Design and manufacture of a Formula SAE intake system using fused deposition modeling and fiber‐reinforced composite materials

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design and manufacture of an intake system for a 600cc Formula Society of Automotive Engineers engine. Owing to the inherent geometric limitations imposed by the existing manufacturing process (bending and welding of aluminum), it is difficult to design and fabricate an intake manifold system in which pressure losses are kept to a minimum and equal charge is provided to each cylinder. The aim is to develop a fabrication process that circumvents these limitations.Design/methodology/approach – Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is used to create an intake system (consisting of a plenum, plenum elbow, and cylinder runners) that is then later covered in layers of carbon fiber composite fabric through vacuum bagging. FDM allows for geometric design freedom, while the layup of a composite material (and its associated high‐temperature resin) provide the strength and heat‐resistivity necessary for this application.Findings – As a result of this approach, a functi...