Document Type

Undergraduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Spring 2023

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Engineering Technology

Committee Chair

Charles Pringle, PE

Second Committee Member

Dr. John Choi

Fourth Committee Member

Mr. Chris Berkshire

Abstract

Teams of two mechanical engineering students were tasked with the construction of an RC Baja car qualified by the rules and regulations of the Baja competition as well as specifications set by the individual team member for their portion of the vehicle. This proposal focuses on the Chassis and Drivetrain of the vehicle while team member Jack Stutz oversaw the steering and suspension. Teams will compete against each other in various modes to determine the best vehicles of the competitors. The chassis was made of standard aluminum, the remaining parts made by the students were made with PLA; both materials are durable, lightweight, and inexpensive. Standard 3mm screws of various sizes will be used to fashion the various parts together. The car will be subjected to various tests prior to the competition to ensure the capability to complete the Baja tracks. The first test will focus on the efficiency of the motor by testing that the motor can run continuously for five minutes and didn’t reach a temperature over 135°F, only 96% of the required maximum temperature. The deflection test consisted of testing determined a 15.5lb-f was required to make the chassis to reach the maximum allowable deflection of 0.5mm. The final test was to test the vehicle’s maximum speed on a straight-line runway and resulted in a top speed of 22mph.

Comments

The project was an overall success and the team placed second in the Baja competition.

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