Skills: Basic knowledge of Solidworks and measuring techniques

Tools: Solidworks software, measuring equipment and paper

Materials: Broomstick handle or equivalent, long board that driver can lay on

Safety Tips: None

This section of the build guide covers a lot of material, as the shell is the most labor-intensive aspect of the overall build. It is important that the shell is designed around the drivers’ dimensions, so they fit properly and the buggy will handle in a predictable manner through the turns. The mold design will be done in Solidworks, and this guide assumes a basic understanding of the program.

The first step in modeling the mold is to create a lofted 3D object of either the left or right side of the shell and mirror the object to create a symmetrical model. To make the loft, a “wire frame” model must be created for the middle of the shell. The wire frame will be used as the baseline for the loft function. Once this is completed, the process is repeated for the nose and the tail. This method will make it easier to use the loft function to create the mold design.