The challenge-to design and build a racing car from scratch in an academicyear. Such is the test posed by the international Formula Student programmeinvolving a group from UCD. Dick Ahlstrom reports
It must corner better than a Ferrari and perform better than a Porsche 911. It also has to be built from scratch in nine months. Such is the challenge posed by Formula Student, a competition involving engineering students from 20 countries. They must design and build a working racing car and pit it against all comers on a British race track come next July.
This is UCD's third year in the competition which came to Europe about five years ago, explains Dr Will Smith, a lecturer in the department of mechanical engineering and director of the UCD racing programme. The European programme was a transplant from the US where the Society of American Engineers started a student-based competition, Formula SAE, 20 years ago.
The UCD programme involves about 20 engineering students and six academic staff. "They have to design and manufacture a single-seat racing car," explains Smith. "We can do what we want to it. It has to breath through an air restrictor to limit its power. We add our own fuel-injection system and electronic engine management."
There are strict limits. "The main constraints relate to safety and engine size." The engine can't be bigger than 610 cc. The UCD team uses a Honda CBR600 motorbike engine.
"You want it to be as light as possible but there are limits." It must have roll hoops and there are similar safety features on frame design. "The main object is to make the car very light and that's where the performance comes from," he adds.
The team typically gets 70 brake horse power from the engine, giving it a weight to power and hence acceleration akin to a Porsche, he says.
The cars are built for racing so cornering is also a prime consideration. Cornering ability can be measured in G-force (gravitational force) as it accelerates around a bend. The UCD cars achieve a lateral G-force of about 1.6 times the pull of gravity. A stock Ferrari can only make about 1.1 G. "They go around like they are on rails and the acceleration is very good," says Smith.
The cars are put through their paces on a track during the summer. Last July the UCD team was ranked 28th of 40 teams. Smith was happy with the performance, particularly as UCD is relatively new to the competition.
Last year's car can't be brought forward for next July's event. "The rules say they have to build a new car so they start from scratch again," says Smith. "It's an advantage if there is a previous car to go look at. We do learn from the mistakes of previous years."
How well your team does can come down to how substantial the development budget is. "The rules dictate the car must be buildable for £20,000," explains Smith. Teams can spend much more on development however and there are in effect no limits.
"Our principal external sponsor is Jordan Grand Prix. They back it because they like to have this kind of person around, people with practical skills." Other sponsors include Bridgestone Tyres, Timoney Technology and Motor Import Ltd.
The competition includes three sections. Professional engineers from the motor industry examine the static design to assess the approach taken by the student team and to confirm safety and other rules are met. The students must also do a "sales pitch" to production engineers, arguing why the design is worth considering as a full-scale production car.
The dynamic testing is where the quality of the design is really put to the test however, when it is run through its paces on the track. The 2003 venue is not yet set but courses are meant to be difficult, says Smith.
"The courses are set up to be very, very twisty. They want to look at the dynamic characteristics, braking, acceleration and cornering, not maximum speed," says Smith. The tests include lap time, straight-line acceleration and an "endurance" test of 22 km. The cars will typically do 110mph but on the Monte Carlo-style track they average only 60 to 70mph, says Smith.
While the real world experience is going to be fun for the engineers, there is also valuable experience from the project, Smith believes. "From an educational perspective it applies in practice some of the theoretical things they do in the lectures." They learn team skills, project management skills and the compromises that have to be struck to achieve optimisation. You can't optimise every aspect of a design, you have to do trade-offs," he says.
The UCD racing team will do battle with other competitors in Britain next July.