Solar Wheelchair Mechanics Prototyping

I’m developing a solar-powered wheelchair and have arrived at the point where the mechanical design needs to leave the screen and prove itself in the real world. My immediate focus is the wheelchair mechanics—frame, wheel mounts, suspension points, braking hardware—rather than the solar-electric circuitry.

Here is what I’m hoping you can guide me through:

• Validate the current CAD geometry with a non-commercial FEA package such as FreeCAD + CalculiX, Code_Aster, or a similar open-source tool, paying special attention to user loads and the extra mass of the panels and batteries.
• Recommend practical design tweaks if the analysis flags weak spots.
• Convert the final model into clear manufacturing drawings and a simple bill of materials suitable for small-shop fabrication.
• Walk me through building a basic prototype (remote video support is fine) and outline bench tests and field tests that will verify strength, stability, and ride comfort.
• Summarise findings, test data, and next-step recommendations in a concise report.

Please highlight any relevant hands-on experience you have with mobility devices, open-source FEA workflows, and rapid prototyping. If you have previously taken a concept from virtual model to tested hardware, that’s exactly the background I want to see.

I’m ready to get started as soon as I find the right collaborator, and I can share the current STEP files on day one.