Virtuals Script (SSB)
I am Gauravi , and I'll be presenting the Suspension Steering and Brakes subsystem of our ATV. We
focused on achieving an optimal balance between handling, ride comfort, and maneuverability through
an integrated approach. We’ve made use of various softwares as well to validate our designs before we
start manufacturing.
Slide 1
Starting with the suspension, we selected a double wishbone suspension at the front with an monotube
coil over damper of stroke length 8 inch and an H-arm with a single camber link at the rear with a damper
of stroke length 7 inch, providing high wheel travel while maintaining predictable wheel kinematics.
Our primary objective was to maximize tire contact with the terrain, control load transfer, and provide
stable handling over rough off-road conditions. The suspension geometry was optimized for zero static
camber and toe, with a 9.75° caster, 10.48° kingpin inclination, and optimized roll centre heights of
268.77 mm at the front and 240.23 mm at the rear.
To achieve the desired ride characteristics, we optimized the motion ratios, spring stiffness, damper
compression and rebound, and ride frequencies using our MATLAB quarter car and full car model. This
allowed us to iterate the suspension parameters efficiently before validation. One major change this
year is the updated upright design as shown which allows for more bump travel and also eliminates the
failures of rodends. This design was validated using 3D printed prototypes
Critical components such as uprights and wheel hubs and also the entire Suspension subassembly
were structurally validated, achieving factors of safety of around 2 to 5, ensuring reliability under severe
BAJA loading conditions.
Slide 2
Moving on to the steering system, our objective was to develop a lightweight and responsive manual
rack-and-pinion mechanism that minimizes steering effort while maintaining high maneuverability.
The steering geometry was optimized by balancing Ackermann percentage, steering effort, and pinion
radius. Our final design achieved 90.85% Ackermann, resulting in improved cornering characteristics
while reducing tire scrub.
The vehicle achieves a compact turning radius of 1381 mm with 60 mm rack travel, while requiring only
4.46 Nm steering wheel torque, ensuring low driver fatigue during endurance events.
We validated the steering geometry by comparing rack travel with Ackermann percentage, analyzing toe
and camber variations as well to minimize bump steer, and obtain predictable wheel motion. This was
done by solving the dynamic wheel angles by importing the geometry in Pythons NumPy and Matplotlib
libraries.
Finally, all critical steering components—including the rack, pinion, steering box, and clevis—were also
structurally validated with factors of safety greater than 2.5 ensuring robustness in demanding off-road
conditions.
Slide 3
Next up is the brakes subsystem
Our primary design objectives were to ensure reliable wheel locking on different terrains, simplify the
hydraulic circuit for improved reliability, and maintain ease of service during endurance events.
Based on our braking calculations, the vehicle achieves a stopping distance of 5.12 m in 0.87 s,
producing a deceleration of 13.79 m/s². This results in a dynamic weight transfer of approximately 71.65
kg, which was considered while designing the brake bias.
We selected 170 mm front and 150 mm rear outboard SS420 stainless steel brake rotors due to their
high strength, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, making them suitable for off-road conditions.
The system uses a Bosch 0.75-inch tandem master cylinder with KBX fixed dual-piston calipers in a
front-rear split hydraulic circuit, providing balanced braking on all four wheels.
Our calculations require 122 Nm braking torque at the front and 113 Nm at the rear, which the selected
hardware comfortably delivers.
FEA validation in ANSYS showed a factor of safety of 1.3 for both brake rotors and 1.8 for the brake pedal,
confirming structural integrity.
The rotor is manufactured using laser cutting, followed by hardening and grinding, while the brake pedal
is manufactured through CNC milling, ensuring dimensional accuracy and durability
Overall the SSB package delivers predictable handling, stability and high reliability to the driver thus
meeting the objectives.