Altair Case Studies Iowa State University's Cyclone Racing Team Leverages IoT for Enhanced Vehicle Performance

	Iowa State University's Cyclone Racing Team Leverages IoT for Enhanced Vehicle Performance Altair

Iowa State University's Cyclone Racing Team Leverages IoT for Enhanced Vehicle Performance

Altair

Technology Category	Drones - Fixed-Wing Drones Sensors - Autonomous Driving Sensors
Applicable Industries	Automotive Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Smart Parking Vehicle-to-Infrastructure
Challenge	Cyclone Racing, Iowa State University’s Formula SAE team, was faced with the challenge of reducing the weight of their latest vehicle, CR22, specifically the vehicle's rear aerodynamic wing. The previous year's car had a heavy internal wing structure that led to excessive roll and instability during races. The team aimed to design a lightweight yet extremely stiff modified swan neck wing mount for the Formula SAE vehicle. The challenge was to ensure that the new design would not only reduce the weight of the entire wing package but also ensure that it was very strong and stiff to withstand the rigors of racing. Read More
About Customer	Cyclone Racing is Iowa State University’s Formula SAE team, consisting of over 40 active members who design, build, test, and race a formula style race car each year. The team competes with approximately 80 teams from seven different countries at the Formula Lincoln event and about 30 different teams at the Formula North event. Cyclone racing is currently ranked 4th in the United States and 14th in the world out of 550 teams. The team operates largely from private sponsorship with support from Iowa State University. They are evaluated and judged on most aspects of being a professional racing team, including their working knowledge in engineering and marketing through a series of presentation events. Read More
Solution	The team turned to solidThinking Inspire, a simulation tool, to generate a new design concept for the mount in the initial phases of the concept design process. The tool was used to create an initial design space for the brackets in an external CAD tool. After running through a number of different iterations in Inspire, the team was able to select a final optimized design for the bracket. The design was then simulated and analyzed using Inspire and third-party analysis and verification tools to ensure the performance of the part. Once the design was verified, the team moved into the manufacturing process where the new brackets were manufactured using waterjet cutting, a quick and cost-effective method. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Drones - Fixed-Wing Drones

Sensors - Autonomous Driving Sensors

Applicable Industries

Automotive

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Smart Parking

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure

Challenge

Cyclone Racing, Iowa State University’s Formula SAE team, was faced with the challenge of reducing the weight of their latest vehicle, CR22, specifically the vehicle's rear aerodynamic wing. The previous year's car had a heavy internal wing structure that led to excessive roll and instability during races. The team aimed to design a lightweight yet extremely stiff modified swan neck wing mount for the Formula SAE vehicle. The challenge was to ensure that the new design would not only reduce the weight of the entire wing package but also ensure that it was very strong and stiff to withstand the rigors of racing.

About Customer

Cyclone Racing is Iowa State University’s Formula SAE team, consisting of over 40 active members who design, build, test, and race a formula style race car each year. The team competes with approximately 80 teams from seven different countries at the Formula Lincoln event and about 30 different teams at the Formula North event. Cyclone racing is currently ranked 4th in the United States and 14th in the world out of 550 teams. The team operates largely from private sponsorship with support from Iowa State University. They are evaluated and judged on most aspects of being a professional racing team, including their working knowledge in engineering and marketing through a series of presentation events.

Solution

The team turned to solidThinking Inspire, a simulation tool, to generate a new design concept for the mount in the initial phases of the concept design process. The tool was used to create an initial design space for the brackets in an external CAD tool. After running through a number of different iterations in Inspire, the team was able to select a final optimized design for the bracket. The design was then simulated and analyzed using Inspire and third-party analysis and verification tools to ensure the performance of the part. Once the design was verified, the team moved into the manufacturing process where the new brackets were manufactured using waterjet cutting, a quick and cost-effective method.

Impact #1	The new swan neck wing mounts designed using solidThinking Inspire were a huge success. The team was able to significantly reduce the weight of the entire wing package from approximately 7lbs to 4lbs. This weight reduction was crucial as it helped reduce the weight of the entire car and improved its performance in competition. The mounts were not only very light, but they were also very stiff and survived all of the rigors that the competitions put on them. The success of this project has led to the tool being used for other parts of the car, with teammates regularly requesting for parts to be 'solidThinking' designed.

Impact #1

The new swan neck wing mounts designed using solidThinking Inspire were a huge success. The team was able to significantly reduce the weight of the entire wing package from approximately 7lbs to 4lbs. This weight reduction was crucial as it helped reduce the weight of the entire car and improved its performance in competition. The mounts were not only very light, but they were also very stiff and survived all of the rigors that the competitions put on them. The success of this project has led to the tool being used for other parts of the car, with teammates regularly requesting for parts to be 'solidThinking' designed.

Benefit #1	Reduction in bracket weight of 4lbs, a 67% decrease in aerodynamic mounting weight
Benefit #2	Lowered center of gravity of the vehicle
Benefit #3	Successful racing and competition season using redesigned mount

Benefit #1

Reduction in bracket weight of 4lbs, a 67% decrease in aerodynamic mounting weight

Benefit #2

Lowered center of gravity of the vehicle

Benefit #3

Successful racing and competition season using redesigned mount

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Overview

Iowa State University's Cyclone Racing Team Leverages IoT for Enhanced Vehicle Performance

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit