Partnering with OWL Racing Team: Custom-Machined Wheel Carrier Parts for Formula SAE

About OWL Racing Team

The OWL Racing Team was established in 2008 in Lemgo, Germany. Comprising approximately 50 students from various departments, the team collaborates each year to design, construct, and drive a new race car for the International Formula Student Competition. Their participation in the competition has taken them to countries including Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the UK.

The team values sustainability, as demonstrated by their development of electric racing cars. They introduced their first electric car, the OWL 1.9, in 2018, and marked their 15th anniversary in 2023 with the release of the advanced OWL 2.3 model, which features a 600-volt DC battery and enhanced aerodynamics.

How the Story Begins?

In May 2024, WayKen received an inquiry from the OWL Racing Team. Robin Glück, the head of mechanical engineering, was looking for a manufacturer capable of machining a set of wheel carriers using 5-axis CNC machines.

“We would like to have two wheel carriers manufactured by you. Could you please check if you can maintain the required tolerances? The drawing shows one of the two carriers; the other is mirrored and requires the same tolerances. The tolerances of the fits are crucial (two 100 H7, 10 H7, and 12 H7). Additionally, there are two M8 threads in the component. Please contact me if there are any issues with the drawing or the 3D models.”

Project Challenges and Requirements

Designing, assembling, and racing a Formula SAE car is a true engineering challenge for the OWL Racing Team. Time constraints were a major factor, as they had less than a year to complete the entire project. Safety was also critical, as the reliability of the race car directly affects the driver’s well-being. Additionally, the team had limited machining resources for fabricating key components.

Robin explained that they had previously manufactured the wheel carriers themselves, but the precision was insufficient, leading to suboptimal performance. With a tight schedule for assembly, they needed our expertise and fast delivery.

When we received the request from the OWL Racing Team, we were excited to take on the challenge. Formula Racing is always in the spotlight, and being part of such an engineering feat was a thrilling opportunity. After analyzing the wheel carrier design, we quickly determined that we could complete the project within just five days.

Understanding Wheel Carriers in Racing Suspensions

A wheel carrier—also known as a knuckle or upright—is a key component of a vehicle’s suspension system. It connects the wheel hub to the suspension and steering components, allowing the wheel to rotate while supporting the car’s weight. Additionally, it ensures proper alignment and stability during operation.

For this project, the material of choice was AL7075, known for its high strength, lightweight properties, and excellent durability—making it ideal for high-performance automotive suspension systems.

Key Dimensions and Machining Solutions

To ensure optimal performance and durability, machining the wheel carrier required precise control over critical dimensions.

Key Dimensions

Below are the dimensional and tolerance requirements for this carrier.

• Threads: The drawing shows M8x1.25 right-hand threads (2 threads), these thread positions are very important in the assembly of the part and must be machined accurately to ensure that the depth and diameter of the threads meet the design requirements.
• Surface Roughness: A surface roughness of Ra1.6 is required, which means that the surface must be very smooth, especially where there is contact with other parts or where there is movement required. This requires the use of fine-cutting tools and appropriate machining speeds to control surface quality during machining.
• Tolerances: In automotive parts like wheel carriers, which often deal with rotating elements or high loads, maintaining an H7 tolerance ensures the part holds its alignment and reduces the risk of excessive wear or failure due to misalignment or loose fitting.

Machining Solutions

Achieving the necessary precision requires CNC machines with micron-level positioning accuracy, particularly for critical tolerance areas. Machining with linear scales and high-resolution encoders would be preferable to maintain consistency across batches.

What’s more, tool wear should also be monitored closely, because even slight wear can lead to deviations in critical dimensions, particularly in tight-tolerance features. Wayken uses high speed 5 axis CNC machine with 0.002mm positioning precision to make this wheel carrier.

In this project, we mainly divide the machining into two clamping operations. Firstly, we machine the blue section, and then the red section. The blue section has a more complex structure and it requires machining from 4 directions. So we have to use 5-axis CNC machining, and the sequence is as follows:

Inspection Results

From the inspection report, we can see that the part is well made. All of the critical dimensions are within tolerances.

Successful Collaboration and Future Plans with WayKen

After receiving the parts, the Owl Racing Team anodized the parts to increase their resistance to oxidation. Robin said, “We have assembled them to our race car. The quality of the parts is very good and we are looking forward to doing well in this formula race. Thank you very much for Wayken’s support in delivering high-quality parts in such a short period of time. We look forward to working together in future seasons as well. In the future, I intend to manufacture more key parts through WayKen.”