Reliability Considerations
Purpose
To ensure the vehicle is able to complete all events
Primary Considerations
Testing on a chassis dyno
- Design - Proper design identifies all the possible modes of failure and plans to either prevent their occurrance or minimize the effect if they occur.
- Testing - Project planning should include time for thorough testing. Testing should address previously determined potential failure modes.
- Factor of Safety - Designing a part to be able to exceed the expected loads is called factor of safety. This is especially critical when trying new designs.
- Iterative Design - Testing may reveal that some parts are insufficient for the rigors of racing. The problem should be identified, a solution developed, and the part replaced with a newer and better iteration.
- Serviceability - Every part that could fail should be designed so that it can easily be repaired or replaced. Serviceability also influences accessibility.
- Support - Having engineers on-site during the race may allow the team to correct any problems that occur immediately before or during one of the events.