1999 Texas A&M University Entry into the GM SunRayce. The race ran from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Epcot at Disney in Florida. This entry was the "Pappillion" or "Butterfly". I am honored to have participated in this project.

1. Texas A&M Pappillion
A special project which took three
years of my life to complete.

2. How it all began
This slideshow describes in
brief, what types of
technology I learned while
working on this project
which, started in 1997 and
was not completed until
the fall of 1999.
1995 Aggie Beamer

3. AMBITIOUS PROJECT
• GOAL: Design, build
and race a state of the
art solar-electric race
car in the 1999 EDS &
GM sponsored
Sunrayce competition.

4. FROM CONCEPT TO
REALITY

5. FROM CONCEPT TO
REALITY

6. FROM CONCEPT TO
REALITY
Digital point cloud from CMM Data Point cloud being “stitched” together”
Computational Fluid
Dynamics model from
finalized digital model.
This model was also used
in CATIA and for tooling
work on milling machines
at Lockheed Martin TAS
Northrop Grumman for
full size shell

7. SHELL CONSTRUCTION
The completed Papillion Shell including 2
square meters of Amorphous Poly-silicon Solar Cells

8. Chassis Development
Rebar Mockup and
4130 Chromoly Chassis
Chassis construction in Jigs
CNC milling 6030 AL Suspension Parts
Assembly of Suspension parts

9. Chassis Development Continued
Detail shot of
integrated
system on
vehicle
Chassis
Full FEA testing was conducted
on the chassis using
pro-Mechanica

10. Systems Integration & Testing
Trial fitting of Shell to Chassis Yours truly checks the fit of the shell and canopy
Integrated retractable rear view mirror
for maximum aerodynamic streamlining

11. TESTING
Driving the car Slalom & Track Testing
Charging the batteries
Taking to kids at Charlotte
about our experience

12. On the Road & Competition Observations
Very poor braking for
a 600lb car
Odd configuration and bulky
Complete Lack of a roll cage
VERY DANGEROUS
Rats Nests
Layered solar arrays

13. On the Road & Competition Observations
Extreme Bending Moments
Torsion Problems
Weight and use
of wood
Suspension problems
No crush zone between driver’s feet and front of car

14. On the Road & Competition Observations
The driver of this car suffered a frontal
collision and was seriously hurt. His seating
position was “Indian Style” and driver controls
were all hand operated.
This car suffered a catastrophic suspension
failure on the road, luckily nobody was injured.

15. On the Road & Competition Observations

16. SPONSORS

17. TECHNOLOGY LEARNED
• DIGITAL MODELING
– CATIA
– SOLIDWORKS
– PRO-E & MECHANICA
– EZ MILL
– FEA
– CFD
• PROCESSES
– WELDING
– CNC MILLING AND LATHES
– CMM USE
– JIGS AND FIXTURES
– AUTOCLAVES
– WET LAYUP & PRE-PREG
CARBON FIBRE
• MATERIALS
– RENSHAPE
– DIVINACELL
– NOMEX
– CHROMOLY
– PLEXUS BONDING MATL.
– 6061-T6 & 6030-T4 Al.
– CARBON FIBRE
– TITANIUM
– NiMh BATTERIES
• TECHNICAL
– INTEGRATION
– TESTING
– WIND TUNNELS ETC.