Friday 06th of November, 2009, 09:47
Limited Slip Differential
The first part for this season’s build has arrived. It is a part for the drivetrain, a limited slip differential from Drexler that is custom made for the Formula Student application. In the car a sprocket and chain will connect the engine to the differential and then from there, driveshafts will connect the differential to the wheels. It will allow one of the wheels to move controlled slightly faster through corners depending of the setup of the differential.
Sunday 19th of April, 2009, 23:08
Seatbelt
The driver of a racecar needs to be firmly fastened in the driver’s seat. On the KTH R6, a 6-point, FIA-standard seatbelt will be installed. According to the rules, the driver has to be able to get out of the car form fully seated and strapped in only five seconds! This will be possible with lots of driver training and a quickrelease seatbelt.
Wednesday 15th of April, 2009, 21:47
Driveshafts
The driveshafts transfer all of the torque produced by the engine from the differential to the rear wheels. They are manufactured with steel because of the large torsional stiffness needed. The driveshafts are used in combination with tripods and splines, since the rear suspension has to be able to bump and roll.
Saturday 04th of April, 2009, 22:59
Engine Control Unit
In a modern fuel-injected engine, the ECU is the computer that makes the engine run. The ECU gets information from sensors on the engine and then calculates important parameters like fuel quantity and ignition timing. This year, lots of work has been done to get more power from the engine while keeping fuel consumption to a minimum. The DTA ECU also has extra features like launch and traction control.
Tuesday 31st of March, 2009, 23:08
Temperature sensitive stickers
The heat buildup in many components of a racecar can be tremendously important to know. By examining the temperature, malfunctions can be seen quickly, and how the driver uses the car can also be analyzed. These temperature sensitive stickers is a cheap and easy way to make this possible.
Sunday 29th of March, 2009, 16:01
Bearing house for the steering rack
The placement of the steering rack on the R6 has been carefully calculated. In a nice combination of polymer bearings and an aluminium bearing house, the steering assembly will be both accurate and light-weight.
Thanks to: Micromatic International AB
Sunday 22nd of March, 2009, 12:31
Safety equipment
When working with materials like carbon-fiber and epoxy, or while using drills and anglegrinders, personal safety is extremely important. The high-grade safety goggles and breathing protection from 3M fullfills this requirement.
Thanks to: 3M
Tuesday 17th of March, 2009, 19:25
Steering House
The steering house holds the rack and pinion in perfect place, with a simple and attractive design. High accuracy and precision were some of the main objectives of the steering-system of the R6. These goals are now being achieved with the help of advanced CNC-machines.
Thanks to: Micromatic International AB
Monday 09th of March, 2009, 11:56
Pneumatic Piston
The ability to change gears quick and easy is vital for the drivers performance. On the R6, shifting will be done with a simple press of a button on the steering wheel. An electrical circuit then activates the pneumatic piston, which rapidly changes the gear.
Thanks to: Airtec
Thursday 05th of March, 2009, 21:40
Racing catalytic converter
To decrease the amount of toxic emmissions, this years car will feature a catalytic converter from Hova. Being a standard component in all transportation vehicles with combustion engines, the catalytic converter is not as commonly used in racecars worldwide. The converter features a FIA-approved metal core, to be as environmentally friendly as possible while maintaining a good exhaust flow.
Thanks to: Hova.com
Sunday 01st of March, 2009, 22:43
Polymer bearings
Low weight, self-lubrication, and very low coefficient of friction are some of the features of the polymer bearings used in the steering assembly of this years racecar. The linear motion of the steering rack has to be both smooth and precise, and therefore the Igus bearings are a perfect solution.
Thanks to: Igus
Thursday 26th of February, 2009, 15:32
Gearbox
The gearbox comes integrated in the Suzuki GSX-R600 engine. To fully adapt it to a Formula Student racecar, the highest gears have been removed. This means a higher total engine performance and lower fuel consumption, because of the reduced mass moment of inertia.
Tuesday 25th of November, 2008, 21:49
First part!
