Designing and Prototyping a driveshaft for SAE Baja
Problem statement
Time is the most crucial aspect of the four-hour Baja endurance race where every second can dictate whether months of preparation end in victory or disappointment. Thus, the serviceability of every component is the key to using each second of the race efficiently. However, for the UW-Madison Baja team, these precious seconds are often lost to the 4WD belt system lacking this necessary quality, along with becoming obsolete due to the belt being no longer in production. According to Beaton Consulting Engineers, ‘Serviceability and durability matter, [where a] serviceable structure is one that does not excessively deflect, or damage things that are attached to it’ [1]. To meet this ever-growing problem, the Madison team has requested that their senior design team prototype a driveshaft system. When exploring alternatives, the Madison team investigated purchasing a driveshaft system but that would use almost all of their yearly funds. Additionally, asking their members to design a driveshaft system would take too much of their voluntary time. Therefore, our team intends to provide the UW-Madison Baja SAE team with a fully designed and prototype driveshaft system that can be incorporated into their future competition car. This will allow the UW-Madison team to focus on racing hard, representing their university, and celebrating the success on the track.
[1] K. MacDonald, ‘Why should we care about serviceability and durability?,’ Beton Consulting Engineers, Jan. 6, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.betonconsultingeng.com/why-should-we-care-about-serviceability-and-durability/Links to an external site.. [Accessed: Sep. 23, 2025].
Team members
Avery Kline – communicator
Cooper Conway – admin
Ethan Steichen – accountant
Shannon Gallagher – facilitator
Client
Glenn Bower
UW – Mechanical Engineering