Background
The project’s goal was to develop a complete engineering design package, spanning thermodynamic modeling, mechanical subsystem design, CAD development, materials selection, cost analysis, and a full theory of operations to meet a specific set of customer, derived, technical, and US regulatory requirements.
Approach
As a CAD designer, I designed a connecting rod, engine valves, and cylinder head in SolidWorks. As connecting rods went through long periods of high cyclic loads, FEA analysis was conducted to confirm that the design was able to withstand the life cycle simulation. To ensure that the static factor of safety is above 3.0, I reduced the overall height of the connecting rod and increased the fillet and thickness of the rod. Similarly, for the engine valve design, a technical calculation was conducted to determine the minimum flow area during different stages of the engine cycle to design the valve head, and I confirmed the desired static factor of safety by FEA analysis. During the design of the cylinder head, the assembly, tolerance, and lubrication and cooling paths were considered.
As a material selection lead, I spearheaded material selection of 100+ components and specified cost-effective primary and secondary manufacturing methods for 50+ components in the bill of materials. Depending on the purpose of each component, mechanical properties of materials such as tensile strength, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance were compared using Ansys Granta. Additionally, manufacturability and cost were also considered. As an economic lead, I completed an economic analysis of the engine for the next 3 years of production.
Impact
My team delivered a safe engine at a competitive price that meets all project requirements compared to other market options.