Illini Solar Car: Composite Structures & Vehicle Integration
Design and build composite fairing tooling and parts for a solar race car.
Overview
Illini Solar Car builds a formula-style race vehicle for national competitions. I work on composite manufacturing and vehicle integration.
I design and build fairing door molds with 3D-printed tooling, carbon fiber, and fiberglass layup. The work covers mold design, layup, finishing, and integration on the car.
What I Work On
Mold design with 3D-printed tooling. I design mold geometry to match the aerodynamic surface and make repeatable tooling for composite parts.
Composite layup and vacuum bagging. I lay up carbon fiber and fiberglass parts, then vacuum bag them to control weight and part quality.
Post-processing. I trim, sand, and finish parts to final dimensions and surface quality.
Integration and assembly. I work with other subteams to fit the panels on the chassis and resolve assembly issues.
Why This Matters
This work taught me how to build under real constraints: weight, schedule, material limits, and actual vehicle fit.