Redesigning a Racecar powertrain system
In Fall of 2023, I led the full architecture redesign of the powertrain for Carnegie Mellon University’s racing team.
I designed a fixed planet planetary gearset that effectively transmits power from a 32kW brushless motor to the vehicle’s wheel, constrained by packaging the assembly inside of a wheel and a short design period.
After letting other members refine the other sections based on a master model I created, I focused my engineering efforts on the gear set.
Hand calculations were performed with the AGMA standards to determine macrogeometry parameters while microgeometry analysis was performed in SMT MASTA.
These gears would then be manufactured via Lathe->CNC Mill->Wire EDM and then a carburization to provide a case hardening.
These redesign efforts allowed for the motor to be better embedded into the vehicle’s wheel, improving airflow into the side diffuser, and led to a lighter powertrain package, reducing the mass from the previous year’s car by 16%.
Initial Conceptualization of design
Final Design As Manufactured
CAD Model of Gearset fully assembled
SMT MASTA Model power flow analysis
Anderson Sutandinata 