All Experience Brakes Systems Team Member

Cal Poly Racing — Formula SAE

September 2025 – Present

Experience RecordVehicle Systems
TeamCal Poly Racing
RoleBrakes Systems Team Member
TimelineSep 2025 – Present
Result−25% Brake-System Mass
Kristin Der with the Cal Poly Racing Formula SAE vehicle

01Overview

As a Brakes Systems Team Member on Cal Poly Racing, I led the redesign of the brake-line system for the 2026 Formula SAE vehicle, cutting brake-system mass by 25% while meeting safety, packaging, and reliability requirements.

−25% Brake-system mass reduction

02The Challenge

The 2026 vehicle's brake-line system needed to satisfy updated safety requirements while fitting within tight vehicle packaging constraints — without sacrificing reliability or efficiency.

03My Role

  • Led the redesign of the brake-line system for the 2026 Formula SAE vehicle.
  • Redesigned the system to satisfy updated safety requirements.
  • Worked around vehicle packaging constraints.
  • Improved reliability and efficiency, developing a more robust brake-line layout.
  • Presented design reviews and trade studies to vehicle subteams.
  • Communicated design decisions and system-level impacts.

04Engineering Process

The redesign moved from requirements to a validated layout through trade studies and design reviews with the vehicle subteams, weighing routing options against safety rules, packaging, and mass.

01Problem
02Trade Study
03CAD / Design
04Design Review
05Build
06Iterate
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Brake-line routing diagram
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Packaging study
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Design review slide/visual

05Design Decisions

The redesign balanced three constraints at once: updated safety requirements, tight vehicle packaging, and a mass target — resulting in a more robust brake-line layout. Add specific routing or component tradeoffs here as you're able to document dimensions, materials, or pressures.

06Testing / Validation

Design reviews and trade studies were presented to vehicle subteams to validate routing decisions and system-level impacts before the layout was finalized.

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Old vs. new brake-line comparison

07Outcome

25% Reduction in brake-system mass, meeting safety and packaging requirements

The redesigned system satisfies updated safety requirements and vehicle packaging constraints while improving reliability and efficiency.

08What I Learned

Add a short technical reflection here — what you learned about balancing safety requirements, packaging, and mass targets, or about presenting trade studies to subteams.