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This study concerns a dissimilar materials joining technique for aluminum (Al) alloys and steel for the purpose of reducing the vehicle body weight. The tough oxide layer on the Al alloy surface and the ability to control the Fe-Al intermetallic compound (IMC) thickness are issues that have so far complicated the joining of Al alloys and steel. Removing the oxide layer has required a high heat input, resulting in the formation of a thick Fe-Al IMC layer at the joint interface, making it impossible to obtain satisfactory joint strength. To avoid that problem, we propose a unique joining concept that removes the oxide layer at low temperature by using the eutectic reaction between Al in the Al alloy and zinc (Zn) in the coating on galvanized steel (GI) and galvannealed steel (GA). This makes it possible to form a thin, uniform Fe-Al IMC layer at the joint interface. Welded joints of dissimilar materials require anticorrosion performance against electrochemical corrosion.

There are many design parameters in designing multi-element racecar wings even after the airfoil to be used has been determined. To choose the best parameter values for the wings of a Formula SAE car, Computational Fluid Dynamics combined with highly fractional factorial design of experiments was used. The CFD results were analyzed for the effectiveness of each parameter in increasing the down force, and effective parameters were used for the next CFD analyses with a fractional factorial design for choosing the best parameter values. The designed wings satisfied the target performance criteria.

In designing a two-element wing for a racecar, consisting of a main element and a flap, one parameter to be chosen is the ratio of the flap chord length to the main element chord length. To find the optimal flap chord length, CFD simulations were performed in 2D using the FX63-137 airfoil for both the main element and the flap. Some important findings are that the flap chord length should be 40 to 70% of the main element chord length, that the maximum downforce occurs at the flap angle of about 50°, and that the flap chord length and angle should be smaller as long as the desired downforce is obtained in order to reduce the drag. These findings will help design better two-element wings.

When a two-element airfoil for the wing of a racecar has to be inside a rectangle space dictated by regulations or dictated by the available space, the ratio of the flap chord length to the main element chord length, the overlap and gap sizes between the main element and the flap are design parameters, besides the element shapes. To find the configuration for the high downforce-to-drag ratio, CFD simulations were performed in 2D using the FX63-137 airfoil for both the main element and the flap. Some important findings are that the flap chord length should be 50 to 70% of the main element chord length to achieve the high lift-to-drag ratio. This finding will help design better two-element wings.

Motorsport Engineering is developing a foothold, around the World, as a field of academic preparation at the post-graduate level. To gain the appropriate practical skills to augment classroom education, and thus, for the graduates to successfully compete for employment in the Motorsport Industry, it is critical that the degree program has a strong experiential component. This paper describes the need to take an engineering approach to motorsport education by combining a discovery-based education with the traditional lecture format to realize synergistic results. The idea is that to effectively “engineer” the graduate, the student must have a strong skill set or a strong grasp of the fundamentals. The growth of the current educational program at Colorado State University and the effectiveness of merging the “inside-out” process, typical of the research mission, with the instructional practices of the University and with the needs of the Motorsport Industry are discussed.

Achieving maximum downforce during cornering is critical in the aerodynamic design of a race car. During cornering, all race cars will be at some angle of yaw relative to the vehicle velocity vector, and in certain forms of racing the yaw angle can be large. For this reason it is important to take into consideration the effect of yaw on the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle. Most aerodynamic elements on vehicles have been examined in some detail in straight ahead motion. However, an element such as a wing/end plate combination optimized for straight forward motion may not perform well under yaw conditions. This effect may substantially diminish the aerodynamic advantage for race cars in high yaw, such as those raced at the Pike's Peak Hill Climb. As a part of a comprehensive research program relating to optimized aerodynamics at high yaw angles, the effect of end plate design on lift and drag of a rear wing in free stream is being considered.

This paper presents the results of a strength analysis of a newly developed steel structure featuring a special cross section achieved with the hydroforming process that minimizes the influence of springback. This structure has been developed in pursuit of further weight reductions for the steel body in white. A steel tube with tensile strength of 590 MPa was fabricated in a low-pressure hydroforming operation, resulting in thicker side walls. The results of a three-point bending test showed that the bending strength of the new steel structure with thicker side walls was substantially increased. A finite element crush analysis based on the results of a forming analysis was shown to be effective in predicting the strength of the structure, including the effect of work hardening.

Door guard beams have been developed through the utilization of ultra high strength steel (tensile strength>100 kg/mm2). At first, the sheet metal gauge was reduced in proportion to the strength of the ultra high strength without changing the shape of the beam section. This caused beam buckling and did not meet guard beam specifications. Analyzing this phenomena in accordance with the buckling theory of thin plates, a design criteria that makes effective use of the advantages of ultra high strength was developed. As a result, our newly designed small vehicle door guard beams are 20% lighter and 26% thinner than conventional ones. This makes it possible to reduce door thickness while increasing interior volume.

Up to now, drawing of body lines has taken a long time and required skilled workers, and thus has been an obstacle to shortening the time needed to develop a new model. A new on-line system and data file, called the Integrated Body Design System, make body lines lofting easy and speedy, especially in outer panel designs. This on-line system has been developed by: 1. Effective combination of a large computer, a graphic display, a measuring machine, and a numerically controlled drafting machine. 2. Development of software for monitoring a large quantity of data using the technique of list processing.