| Content 1. Summary of 2016 2. Assumptions of RT08 3. Team’s activities 4. Events 1
| Introduction Welcome to the New Year edition of our newsletter. Stepping into a new year is a moment of looking back, summing up and making new plans also for us.
The year of 2016 was full of challenges, hard work and never ending run for perfection. Construction of RT07, competitions and all the events we participated in, made each of us very keen on taking a break, so we welcomed the Christmas time with a great joy, so we could take a few deep breaths, recharge our inner batteries and get ready to face the new year and the challenges it brings. The new year has just begun but we do not slow down. There is no moment to be wasted- works on RT08 are on! The design stage is frozen, the stage of constructing is currently on going, and all the team members are waiting for the results of the next registrations for the Formula Student competitions with their fingers crossed.
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| Summary of 2016 We have started our works on the RT08 bolide last year. We divided the project into several key stages. We started the season with the series of start up meetings on which we summed up the previous season and pointed out all the issues that would possibly need to be developed. October and November were the months of intense meetings aiming to introduce our freshly recruited new members, making plans and first conceptual models of the bolide. After the conceptual stage we chose the best solutions and material needs. We made a great number of assemblies and as a result- the final model, which we “froze” with the end of December. Intensive works lasted incessantly also on our “working Saturdays”, when all the team’s divisions could meet and work on the unified vision of the project together.
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| Assumptions of RT08 We still have some time left until the big premiere of our bolid, RT08, on which we are still working. However, we are now ready to present to you its most essential features.
1. Revised wheelbase and axle, supported by advanced simulations 2. Side standing congestion on the level of 1,6g and 2,3- 2,5g in peaks 3. Increased stiffness of the frame and monocoque 4. Car’s mass not exceeding 200kg 5. Increased pressure 6. Power on the level of 85km at 11000 RPM 7. The torque of 60Nm at 10,000 RPM
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| Ergonmics Works on the ergonomics in RT08 started last season. Back then we designed the stand for measuring the driver’s position, the steering wheel and pedals. The execution of the project took place in September, whereas taking the measurements of the drivers lasted around four weeks. The stand was designed in the way that let us set up all the possible positions of the driver thanks to all the elements possible to regulate, which also made the process of establishing the perfect position for the driver a long and complicated process. The next stage was establishing the belt anchorages. When the final model of monocoque was done, we made a wooden prototype of the bolide’s interior. Thanks to this, we could check all of our measurements and assumptions almost “in real”. It turned out, that we managed to find the perfect positions for all the drivers at the very beginning of taking measurements. Works on finding the belt anchorages took much shorter than September’s research. Now we are working on the designs of steering wheel and a seat. At the same time we are already making some plans for the driver’s place we will adopt next season.
Click the thumbnail above to watch our work on RT08 ergonomics.
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| Aerodynamics Aero package used in RT08 bolide is a significant step forward relative to its predecessor. The major difference, from the perspective of generating the lift force, is implementing underbody- the side sections of monocoque. Just like the front wing, they are located close to the substrate, thereby enabling a usage of the beneficial influence of the ground effect. Due to the introduction of underbody, we had to redesign the wings completely. Front wing was designed with paying special attention to the correct orientation of the air plane aiming to maximize the power generated by the aerodynamics elements. At the same time we managed to get a 25% increase in the power generated comparing to the wing of the car RT07. In the project of the rear wing, we had to take into account the significant changes of the local flow direction, due to addition of the side sections. This required an in-depth analysis of the angles of pressure and the location of each element. We decided to use a two-level structure to make a better use of the space available. For the first time in the history of the team, it was decided that we need to create a brake cooling system. We designed the channels leading the air inside the wheels, to ensure the better performance of the braking system. To increase the reliability of the car while driving in high temperatures, we redesigned the system that leads the air into the radiator. Change of the location of the inlet and the geometry of the tunnel cooling system, made it possible to almost double the air flow through the radiator relative to the predecessor. During the processing phase we made over 150 3D simulation of the car, in different configurations. This has allowed us to achieve the pressure ratio more than 3 and to drag the coefficient on the immutable, relative to the previous model, level, which was our goal for this season. The experience gained in the production of the first aerodynamic package, resulted in improved technology performance. In spite of the by far the greater size of the wings, their weight has remained the same as in the previous season. Complete package weighed less than 8 kilos.
