Berkeley Formula Racing - Uprights

Berkeley Formula Racing is UC Berkeley's Formula SAE team, composed of over 60 undergraduate and graduate students who design, build, and race a high-performance internal combustion formula-style race car from the ground up each year. In 2024, we placed 3rd overall at FSAE Michigan competing against 100+ teams worldwide. Most recently we finished in the top 7% out of 140 teams, took 2nd in Efficiency, and built the lightest car at competition.

What Are Uprights?

The uprights are one of the most complex and safety-critical assemblies on the car. They serve as the structural link between the wheel assembly and the suspension system, simultaneously interfacing with the wheel bearing, brake caliper, tie rod, upper and lower control arms, and the anti-roll bar push/pull rod. Due to these multiple connection points and tight packaging constraints, the uprights require complex 3D geometry, multiple machined faces, and very tight tolerances, making them ideal candidates for precision 5-axis CNC milling from 6061 aluminum billet.

These are our rear uprights. For the rear uprights, the upper and lower ball joints are detachable, meaning in addition to the main upright body, two separate components must be machined: the UBJ (Upper Ball Joint housing) and LBJ (Lower Ball Joint housing), which attach to the main body.

Please note: the above drawing is not an official Berkeley Formula Racing engineering drawing. It is included only to illustrate the three separate components that would need to be manufactured for each rear upright, the main upright body, the UBJ, and the LBJ.

These are our front uprights. Unlike the rear, the front uprights have the ball joints integrated directly into the upright body itself, making them a single machined component.

Manufacturing Scope:

For general scope and sizing reference, each upright fits within a bounding box as shown below , this gives an idea of the minimum stock size required for machining.

We are seeking 5-axis CNC milling for this project, and are potentially open to a longer-term relationship involving 3-axis CNC work in the future if PCBWay is open to that as well. We are happy to provide raw aluminum stock if needed, and are currently finalizing our designs, they are close to complete and we can provide final drawings soon.

In total, we need 4 uprights, 2 front and 2 rear as well as two UBJ and two LBJ for the rears. As shown in the cover photo, the front and rear uprights differ in geometry due to their different suspension configurations.

What's In It For PCBWay?

In return for their support, PCBWay will receive logo placement on our competition race car, team apparel, and website, as well as visibility at FSAE Michigan, one of the largest collegiate engineering competitions in the world with 140+ competing teams. We will also promote the partnership across our social media channels and highlight PCBWay's contribution to our build throughout the season. This is a great opportunity for PCBWay to showcase their CNC machining capabilities through some of the most demanding parts on a competition race car, reaching a global audience of engineers and motorsport enthusiasts.