FSAE Race Car Frame Alignment System

For the Formula SAE Electric team, I designed and implemented a custom jig plate system to precisely hold the car’s chassis tubes during welding. Traditional clamping methods often caused small misalignments as the metal expanded under heat, so I proposed a fixture-based approach that eliminated human error and ensured consistent geometry. Using Siemens NX, I modeled each jig plate to match the chassis layout and generated DXF files for water jet cutting, allowing us to fabricate perfectly aligned steel plates from spare sheet metal. Once assembled, these plates supported the full chassis, locking every tube in place for accurate welding and repeatable alignment. The new setup improved structural precision, reduced welding time, and increased frame rigidity, resulting in a cleaner, more reliable build. The design proved so effective that it became the standard method our team now uses for chassis assembly in all future vehicles.