Mechanical Team

The mechanical team plays a vital role in the design and manufacturing of critical systems such as the airbrakes and piston parachute ejection subsystems, as well as all metal parts of the rocket. Members take part in every part of the design and creation process, from ideation, CAD, analysis, and manufacturing and testing, ensuring that each component meets stringent requirements for rocket performance.   Airbrakes Subsystem  The goal of the IREC competition is to reach a maximum altitude (apogee) as accurately as possible. Because it is much easier to control and predict drag than motor characteristics, an airbrakes mechanism that continuously adjusts the drag of the rocket throughout the flight is used. This mechanism uses flight data from onboard computers to increase the drag of the rocket mid-ascent to decrease the apogee to the target altitude. This is accomplished via a mechanism that uses a positional servo motor that is attached to a gear and rack system, sliding the drag surfaces out from inside the rocket.  

Previous (2023-2024) Airbrakes design

Current (2024-2025) Airbrakes Design

Piston Ejection Subsystem  After the apogee is reached, the descent rate must be slowed to recover the rocket safely. This is achieved by separating the rocket into two sections which are connected by a shock cord that holds the parachute. Traditionally, separation is accomplished by igniting a large black powder charge within the body tube of the rocket, pressurizing the two body tubes containing the parachute and pushing them apart. However, black powder does not burn consistently at high altitudes and this method has potential to damage the parachute. To mitigate these risks, a piston ejection system is employed. The piston ejection system consists of a piston that is activated by much smaller black powder charges that are self-contained within the piston canister. This reduces the risk of damaging the parachute and allows for reliable parachute ejection at altitudes in excess of 30,000 feet. This year, the charge canister was redesigned to allow for easier wire management, assembly, and maintenance. A burst disc was also added to the canister to ensure consistent burning of the black powder.

Current (2024-2025) Piston Ejection System Design

Skills Developed by the Mechanical Team  Mechanical team members are responsible for the creation of complex mechanisms from start to finish, employing and developing skills in:
    • SOLIDWORKS CAD: members gain valuable experience designing reflexive components and managing assemblies in SOLIDWORKS
    • Component analysis and design verification: using tools such as python, excel, and FEA, members rigorously ensure that mechanisms will fulfill design objectives
    • Technical drawing creation: members utilize GD&T and develop know-how in tolerancing and design for manufacturability
    • Hands-on manufacturing: using CAM and traditional manufacturing methods using mills and lathes, members create every part that we design to specified tolerances.

Finite element analysis (FEA) of airbrake drag surface (2024-2025)