important parts of a good suspension is adjustability. Our

design offers nine levels of adjustability, using turnbuckles, shims, damping

rates, and spring rates. These will be used to tune the car to a variety of

conditions, such that if we take the car to a road with a certain surface

roughness, we will know the optimal tire pressures, ride heights, and spring

rates.