Replace this with a short 2 to 3 sentence summary that explains what the project was, why it mattered, and what result or takeaway it delivered.
What needed to be solved
The chassis needed to withstand driver weight, engine loads, and steering assembly forces while staying within the yield strength of the material, all optimized for energy efficiency.
Project snapshot
Method
Defined load cases for the chassis: driver weight (550 N), engine & rear components (400 N), vehicle body (150 N), and steering assembly (150 N) - totaling 1250 N. Set the design constraint to keep stress below the 215 MPa yield strength of Aluminium 6063-T6.
Modeled the chassis in CATIA V5R20 using structural members, then imported into ANSYS 2024 R2 for static structural analysis. Applied fixed supports, force loads, and ran simulations for total deformation and von-Mises equivalent stress.
Ran two simulation iterations comparing results against published SEM chassis research. Max stress (213 MPa) fell within 1% of yield strength. Deformation (51 mm) was lower than the reference paper's 65 mm, confirming improved stiffness.
Tool stack
Outcome 01
213 MPaWithin the 215 MPa yield strength of Aluminium 6063-T6, confirming structural safety under all load cases.
Outcome 02
51 mm21% lower than the reference paper's 65 mm, indicating improved chassis stiffness from the CATIA design.
Takeaway
01A lightweight aluminium chassis can be designed and validated through FEA to meet Shell Eco-marathon structural requirements - combining CAD modeling with simulation-driven decision making.