Document Type

Undergraduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2017

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Engineering Technology

Committee Chair

Ethan Bergman

Abstract

Each year the regional chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) put on a Radio Controlled (R/C) Baja car competition. The R/C car designed for the competition must compete in two events, a slalom sprint and an obstacle course. A successfully designed car will not only be able to complete each event but also be competitive in each event. A main component to the success of the R/C car is the suspension. The suspension design for this year’s car must operate effectively without interfering with the steering and drivetrain designed by Walter Lackey. The suspension utilizes a transverse leaf spring design which utilizes steel, aluminum, and 3D printed ABS plastic components. The components were designed using principals of statics and dynamics. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was also used to verify the initial analysis and optimize the component geometry. The suspension components were designed to withstand a vertical impact from two feet off of the ground and a horizontal impact within a similar load. The result of the suspension design is a system that works flawlessly. The suspension system does not interfere with any other system of the car as it cycles through its full range of motion. It has completed the two foot drop test without failure and completed both events in the ASME competition.

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