Formula SAE — Lucas Kautzky

Car 30

CR-30 — Cooling System

Role

Junior Cooling Engineer

Subsystem

Powertrain

Status

Complete

CR-30 was my first car with the Formula team. I came on as a junior cooling engineer, working under the lead powertrain engineers to help get the cooling system sorted out and installed on the car.

My main job was researching cooling tube options that fit within the rulebook and worked with the car's layout, then helping physically route and install them through the chassis. It was a lot of learning on the fly — figuring out how the rules translate to actual hardware, and how to fit everything into a space that's already pretty tight.

I didn't own a big chunk of the design on CR-30, but it gave me a solid foundation in how the team works and what it actually takes to get a system from spec to installed on a car.

Cooling Tube Research

Researched tube options to find ones that met SAE rulebook requirements while fitting the car's cooling demands and routing constraints.

Chassis Installation

Helped physically route and install cooling tubes through the car's chassis alongside the lead powertrain engineers.

Lead Engineer Support

Assisted lead engineers with powertrain work — learning how decisions get made under real constraints and how the team operates.

Car 31

CR-31 — Switch Plate & TSMP

Role

Safety

Subsystem

Powertrain — Switch Plate

Status

In Progress

On CR-31 I moved into a more independent role, taking ownership of the switch plate design. The switch plate mounts the car's master switches and the TSMP (Tractive System Measuring Point) to the chassis.

The TSMP is a safety-critical component — it's what you use to verify that the tractive battery is at 600V and that the chassis is properly isolated from ground. Getting the mounting right matters both for function and for passing technical inspection.

The design had to keep the enclosure watertight while staying within the rulebook and fitting the physical constraints of the chassis. I went through several iterations of the TSMP mount, printing and testing multiple versions before landing on something that worked.

Switch Plate Design

Designed the plate to mount the master switches and TSMP to the chassis. Had to balance rulebook compliance, watertight sealing, and physical fit on the car.

TSMP Mount — Multiple Iterations

The TSMP mount went through several printed versions. Each iteration addressed fit, clearance, or mounting issues found from testing the previous version on the car.

Rules Research

Researched master switch specifications to make sure every component met SAE rules while still being compatible with the car's electrical system.

CAD — Switch Plate & TSMP

⬡CAD photo
coming soon

Printed Versions — TSMP

⬡Version 1
coming soon

⬡Version 2
coming soon

⬡Current version
coming soon

⬡IRL photo
coming soon