Solar Car Project

Composite Manufacturing and Aeroshell Lead

The Aeroshell team designs and manufactures the external features and body of the car for aerodynamic performance and aesthetics. The main design goal of the aeroshell is the optimization of drag and lift coefficients through surface modeling and numerous computational fluid dynamics tests within our design software. The aeroshell of the car was designed using Solidworks Surface Modelling, Mold Tools, Draft Analysis, and Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations, to optimize the design for manufacturability and performance.

Currently I lead a team of seven people, as we progress towards competition. We are working on manufacturing the aeroshell of the car, the remainder of the chassis protection panels, and methods for mounting solar panel arrays to the top surfaces of the aeroshell.

Chassis Protection Panels

Objective:

Design and Manufacture Shatter Resistant Interior Panels to mount to the Occupant Cell of the Solar Car

Outcome:

Designed Panels using Solidworks, Developed and Tested manufacturing processes and materials to comprise the panels. Developed mounting mechanism, allowing for secure attachment while being easily removable

Learning Outcome:

Design and Manufacture of Composite Panels with Cores

Mold Design

Objective:

Convert the Surface model of the aeroshell to plugs that are easily manufacturable and comply with the technical objectives.

Outcome:

Successfully converted the aeroshell into 6 molds and sent them to be CNC Machined.

Prepared Surfaces for creation of molds.

Learning Outcomes:

Surface Modelling

Design for Manufacturability

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study

Objective:

Using Ansys Workbench, Spaceclaim, and Fluent, I completed Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations to determine values for drag and lift forces and coefficients.

Outcomes:

The simulations helped to optimize the aerodynamic design of the aeroshell, and minimize areas that would negatively affect performance.