Formula Student Powertrain
I led the powertrain division of HKU Racing to significantly enhance the acceleration capabilities of our Formula Student car, thereby improving performance in dynamic events. The previous car’s peak acceleration of 0.6–0.77g was far below the average of 1.1–1.2g, motivating me to design, analyze, and manufacture a new powertrain system. This effort resulted in a 60% improvement in peak acceleration, reducing the 0–75m acceleration time by 0.5 seconds and advancing 10 places in the FSEC 2023 rankings.
Throughout the project, I gained valuable experience in engineering design, analysis, and manufacturing. I developed an innovative gear ratio and motor sizing strategy using MATLAB, designed CNC and sheet metal parts in SolidWorks with a focus on Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA), and optimized strength, longevity, and mass using advanced finite element analysis (FEA) techniques.
Related Skills
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MATLAB System Modeling and Data Analysis
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SolidWorks
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GD&T
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DMFA
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Force, Torsion, Fatigue, and Lifetime Analysis.
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Technical Drawings
Designing of Motor Shaft
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My expertise in designing CNC parts, as exemplified by the motor shaft design, encompasses SolidWorks CAD design, DFMA application, stress calculations for shaft diameter sizing, and the creation of technical drawings with GD&T considerations and engineering fittings.
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The following example illustrates the SFD and BMD of the motor shaft, which was used to identify the loading conditions at different regions.
Table of Minimum Diameter of Different Motor Shaft Regions
Engineering Drawing of Motor Shaft
System Modeling with MALTAB
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I developed a 1D longitudinal acceleration model and implemented it in MATLAB by interpolating motor torque-RPM data and solving the 1D ordinary differential equation (ODE) using Euler’s method. Through advanced data analysis and visualization techniques, I accurately sized gear ratios and evaluated acceleration performance, showcasing my expertise in MATLAB for engineering applications.
MATLAB Acceleration Model Work Flow
Designing of Rear Sprocket
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I designed the rear sprocket by conducting force analysis, torsional analysis, and fatigue/lifetime assessments. These analyses help me optimize the geometry of the sprocket for both strength and weight efficiency.
Force and Torsional Analysis
Fatigue Analysis
Rear sprocket CNC part