REAPING THE AWARDS AND STEERING TO SUCCESS
After a hiatus last week for a busy assignment period, we're back reporting on the team's progress! With the majority of the University reports done, the team can now focus on the build ahead. Awards, technical updates and the road to Silverstone lay ahead - read on to find out more!
COMMITMENT TO ENGINEERING LANDS AWARD
Following a report submitted to the IMechE late last year, the team are pleased to announce they are recipients of one of the IMechE's Finance Awards. Presented last week by a young member of the institute's team, Fabian, SHU Racing were awarded a cash prize and grandiose check to suit.
The report outlined SHU Racing's commitment to enhancing the engineering abilities of the young and experienced members of the team, as well as showing clarity through budget reporting and planned expenditure of finance.
SHU Racing had the fortune of taking Fabian, an ex-Formula Student participant himself, around the team's facilities here at Sheffield Hallam University. A quick Q&A session gave the team an insight into the competition environment and how the judges would assess the car when at Silverstone.The finance will be put to good use developing the team's technical advances as well as investing in the long term abilities of the team.
We'd like to thank Fabian and the IMechE for selecting SHU Racing as a recipient of the award, and can't wait to show the fruits of our labour in July.
STEERING TO SUCCESS
This week's manufacturing milestone came from the steering department, with the alignment, welding and verification of the steering rack, boss and mounts. The steering boss, milled by Henry, a 1st year student, with the guidance of Andrew, one of our experienced workshop technicians. The simple design has meant that manufacturing of the unit could be brought forward and facilitate a much early integration date.
Utilising a Titan steering rack, the system has been designed with a quicker steering rate - the ratio of steering wheel input to actual tyre angle. Chandan Talwar, our Suspension and Steering manager, has based the steering rate around advice from our Development Driver, Oliver. A key requirement was to achieve full lock-to-lock with only 95° of steering wheel input. This results in less steering input from the driver in order to navigate the tight circuits set out at Silverstone. Though the below image doesn't look like much, the full alignment and verification of templates is a significant milestone in the manufacturing process!
With slim profile Needle roller bearing, provided by our partners at Schaeffler, the steering system has become more compact, and verified so that the templates provided by the IMechE fit clearly through the cockpit. Not only does the refined system improve clearance for these regulatory requirements, but also driver ingress and egress - a vital feature, allowing quick evacuation within the 5 second time limit set out by the scrutineers. The next steps will be to work towards a rolling chassis, with the manufacture of the suspension components flying in from our partners, as well as from our in-house CNC machines.
ONLY THE QUICKEST COUNTS
We all need a break every so often, even students! So this week some of the SHU Racing Team and Society took to the track at Teamsport, Sheffield, to blow of some steam whilst burning rubber around the high thrills Go-Karting track. For some, their first time Go-Karting, others, bragging rights to see which teammate is truly the fastest. Either way, everyone involved had great fun (though a little sore from the high-speed chases).
Though it all seems fun and games to the younger team members, the Managers were keeping a close eye on the fastest drivers of the session. As we progress towards SIlverstone, the team will be selecting those drivers who show the greatest speed, but also commitment to the team. As a prototype car, it is essential that all drivers are comfortable with all the car's functions, and able to diagnose, alter and feedback set-ups to the engineering team so that a reliable, safe and quick car can be taken to Silverstone.
