Projects

Gear Interfaces and Carrier Design, Carbon Fiber Axles, and Vehicle Design - Cornell Baja Racing

As the lead of our 58 person team, I oversee the entire design and integration of our vehicle. I have also designed two novel components: the ring gear carrier and sprag clutch system of our 4WD system, and implemented carbon fiber axles for the first time on the team.

This year we, have designed a propshaft driven 4WD system from the ground up, allowing a reduction in vehicle CG by .8 inches. I designed the carrier to support the bevel ring gear and interface with the sprag clutches, which transfer torque to the front wheels. I also developed a carbon fiber bonding process that is strong enough to facilitate carbon fiber axles across the entire vehicle, allowing for a 40% reduction in weight across our half shafts.

Structures Design Intern - SpaceX Starshield

I designed and executed tests to evaluate the on orbit deployment of a system critical to satellite survivability. In this test, I controlled and tested across the variety of temperatures experienced in orbit and accounted for the effects of gravity. I designed and fabricated numerous components required for the fixturing and implementation of this test.

I also designed a thermal strap to prevent warping due to thermal gradients near sensitive instrumentation. I began the structural design of a region of a new satellite vehicle with a novel manufacturing and fastening method. I also designed several wire harnesses to be used in flight. Additionally, I released test hardware used in the development of laser communication systems between satellites.

Cornell Baja SAE Racing Website

Suspension Design - Cornell Baja Racing

As the prior suspension team lead, I designed the suspension geometry which controls vehicle dynamics. The geometry is responsible for defining the location of the links, uprights, gearboxes, steering rack, shocks, and wheels which has allowed me to gain extensive integration experience. I eliminated the legacy four-wheel steer system to reduce weight, complexity, and cost, and instead optimized the vehicle's handling through adjustments to the vehicle's geometry to optimize wheel camber and load transfer characteristics.

I also tuned the shock absorbers and designed custom shock pistons in order to achieve the desired damping characteristics. I used linear potentiometers, shock dyno readings, and a quarter-car model to tune the damping ratio of the shocks to minimize transmissibility across the most relevant input frequencies.

Modal Analysis with FEA and Accelerometer Data - Monarch Tractor Internship

I modeled several parts in HyperMesh, SimSolid, and Inspire FEA softwares and then compared the simulated results to data collected from impact testing with accelerometers. I wrote a script to perform a Fourier transformation on the collected data in order to find the modes of resonance of the tested structures. I also correlated a HyperMesh model of the roll-over protection frame, which contained dozens of welds, bolted joints, and components too complex to fully model, to accelerometer results in order to develop a model that could be efficiently run.

I set up and executed thermal performance tests on the tractor’s radiator system where I wired a system to regulate the temperature of oil and coolant to represent maximum operating temperatures and set up many of the thermocouples and hardware needed to assess the performance of a radiator design. I also helped create and calibrate a thermal test chamber to house the entire tractor, prepared battery cell samples to test if module failure would be caused by thermal propagation, tested fastener failure, and drafted test procedures for four-wheel drive and tilted performance tests.

Upright Design - Cornell Baja Racing

The uprights serve as an interface to connect the suspension links, axle, brake caliper, tie rod, and hubs. Because they are in the wheel assemblies of the car, it is critical for them to be both lightweight and structurally sound. My design was able to reduce their weight by 17% while decreasing the max stress significantly across all load cases.

The final design was created to have a higher moment of inertia by using an outer shell in order to move material away from the neutral axis. Combined with pocketed side walls that are similar to C-channels, this design is stronger and lighter compared to prior designs. The efficiency of this geometry is reflected in the relatively uniform distribution of stress.

ANSYS results simulating a sidewards impact on the tire at the same time that the maximum braking force is applied, the limiting loadcase. After using bolted joint hand calculations and convergence studies, it was determined that the max stress seen at the bolt holes is unrealistic.

Other Work

A brake pedal I designed and machined. My design reduced the weight of the pedal by a factor of 2.75 compared to the previous year's design.

The design of the pedal reflects and I-beam with additional extrusions to reinforce highly stressed regions. There are holes placed down the center of the pedal in order to minimize the amount of mass which lies along the neutral axis.

Brake calipers that I machined which have multiple sealing surfaces and toleranced fits

Wheel hubs that I have machined

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