February 2026 Blog
February has once again reminded the members of the UNB Formula Racing team of the realities of real-world engineering projects. Many of the team’s conceptual CAD designs are now entering their final stages. As a first-year team, this marks the first time many members have professionally validated the components they have designed in preparation for real-world fabrication. Through this process, members are also gaining valuable experience in the engineering practices required to move a design from concept to production.
Students are learning about the complexities involved in fabrication as the team determines which components can be manufactured in-house and organizes the logistics required to produce others externally. The team has also made significant progress in building relationships with the companies needed to bring the car to life, ranging from raw material suppliers to specialized fabrication shops.
The team has certainly entered an exciting new phase in the car’s development!
Chassis
With the design work mostly complete for the chassis, efforts in February were allotted to further accommodating needs of other subteams to fully integrate all necessary components as well as develop, analyze and integrate a steering system.
With the Geometry being finalized, chassis team members collaborated heavily with the dynamics team to facilitate the mounting of the shocks and control rods onto the frame while maintaining the optimized dimensions and layout. Also, the chassis team members have worked alongside the powertrain team to ensure the motor, differential, battery and all other necessary components could be attached with sufficient strength and in ideal locations.
Steering Parts are being analyzed in FEA to ensure their strength meets the safety and performance specifications. A list of materials and manufacturing processes is being created. The assembly from the rack to the steering wheel is completed, all that remains is connecting the system to the front wheels.
Finally, team members further develop a relationship and communication with possible companies that will aid in the sourcing and manufacturing of our steel tubes ensuring everything is lined up for the manufacturing window.
Dynamics
Work on the rear suspension has progressed well this month, with the rear hub and upright design now largely complete. We are currently making smaller adjustments to geometry, sub-component placement, and sizing to ensure proper packaging with the drivetrain, braking system, and surrounding suspension members.
On the front suspension, a complete bill of materials (BOM) has been finalized. Work on the rear suspension BOM is currently underway as component selections continue to be refined.
The team has also developed detailed 3D models of the rear hub, which will be used to consult with the in-house machinist to evaluate the feasibility of manufacturing the parts using available tools and machining processes. This discussion will help guide any design adjustments required for manufacturability.
We have also been evaluating shock mounting configurations, specifically comparing inboard and outboard suspension layouts. Currently assessing the trade-offs between both approaches, including packaging constraints, motion ratios, weight distribution, and overall system complexity. While outboard mounting offers a simpler design and easier maintenance, inboard mounting using a pushrod system may provide improved mass centralization and greater flexibility in tuning the suspension geometry.
In addition, work has begun on front and rear suspension bracketry, including the design of mounting points that connect suspension members and dampers to the chassis structure. These components are being developed with attention to load paths, manufacturability, and structural integrity.
Powertrain
Powertrain is gearing up for a strong month ahead. With the ordering of the battery, motor and inverter now complete, a significant portion of our roadblocks have been cleared, allowing the team to move forward with the next stages of development.
The motor and differential mounts have been fully designed and validated through FEA simulations, ensuring they can withstand the expected loads and stresses during the race. These components are now ready to be manufactured. In addition the motor shaft has also been designed and is currently being finalized so it can be manufactured in-house.
With these major drivetrain components progressing well, the team will be shifting its focus this month toward developing the overall cooling system for the vehicle. This will include evaluating cooling requirements for components and designing an efficient system to maintain safe operating temperatures during competition conditions.
Overall, Powertrain is entering an exciting phase as designs transition into real parts, bringing us one step closer to seeing the system come together on the car.
Electrical
The electrical subteam made strong progress this month. We completed our specification decision for the Isolation Monitoring Device (IMD) and have contacted the manufacturer to begin procurement.
Continuing the progress on the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) from last month, we built a prototyping harness and received access to the inverter CAN database, which will allow us to begin integrating and testing communication with the inverter.
We have also finalized the position sensor that will be used for the accelerator pedal.
On the high-voltage side, we started sizing the wires for the high-voltage system and began researching the connectors and shielding required for safe and reliable operation. For the battery pack, we are continuing discussions with the supplier to finalize the remaining details before manufacturing begins.