Project Overview
As drivetrain lead for the UT23 FSAE vehicle, I designed a custom sprocket for our electric powertrain system. This project involved determining the operational loads, performing detailed finite element analysis (FEA) using ANSYS, and ensuring the component could withstand the demanding conditions of FSAE competition.
Integration with Drive Ratio Optimization: This sprocket design directly supported the OptimumLap lap simulation and drive ratio optimization work, providing the physical component specifications needed for accurate vehicle dynamics modeling.
Design Requirements
The sprocket design was driven by several key requirements:
- Load Capacity: Must withstand maximum torque loads from the electric motor
- Weight Optimization: Minimize mass while maintaining structural integrity
- Manufacturing: Design for waterjet and material availability
- Compatibility: Match existing chain specifications and mounting requirements
Load Analysis
I performed comprehensive load calculations to determine the forces acting on the sprocket:
Torque Analysis
Calculated maximum torque loads based on motor specifications and gear ratios
Dynamic Loading
Accounted for acceleration, braking, and impact loads during competition
Safety Factors
Applied appropriate safety factors for FSAE competition reliability
ANSYS FEA Simulation
Using the calculated loads, I performed detailed finite element analysis:
Load distribution analysis showing stress concentrations and force vectors
ANSYS FEA results showing von Mises stress distribution across the sprocket
Design Optimization
Based on the FEA results, I optimized the sprocket design:
Validation & Results
The final design achieved excellent performance metrics:
- Factor of safety > 2.5 under maximum load conditions
- Weight reduction of 15% compared to initial design
- Maximum stress well below material yield strength
- Successful prototyping and testing validation
Future Development: This sprocket design work laid the foundation for 2024 harmonic analysis, where vibration characteristics of the entire drivetrain system were investigated.
Related FSAE Projects
2023 Cooling System Design
2023Initial cooling system architecture and component selection.
Impact: Designed complete cooling loop for a first year electric FSAE vehicle, ensuring adequate thermal management for motor and battery systems under competition conditions
Star-CCM+ Motor Cooling Jacket CFD Analysis
2026Developed optimized cooling jacket designs for compact outboard motors in UT26 AWD system using Star-CCM+ CFD simulations. Analyzed coolant flow distribution, heat transfer efficiency, and pressure drop to ensure adequate thermal management within severe packaging constraints. Iteratively refined internal channel geometry to maximize cooling performance while minimizing pumping power requirements for the four-wheel-drive configuration.
Impact: Optimized cooling jacket design ensures reliable thermal performance of compact AWD motors under high-power competition conditions, preventing thermal throttling while maintaining minimal package size
Radiator CAD
2022First SolidWorks project - created a basic CAD model of the radiator for the UT22 FSAE vehicle despite having no prior CAD experience.
Impact: First CAD project that built foundational SolidWorks skills and demonstrated ability to learn new software quickly