Despite the R6 is still in the digital version, we are already preparing for manufacturing. The first thing that has been purchased last week is the engine. It’s a Suzuki GSX 600. Now we are making simulations in GT Power to be able to make some important improvements. The major part of work is to get it as fuel efficient as possible. To keep our environmental-friendly profile, the engine will run on E85 and we are planning to use catalytic converter as well.
Monday 07th of July, 2008, 00:58
Front monoshock assembly
The suspension uses an advanced monoshock design. The sliding bellcrank layout allows for decoupling of roll and heave which greatly facilitates chassis tuning. The mechanical design uses many different materials and technologies to improve the overall performance. The main component is a tri-axial carbon fiber tube which ensures the stiffness of the system. High performing adhesives secure all component interfaces. Finally, to minimize hysteresis and friction in the system, the shafts have been hard anodized.
Thanks to
Bodycote
Exel
Henkel
Alfa Tool International
Monday 30th of June, 2008, 23:49
Differential assembly
As the car is getting ready for competition, Part of the Day will turn into Assembly of the Day. Starting this off is the differential assembly. Using many different manufacturing technologies for its different parts, substantial weight savings have been done compared to previous designs.
Weight: 2500 g
Thanks to:
ISR Brakes
Tuesday 24th of June, 2008, 23:34
Data acquisition system
To fully understand the car and its behavior on track we need to be able monitor the change in different parameters over a period of time. Our data acquisition systems allows us to log data while driving from many of the sensors that are fitted to the car. These range from various engine sensor to more specific damper movements sensor as well as steering angle sensors.
Friday 20th of June, 2008, 10:00
Front upright
As previously mentioned, low weight and high stiffness are the most important factors when designing a race car. With its rib network design the front upright has excellent stiffness properties by distributing the stress equally in the part. With its concurrent designs of various attachment points (brake caliper, control arms, wheel speed sensor) the weight has been kept to a minimum.
Weight: 732 g
Thanks to
AVL
Monday 16th of June, 2008, 23:09
Tripod joint and housing
By using tripods instead of traditional CV joints weight can be saved while reliability is maintained. The shown housing is used on the inboard side (at the differential). Outboard (at the wheel), the housing is integrated with the hub which also saves weight and reduces part count.
Wednesday 11th of June, 2008, 22:14
Since we've been slow on updates lately, here is a bonus update for your viewing pleasure
Body paint
Our monocoque likes its new outfit, the matte pearl paint really sparkles out in the sun.
Thanks to:
Becker Industrial Coatings AB
Body paint
Our monocoque likes its new outfit, the matte pearl paint really sparkles out in the sun.
Thanks to:
Becker Industrial Coatings AB
Wednesday 11th of June, 2008, 22:00
Custom pistons
Our new pistons allows us to increase the compression ratio of the engine. This increases efficiency which helps save fuel while still maintaining performance.
Weight: TBA
Thanks to:
Wiseco
Sunday 01st of June, 2008, 11:49
Stockholm marathon
Yesterday Stockholm marathon took place in the centre of Stockholm. As the runners nearly run through the KTH Racing workshop we took the chance to join for a couple of meters. The conclusion was that when it's close to 30 deg C outside, it's easier to finish a race car than to finish a marathon.
Wednesday 28th of May, 2008, 23:01
Semi-active roll damping
Our mechatronics group are presenting their very exciting work tomorrow at 15.00 in room M1. The system that allows for continuously adjustable roll damping of the front axle will help the driver to keep the car balanced in all situations on the track. The system can change the roll stiffness distribution between the front and rear 100 times per seconds and this will minimize the risk for unwanted under- and oversteer.
Thanks to:
KTH Mechatronics
Wednesday 28th of May, 2008, 00:00
GoodYear Racing Tires
Weeks of data analysis and processing gave us the optimal tire selection. So this year the team changes from the earlier Avon to GoodYear due to increased tire performance.
