Off-road longboards require a light, compact, and capable suspension system in order to handle varied terrain with a small wheel diameter. The computer activation of the suspension through a brushless DC motor damper allows the skateboard to adapt its damping profile and even regenerate energy that is usually lost to heat. The goal of this project was to design, manufacture, and test a novel suspension with active damping capable of recapturing energy. This goal was achieved through a capstan slider mechanism that translates vertical suspension travel into rotational motion at the motor. A soft bottoming-out profile was created for smoother suspension. The team achieved this goal and developed a potential plan for future testing and design.

Throughout the design process we used skeletal methods of CAD modeling, allowing us to easily make changes and improve upon our design. The multiple iterations of the design began with brainstorming as a group, then progressed through the CAD process and into physical prototyping. We utilized 3D printing for rapid prototyping to quickly find flaws in the design before taking it to the machining phase of the process where we used both CNC CAM and manual machining. We tested most aspects of the system after each iteration and analyzed results to inform our decision making. You can find the full report for this project below.