OPTIMIZING THE REAR-DISCONNECTED STEERING TRAPEZOID FOR FSAE RACING CARS

Abstract

The steering system of FSAE racing car plays a vital role in maintaining the direction and stability of the car. The design of the steering trapezoid is an important component of the steering system, and the post-disconnected steering trapezoid has been analyzed and optimized in this study. To improve the steering behavior of the car, a mathematical model of the post-disconnected steering trapezoid was developed. The objective function was established using the modified ideal Ackerman steering formula, and the geometric relationship between the actual inner and outer corners. Additionally, a constraint equation was established to ensure operational convenience of the steering mechanism. MATLAB was used to find the design variable parameters that satisfied the fatigue strength while ensuring that the actual internal and external angle relationship was maximally close to the ideal Ackerman steering. Furthermore, the dynamic change of the toe angle of the parallel two-wheeled beating was simulated using ADAMS, to ensure that the car met the stability requirement. The results showed that the optimized post-disconnected steering trapezoid can significantly improve the steering behavior of the FSAE racing car. The mathematical model and optimization method developed in this study can provide a theoretical reference for the design of the steering trapezoid in future studies. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of considering the fatigue strength and dynamic simulation in the design process of the steering system for FSAE racing cars. Overall, the optimized post-disconnected steering trapezoid design can improve the stability and steering performance of FSAE racing cars, providing better handling during dynamic competition. The proposed method can be applied to the design and optimization of steering systems in various racing cars, making it a valuable contribution to the field of motorsport engineering