RC Baja: Suspension and Chassis
Introduction
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The RC Baja car contest is a competition where teams of ASME Mechanical Engineering students demonstrate their ideas and manufacturing, presentation, and racing skills. The car must be able to turn, start, and stop whenever in use. To be qualified to compete the car must comply with all the set requirements. The project will consist of two-man teams who will work on different parts of the car. The overall outcome is to have a RC Baja that can compete in the ASME Baja event.
Figure 1. Initial Design Sketch
Figure 2. Second Design Sketch
Figure 3. Third Design Sketch
Motivation
The motivation for the Senior Project, RC Baja car came from the level of hands on and design work that would have to be needed for this project to be completed by the end of the year in spring quarter. The classes that have interested me the most during my 4 years at Central have been the machining and the software classes such as solidworks and autocad. These classes have showed me my interests in the MET curriculum here at Central which allowed me to see that the work involved in the RC Baja car is all the work that I have enjoyed the most in the program. Lastly, out of the projects that were presented to me this one seemed the most interesting and allowed me to further increase my team working skills that will be needed in the future in the working world.
Presentation Video
5/23/2022
Video Part 1
Video Part 2
Results
Table H.1 Drop Test Data
Table H.2 Impact Test Data
Table H.3 Shock Tower Force Test Data
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After completing all three tests related to the suspension and Chassis side of the RC car the student was able to gather data regarding to the performance of the car. During the drop test the student found out that the RC car was not capable of surviving the 1.5ft drop. This is because the rear swing arm snapped twice due to the large moment caused on the rear end from the rear transmission housing. However, the front of the RC car did not deflect at all due to the correct amount of suspension.
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During the impact test, the rear swing arm failed at speed of 7.4 mph. At this speed the car experienced a force of 146.3N on the front end. The rear swing arm failed on the same hole location that it failed at when conducting the drop test.
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The last test was the shock tower force test. The student was successfully able to have both the rear and front shock tower support a load of 15lb without failing. Since the shock towers were able to hold this weight, the student can claim that the RC car met the 15lb load on the shock towers requirement.
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The student can infer even with a working RC car, that since the car failed to meet two requirements during testing that the car was not successful. All the data that was gathered was accurate and precise via using recording software, speed apps, calculations, and functions via excel.