Autodesk

Formula Car Design

Curriculum 2009
Formula Car Design – Introduction
The Autodesk® Formula Car Design curriculum consists of nine lessons centered
on the design of a formula race car using Autodesk® Inventor® software. Each
lesson contains one or more exercises involving techniques and procedures
relevant to the practice of formula race car design. A large dataset is provided,
enabling you to create, assemble, analyze, and simulate a digital prototype of a
Formula Car.

The lessons are intended for use in instructor led training, or by students who
have already completed an introductory Autodesk Inventor course. The examples
are outlines of workflows in Inventor, and do not detail every step needed to
complete an exercise, so an intermediate level of knowledge of Inventor or the
support of an Inventor expert is assumed.

Lesson Overview

Lesson 1 provides several basic modeling exercises in which you create parts
commonly used in race car suspensions including a rod end bearing, bellcrank,
and suspension mount clevis.

Lesson 2 starts with an exercise in modeling a single piece magnesium racing

wheel. That is followed by an exercise in modeling a chain sprocket, where the
defining equations drive the model. Finally, a portion of a frame is modeled using
the Sweep tool.

Lesson 3 starts with an upper control arm exercise in which 3D points are used
to define the primary sketch plane. That is followed by two exercises in modeling
a spring, the first using manual techniques and the second using component
generator.

Lesson 4 provides an exercise in the use of the powerful Frame Generator tool.
Starting with spatial sketch geometry, you use specialized tools to define the
centerlines and cross sections of frame members, followed by their joints and
intersections.

Lesson 5 is an assembly modeling exercise in which you bring together parts to

form a working model of a race car suspension.

Lesson 6 is a drawing creation exercise in which you generate and annotate

multiple views of the bellcrank created in lesson 1.

Lesson 7 is an exercise in the use of Inventor Studio. You create a stage for
showcasing the race car model. It is used to generate a high resolution image of
the car, and a video animation of the suspension.
Lesson 8 is an exercise in the use of the powerful Dynamic Simulation tool. It is
used to determine the required spring properties for both static and dynamic
suspension loads, and to generate a graph of spring displacement with time.

Lesson 9 provides two exercises in the use of stress analysis. The first bases
the analysis on estimated load values, while the second bases the analysis on
the results of dynamic simulation.

About Lesson Files and Folders

In some of the exercises you will create new parts, while in others you will work
with existing files. There is a folder for each lesson in the curriculum, and a
subfolder for each exercise within that lesson.

Within each exercise folder is a Completed Exercise folder. The completed

exercises are provided as a reference for you to check your work.

To ensure Inventor uses files from the correct location, you need to define a
project file each time you start working on a new lesson. An example for defining
a project file is as follows:

Create a Project File

Consider, for example, that you are ready to start Lesson 1. Follow these steps
to create the Lesson 1 project file:

1. Start Autodesk Inventor.

2. Click File > Projects.
3. In the Projects dialog box, click New.
4. Select New Single User Project.

5. Click Next.
6. For Name, enter Lesson 1.
7. Click Browse and navigate to the Lesson 1 folder where you installed
the curriculum.

8. Click Finish.
9. The Lesson 1 project appears in the Project dialog box.

10. Click Apply.

11. The check mark indicates Lesson 1 is the active project. When you open a
file, Inventor now searches in the active project location.
Repeat this procedure each time you start a new lesson.

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