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| Electronics Department of Electronics started this season with a significant evolution. Electronic solutions used in the car are there to facilitate the work of the driver. Motivated by this thought, the members of Electronics, decided to extensively test the innovative solutions, in order to be able to do their best care of the equipment of the car and the proper work of all the components. The premise of the division is to create the information system for the drivers to ensure best visibility, as well as the module PDM dealing with power. The application of the module based on the transistors is a huge progress in relation to the popular designs based on cell towers. Throughout the whole project, we put the special effort not only for the obvious reliability but also for optimize the weight and position of the elements that shall ensure the lowered center of gravity. The electric harness used in bolide is also much lighter than previously used, thanks to use of the very light wires with small diameter and also very light connectors.
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| Marketing & management Department of marketing and management was expanded in the season of 2016. Thanks to precise assignment of functions to the particular positions in the division and recruiting many talented new members not only form the Wrocław University of Technology but also from the University of Economics and the University of Wrocław, we managed to work out a scheme of actions, which works better and better. Thanks to all-year-round work on one of the static competitions of the Formula Student competition, which is a business presentation, we managed to get the 8th place during the FS Czech Republic competition and 15th during the FS Germany. An interesting experience during the preparation of the concept of business plan, was to work with a young go-kart driver -Tymek Kucharczyk, who came to Wrocław with his parents just to help our team. From the beginning of this season in the section of M&M went through many changes. First of all, basing on the experience of the previous years, we decided to recruit for each position. Thanks to this, the real enthusiasts who gain experience in photography, creating a business plan, public relations, contacts with the sponsors, making videos, graphics or the preparation of the cost estimate joined our team.. Thanks to this, the department developed in the areas of publishing promotional materials, image created social media and collaboration with sponsors. In June, 2016, we managed to arrange the official premiere of RT07 at Wrocław University of Technology for the very first time, which brought together more than 200 people, including University leadership, sponsors, representatives of Administration and scientific clubs of PWr, national media, representatives of other Formula Student teams from Poland. An important change in the strategy of the department was to create the sponsor packages, so that now we can highlight our major sponsors aiming to take a better care of the promotion of their brands. We also have significant changes in the management of contact with partners, which streamlines processes of establishing the rules of cooperation.
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„[...] insightful observations convince us about the progress which we made as a team, in the technical areas, substantive terms and also the development as the partner, as the number of sponsors who support us in our activities grows constantly�
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In addition, thanks to the intensified marketing and management activities, the team already participated this season in numerous events, among which major ones were:
Sponsor Event - in November we invited all of our sponsors to the ceremonial meeting, during which there were countless words of gratitude and the storms of applause. This was the fourth Sponsor Event we organized insightful observations convince us about the progress which we made as a team, in the technical areas, substantive terms and also the development as the partner, as the number of sponsors who support us in our activities grows constantly.
Incubators of innovation - event, on which we were invited by the 3M company, which supports our team, and where we had the opportunity to present our team next to the different student scientific clubs and various companies from Wrocław. In addition to the exchange of experiences between students and invited companies, aiming to „make a cooperation between science and business�, we participated in the discussion panel and the tour in 3M innovation centre, whereas several members of the team gave the interviews to the media, which were very interested in our activities.
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Innovation Valley - a wonderful opportunity provided to us by our sponsor- Selena company, to present our team to the entrepreneurs from the Lower Silesia. Not only were we the only scientific club at the event, but we also managed to receive a lot of interesting offers of support, and to explore the business ideas of the companies like Selena S., Matrialise S.A., Nobo Solutions S.A., Scanway, VRhalla, which presented their innovative, not yet on the market the products.
National Congress of Science - in December we took an active part in this prestigious event, held in our native University-Wrocław University of Technology. The theme of the conference was „ the cooperation of science with the economy and the administration for the development of innovation „. The thematic panels and seminars turned out to be a great fulfillment to the speeches of the noble guestsDr. Jarosław Gowin, Minister of Science and Higher Education. Among the speakers were also representative of the European Commission- dr Catherine Szkuta and Jaana Puukka, international expert in the field of higher education, innovation and regional development. The opportunity to present our team to the group of such eminent guests was a great honour to us.
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We are also very keen on engaging in charitable activities. We took a part in promotion of the DKMS Foundation that gathers the potential bone marrow donors and we joined the database as well.
„Together we can achieve what one could only dream of.� 12
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