Blue-Sky Solar Racing | Jibrail Bhagwandass

ANSYS FEA SOLIDWORKS Carbon Fibre Epoxy Layup Fiberglass Layup CNC Machining GD&T Topology Optimization Roll Cage Design

3,022 km

Race distance across Australia

50+

Team members

~15%

Weight reduction achieved

Overview

3,022 km Across Australia

Blue-Sky Solar Racing is a student-led team of 50+ members at the University of Toronto (founded 1995), designing and racing solar-powered vehicles in major international competitions. I joined the structural and fabrication team for the 2023 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge — a 3,022 km race from Darwin to Adelaide across the Australian outback.

My hands-on contributions included designing key structural components and performing composite material layups — work that directly affects the car's weight, stiffness, and driver safety.

Key Contributions & Outcomes

Designed roll cage and canopy components — critical safety and aerodynamic structures
Performed carbon fibre epoxy composite wet layup for the top aero-body and roll cage/seat structure
Performed fiberglass layup for the thermoplastic canopy mold
Achieved ~15% weight reduction through topology optimization and CFRP/aluminum honeycomb material selection
Validated structural integrity via ANSYS and SOLIDWORKS FEA — stress, deflection, fatigue life, and vibration modes
Applied GD&T standards throughout design to ensure manufacturing precision
Collaborated across mechanical, electrical, and aerodynamics sub-teams to integrate design constraints

Technical Approach

Composite Layup & Simulation-Driven Design

Composite Fabrication Work

Top aero-body & roll cage/seat: Carbon fibre epoxy wet layup — plies oriented for maximum stiffness-to-weight along primary load paths
Canopy mold: Fiberglass layup over a thermoplastic form — providing a smooth optical-quality surface for the driver canopy

The design process began with topology optimization in SolidWorks to identify and remove non-load-bearing material from primary structural members. Critical load cases — road shock, cornering, aerodynamic pressure, and roll-over impact — were applied as boundary conditions in ANSYS Mechanical.

Fatigue life analysis ensured components would survive the sustained dynamic loading of a multi-day race. Vibration mode analysis confirmed no resonance with drivetrain operating frequencies. Final components were fabricated using composite layup and CNC machining, then dimensionally verified against GD&T callouts before assembly.

↗ Visit Blue-Sky Solar Racing

Blue-Sky Solar Racing Borealis #77 — 2023 World Solar Challenge

Structures & Fabrication — Blue‑Sky Solar Racing

3,022 km Across Australia

Key Contributions & Outcomes

Composite Layup & Simulation-Driven Design

Composite Fabrication Work