The UCR-01
Projects | | Links: UCalgary Racing Site
In following my passion for cars and engineering, in 2023 I joined UCalgary Racing, The University of Calgary’s Formula SAE team. Joining the team allowed me to gain significant manufacturing knowledge, as well as understand mechanical and automotive design philosophy better. Being placed on the powertrain subteam, I was quickly able to make meaningful contributions to the car’s design. My first task was to create a mount for the (extremely large) motor controller, which took much larger than anticipated due to the ever-changing chassis and electrical designs of the vehicle. The final mount was extremely lightweight and manufacturable, with a FOS of over 4.0 on a 2.5g bump.
The mount holding the motor controller (the comically large box)
Finite element analysis of the mount, revealing minimal displacement under load
I also was provided with the opportunity to develop the car’s high-voltage disconnector box, a key safety component as it disconnects the high voltage circuit in the event of a crash or work being done on the car. While the design itself is quite simple, the main challenge encountered in developing the HVD mount was maintaining strength whilst reducing weight as much as possible.
The finite element analysis confirming adequate box strength
Through my consistency and participation within the team, I was able to attend the 2024 Formula SAE competition at the Michigan International Speedway. Although the competition did not exactly go to plan for us, I was able to get more hands-on engineering experience and further educate myself on what constitutes high-quality mechanical engineering design.
Me (left) and Max (right) pushing the UCR-01 back into our pit
