Formula Student is a competition which challenges university students from around the world to design and build a single-seat racing car, which is then put to the test against fellow competitors at the famous Silverstone Circuit in the UK.
The competition is viewed as a testing ground for the next generation of world-class engineers and is highly regarded within the automotive industry.
Peter Fiddes and Adam Ball, both mechanical engineering students and part of “Team NR8” (Newcastle Racing 8), were keen to explore the advantages that aluminium could bring to their design entry – and paid a visit to Hydro’s extrusion plant at Birtley.
Aluminium is an ideal material for use in transportation.
With increasing emphasis placed on weight reduction to decrease fuel consumption and pollution from transportation, aluminium’s excellent combination of strength and lightness has many advantages.
This year, the 20-student-strong team at Newcastle University will be entering an electric-powered car – the first time they have done so – which will be judged on design, presentation and commercial viability.
“In the competition we are to assume that a manufacturing firm has engaged us to produce a prototype car for evaluation,” explains Adam.
Green agenda
Peter notes that “electric-powered cars are the way forward, part of the green agenda and ensuring the future of our planet. We already have three parking spaces at Newcastle University specifically for charging electric cars.”
Both students were given a comprehensive tour of the Birtley plant, including the thermal break facility.
Adam says “The visit to the plant helped us understand the extrusion process and what is capable of being produced.”
Following the tour they were able to discuss with Hydro’s in-house technical team the technical drawings they had brought along.
Absorption qualities
“The structure of our car is aluminium sheet and balsa wood, bonded together,” explains Peter. “The wood is encased by the sheet aluminium on both sides.”
He says wood is used “because it is space-saving and light with aluminium on the outside to take the impact, as aluminium is not only light in weight but it also has excellent absorption abilities in the event of an accident.”
Aluminium extrusions form the base of the two battery boxes which sit outside the chassis on each side of the car.
“We are also trying to incorporate a heat sink type of extrusion as part of the housing, as it would function as transferring heat quickly away from the battery as well,” he says.
The cars are judged in a variety of static and dynamic tests by industry specialists over the course of four days, culminating on race day, which takes place at Silverstone on July 15.
Robert Walker, who is sales director for Hydro’s extrusion unit in the UK, says the company is “keen to support our engineers of the future, especially where we can offer assistance and at the same time educate them on the advantages that aluminium can offer: High strength-to-weight ratio, excellent formability, and easy and economic recyclability.”
