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Technical Paper

Carbon Fibre Monocoque Chassis Feasibility and Manufacturability for FSAE

2015-03-10
2015-01-0078
The Curtin Motorsport Team (CMT) currently utilise a 4130 alloy steel space frame chassis for their entry into the Formula SAE-A competition (FSAE). According to SolidWorks models, the current chassis has a weight of 32kg with a torsional stiffness of 744Nm/degree. Although this is an adequate system proven to be cost effective, relatively easy to manufacture and is torsionally stiff enough for a chassis in FSAE, CMT wish to investigate the feasibility of a carbon fibre monocoque chassis. The main goals of this paper are to benchmark the current space frame chassis design, and investigate feasibility of a carbon fibre monocoque, while reducing the chassis' weight, and increasing its torsional stiffness without increasing manufacture time. Preliminary modelling indicates that a transition to a half monocoque will yield a weight drop of 18kg, and a full monocoque will yield a drop of 23kg. The monocoque can also provide a torsional stiffness of approximately 4000-10000Nm/degree.
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