Search

This work outlines the development and analysis of an anti-roll bar system vehicle carried out by James Cook University. A detailed design phase was completed, clearly showing all stages of the design approach from the initial proposed design to the final design. Several analysis strategies are used throughout the report including weld calculations and FEA modelling. These calculations led to design changes impacting the final recommended system. This report demonstrates compliance with all Formula SAE rules regarding anti-roll bar systems.

Weed control is an important issue for environmental protection all around the world. Traditional hand weed control is laborious whereas chemical control is costly and a threat to the atmosphere. A chemical patch weed control system is an optimized system but lacks cheap technical equipment. This research outlines a design process and test of a braking system that can be applied during the designing of an autonomous braking system for a 2017 Yamaha Grizzly 700. The system is intended to be used as an autonomous weed chemical spraying. A bolt-on approach that did not require any manipulation of the stock, an internal braking system was followed to reduce the complexity and installation time of multiple systems. Three different types of autonomous braking system solutions were initially investigated, with the linear actuator solution being decided on through the assistance of a weighted decision matrix. The system was designed around a 30 kg hand force; however, a spare actuator of approximately 20 kg of force was repurposed and used instead. Finite element analysis concluded that all major components within the proposed system were suitable for a lifetime of at least 1,000,000 cycles with a mild steel yield stress failure criterion of 370 MPa. A stationary test for the system was conducted to determine the success of the system, which pushed the brake lever approximately 25% of its disengaged handlebar to lever length. The resulting system met the requirements of the expectation and could be used to apply the ATV’s brakes autonomously while retracting the gear interlocking mechanism enough to change gears.

The objective of this work was to design a differential assembly for an FSAE motor sports vehicle. The designed differential system consists of 3 braces made of AISI 1045 steel. The output shafts were made of AISI 4140 steel with hardened splines. These shafts were initially going to drive 94 mm constant velocity shafts. A 75 mm tripod joint was used to minimize the weight and cost of the system. The housing was held together with grade 12.8 hex head bolts, and the shafts were bolted onto the tri-pod joints using bolts of grade 8.8 which complies with FSAE rules. The input shaft which acts on the differential itself is made of EN36A steel and is where the drive sprocket is bolted to. All components were modeled using Finite Element Analysis to determine stresses and displacements under operating conditions.

Airlie beach houses are quite common in the coastal areas of Australia. These houses, similar to other buildings, provide comfort for their residents. House comfort is not limited to temperature or sound pollution, vibration can be considered as another equally important factor. In this article, the vibration of an Airlie beach house was investigated. The base steel structure was modeled in SolidWorks and Space Gass for evaluating stress distribution and nodal displacement, respectively. To find the root cause of the distressing vibration of the house, which was felt with dwellings, the axial acceleration of the house’s structure was determined. Some feasible solutions such as adding a fiber-reinforced polymer joist hanger, inserting additional rubber padding to the joist hanger, and attaching additional bracing, were discussed and a cost analysis was considered for the solutions. Eventually, the nature of the best solution, which was adding rubber, was tested experimentally.

The objective of this work is to design an upper stage steering system for the Formula FSAE car “Omega” that will effectively translate driver input force to the rack and pinion. The system consists of a steering wheel, steering shafts, universal joints, a quick release mechanism, and connection points to the car. Critical loads have been determined, and the final design has been validated using finite element analysis to ensure the safety of the assembly during normal operation and worst-scenario cases. The design key factors were performance, weight, cost, ergonomics, maintainability, manufacturability and reliability.

This report provides a design analysis of a replacement’s shifter mechanism for the 2014 model JCU Motorsports FSAE vehicle. Common FSAE shifter mechanisms were researched and reviewed to provide a better understanding of the needs required. A design approach was constructed to ultimately design a mechanism that conformed to all existing constraints and FSAE rules. Realistic load cases were identified and employed in the FEA analysis of the design. Supporting hand calculations were developed, proving the analysis to be accurate. Results showed the shifter mechanism does not fail under infinite life, with some parts of the design having a reasonably high safety factor, ensuring stability.

Investigation on a designed and modified standard automatic transmission for a 2017 Yamaha Grizzly All-Terrain Vehicle was carried out to allow it to be controlled remotely and autonomously while maintaining its ability to be manually operated. The vehicle is a part of a project named AutoWeed. This project aims at developing a vehicle which can be used in the Australian outback to control and eradicate weeds. Preliminary tests were conducted on the vehicle to determine the performance parameters required to replace the movement supplied by the operator. Several devices used to achieve this motion were explored. It was concluded that the Motion Dynamics HB-DJ806 - LALI10010 electromechanical linear actuator be used as a proof of concept device for this application. This device is capable of exerting 200 N at 35 mm/seconds. It has a stroke length of 50 mm and was powered by a 12V DC motor, which drew 3 amps at maximum load. Through testing, it was found that the selected actuator did not have enough stroke length to cycle through the five gears on the ATV. This error was rectified allowing the system to function as intended. To achieve a reliable design, however, the Linak LA14 actuator was purchased as a final design as it was stronger, faster and had feedback capabilities. Before procurement, the new actuator was digitally modelled using SolidWorks 2017 and 3D printed to confirm the mounting position and method. An ANSYS FEA was conducted on all the custom-made components including the actuator bracket and mounting plate to ensure reliability. The bracket model was manufactured using 3D printing from ABS. It was recommended that for reliability, the bracket should be constructed from a stronger material such as aluminium. The results gained from testing proved that the autonomous transmission system implemented was reliable and repeatable. This was justified as the system achieved a 100% success rate when cycling through gears.