The team supported an event celebrating science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. They brought a car simulator and examples of 3D printed parts to demonstrate engineering. Many adults and children engaged with these exhibits. The team also enjoyed participating in the hands-on activities at the event.

1. We were asked to support Techniquest as
they celebrated the NSEW weekend and to
help young people see the creative and
exciting work STEM subjects open up. The
weekend aim was fun and hence the best
setting for a science museum. Record
numbers of people attended all of which
saw us in the main foyer and had to
opportunity drive our simulator., play with
the 3D printed parts and see how an
internal combustion engine works.
The reception we got was huge with
adults and children alike queuing to have a
drive in the car. It was a great event which
we thoroughly enjoyed – solving the
puzzles and trying exhibitions out.
March Newsletter
National Science & Engineering Week

2. Pop up talent in Cardiff
Our team has always felt privileged in being part of
formula student and experience things very few
people could ever do. This extends to engineering
where we believe ignorance is the main reason
people aren’t engaged with engineering. Pop Up
talent aims at showing people exciting routes for
careers which people may not realise is a possible
option. This is why we felt compelled to work with
them and support them. We did this by making as
much noise as we could in the centre of Cardiff.
With all the speakers blaring the sound of rubber
burning, we quickly pulled in the interests of the
general public with the simulator. This was also the
first outing for the 3D printer to show the general
public what is possible. Both received a huge amount
of attention and many conversations, continuing our
plight to become the most active team we can be in
the community.
A Crushing Victory!
Last month we told you about
how the team is always looking
to develop parts for the car in
order to improve performance.
This month the team
successfully tested the newly
designed Impact Attenuator
which protects the driver in the
event of a crash. Work is
ongoing but the first iteration
has achieved a weight saving of
250g (which is a reduction of
30% on the old design) whilst
exceeding the performance of
the previous design.

3. Screw heads that is! Good progress on the torsion rig has been made this
month. It has been assembled largely by a group of first year volunteers. The
remaining work is to design some mounts for the rig that can accommodate
different suspension mounting points or the hubs dependent on whether we
want to test purely chassis stiffness or both chassis and suspension. Both will
provide us with very useful data that will allow us to improve future cars. The
mounts are being designed by the same team of first years. For many of these
volunteers this will have been the first project they will have gotten involved in.
As such it has been a great learning experience which will be built upon in the
future. There is also news that Team Bath Racing will be sending us one of their
full space frame chassis to be tested. We love being collaborative and through it
will always learn something new. It is this spirit that has helped us progress into
what we are and in the future will help us prosper even more.
Torsion Rig has us turning some heads!

4. The team would like to thank
Jacquelyn Quirk of Altair for visiting
the team and giving us a full day of
training on the Hyperworks suite.
During the training session the
team learnt to use the
optimisation package called
INSPIRE. As well as the CFD
package Virtual Wind Tunnel. The
team hopes to be able to use both
of these packages to develop parts
for future cars. Most notably the
introduction of wings. The training
has moved us leaps and bounds
ahead in this respect and will bring
more success in the future.
Wings. Wings. Wings!
Rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling. WHAT?!
Excuse the limp bizkit analogy but we are
excited to announce that we are the first
UK team to be rolling! This year we have
worked tirelessly in every respect and
now have good confirmation that it is
paying off. Work is still needed to be
done – as ever – but we are now a month
and a half ahead of where we were last
year when we came 7th in the UK. In
Easter the car will be vinyled and start to
look like a real race car. After that testing
will take place and preparation for all the
static events will be finalised and
practiced.
We’d like to take this moment to thank all
of our sponsors for their continued
support as we aim to be faster and better
in every aspect that a racing team can be.