University of Colorado at Boulder

Baja SAE Racing

Project Background

Validation & Testing

Design Overview Suspension & Controls

Component Iteration

Acknowledgement

Lessons Learned

The Baja SAE Racing team is proud to acknowledge the support of

our primary sponsor, Stolle Machinery, as well as donations from

Colorado Waterjet, Earle M Jorgensen, Polaris, CVJ Axles, Design

Center Colorado, and Reliance Steel & Aluminum for each of their

generous contributions to Baja to the University of Colorado.

Baja was established at CU Boulder in 2015 as a platform for the

design, fabrication, and competition of off-road vehicles.

Due to budgetary and logistical challenges faced by first-year com-

petition teams, designs have primarily been validated with varied

loading in Solidworks finite element analysis and on-track tests.

During the transition from design to fabrication, some components

were revised for fit, weight reduction, and driver comfort.

Front Upright Steering Link

Maintain Ackerman

Avoid part interference

Throttle Pedal Mount

Improve footbox ergonomics

Reduce part weight

Ergonomics provide an enormous challenge in engineering when

designs are constructed solely using computer generated models.

In a project as large and mechanically complicated as Baja SAE,

minor mistakes and component iteration are to be expected.

Finite element analysis cannot be relied on exclusively in design.

Hardware choices should be standardized to simplify assembly.

Competition will take place in May 2016, pitting 100 international

design teams against one and other in the following events:

Sales & Marketing Presentation

Cost & Design Reports

Rock Crawl

Four-Hour Endurance Race

Acceleration & Deceleration

Hill Climb

Rear Upper A-Arm Front Impact Pedal & Mount Full Brake Impact

Steering Assembly

Front Upright Assembly

Throttle & Brake Pedal Assembly

Rear Upright Assembly

Rear Suspension Assembly Front Suspension Assembly

Analysis has been performed in a myriad of loading conditions and

verified externally with both hand calculation and track testing in

an effort to avoid reliance on an imperfect software package.