UP draws inspiration from various series for Formula Student car

As the University of Pretoria’s Formula Student team gears up to take to the track at Zwartkops in November, this team is taking inspiration from a number of series, including the South African Formula M series, which races single-seater, open-wheel cars powered by motorcycle engines.

“We took heavy inspiration from [Formula M]. Their aerodynamics are a bit different because they operate at much higher speeds. We've adapted our rear wing to give us a bit more downforce in the slower-speed turns. And then F1, obviously, in Europe, Formula Student is the feeder for Formula One. We took that approach and said, listen, let's see if we can also use Formula One, so stuff like an airbrake and DRS and active aero are major inspirations for what we do here,” explains team lead and powertrain developer for the team, Ryan Flemix.

One of the key concepts borrowed from European Formula Student is the development of a welding jig to ensure a seamless fit for the various parts of the car.

“We've obviously got a lot of inspiration from European teams, and we've seen they love using a jig. With our limitations, the chassis guys are building rake in the chassis, which is really cool, and the aerodynamics backing behind whatever they did, we decided this can't go on a flat table. We have to build a jig,” Flemix explains, noting that the team is lending concepts like airbrake, drag reduction system (DRS) and aerodynamic concepts from Formula 1 – all on a compressed timeline.

“Because of the nature of the Formula Student Project, we actually accelerated our timeline by about, so instead of a six-month design project, we've done it in three months, which obviously puts a lot of stress on students still running a full fourth year,” he says. 

POWERTRAIN

The university’s first-ever Formula Student car will be powered by the powertrain of a ‘donor’ – A 2005 Yamaha FZ6-N 600cc motorbike. This engine produced 63 N · m of torque at 12 000 rpm and produces 72kw of power.

The team hopes to eliminate the need for conventional drivetrain elements by bolting the sprocket directly to the open differential of the machine.

‘CONVERTED CAR GUY’

Flemix shares that, despite choosing last due to his position as team lead, he was quite satisfied with being left the task of powertrain development. Despite initially hoping to work in aviation after completing his engineering degree, Flemix shares that his time at university has converted him to a self-proclaimed “car guy”.

“My story starts with my love for planes, which is what inherently brought me to engineering. After spending some time here at the university, I realised more of a car guy, so I did a bit more research on cars, and I also ride bikes for a living. So, those two just culminated into whatever I'm doing now,” he says.

Scan the QR code for the full interview with Flemix and Dr Dirk van Vuuren, a senior lecturer of engineering at the university, on Lights Out.

– [email protected]