Weight: 4795g
Saturday 24th of May, 2008, 00:02
Thursday 22nd of May, 2008, 23:56
Anodizing
One important thing in racing is control. The use of anodizing does not only increase corrosion resistance and wear resistance but also helps us to separate similar looking parts. The wheel nuts are a typical example of this, one of which is left-hand threaded and the other right-hand threaded.
Weight: 0g
Thanks to
HAMA Eloxering AB
Monday 19th of May, 2008, 22:08
Pneumatic gear shifting system
A quick gear shift saves time on the track and keeps the driver focused and comfortable. Reliable components and a self developed control unit gives the possibility to customize the system in order to be able to make quick and bullet proof gear changes.
Weight: TBA
Tuesday 13th of May, 2008, 22:55
New team member
Today KTH Racing got a new team member. Little Britney spent the night in our carbon fiber workshop. She enjoyed the environment next to the humming vacuum pump and the warm oven.
Weight: 35g (estimated)
Heart rate: 200bpm (estimated)
Sunday 11th of May, 2008, 20:24
Electric water pump
Keeping cool in the heat of racing is not only essential for the driver but for the engine as well. The electric water pump replaces the engine's standard pump and allows for improved cooling during critical moments. It is electronically controlled by the engine control unit.
Weight: TBA
Friday 09th of May, 2008, 17:06
Steering wheel with quick release
It's been a busy week for the postman, many new items have arrived and are now awaiting to be mounted on the car. One rather critical component that showed up this week is the steering wheel along with its quick release bracket that allows the driver to (quickly) remove the steering wheel when entering or leaving the cockpit.
Weight: TBA
Thursday 08th of May, 2008, 23:27
Engine intake system
Something very exciting arrived today, the engine intake manifold. Using rapid prototyping allowed us to design an intake manifold where the plenum chamber and runners could be made in one piece. The part will now recieve some surface preparation before it goes on the engine. So, expect more of this cool part in a near future.
Weight: 1.7 kg
Thanks to
Prototal
Sunday 04th of May, 2008, 19:13
Half a monocoque
Here is a sneak peek of the monocoque for the car. In the past days all the four parts that make up the monocoque have been successfully bonded together. After hours of putting on filler and then sanding most of it away, the final touches are now being made before the monocoque is shipped away for painting tomorrow.
Weight: 9 kg
Manufacturing of the monocoque have been one of the most challenging tasks this year and wouldn't have been possible without the support of our sponsors.
Thanks to:
Saertex
Epotex
DIAB
Abic Kemi
Per Wennhage at KTH Lightweight Structures
Wednesday 30th of April, 2008, 22:23
5-axis CNC machining
One of the most valuable production methods in the project is CNC machining which allows us to manufacture complex geometries and thereby bring optimized parts from the digital to the real world. The process involves many steps and the preparation of the ISO code (code that tells the machine what to do) has been made more efficient thanks to the development of our own post-processor. But even with access to machines like this, the team always tries to design for manufacturability to make the manufacturing process as smooth as possible.
Monday 28th of April, 2008, 23:32
Roll damper
One of the most exciting new systems on this year's car is the monoshock system. The Öhlins roll damper controls the roll motion of the front of the car and is being actively controlled. This allows the roll damping to be continuously adjusted which will aid the driver in challenging situations on the race track.
Weight: TBA
Thanks to:
Öhlins Racing
Monday 28th of April, 2008, 23:30
Shock absorber
Cornering performance and traction are two of the most crucial parameters in racing. In order to keep the tires attached to the ground a well engineered suspension system is essential. The possibility to adjust the system to each track is also a high priority. Thanks to the Öhlins Double Barrel these requirements are fulfilled. With its four way adjustability, high performance and low weight it fits KTHR5 like a glove.
Weight: 620 g
Sunday 27th of April, 2008, 16:58
Sliding bellcrank insert
The sliding bellcrank that constitutes the front monoshock suspension system is a fairly complex assembly. Here is one of its' components, an insert that helps connect the pushrod to the sliding bellcrank. The part awaits some minor machining before it is ready to be bonded to a carbon fiber tube.
Weight: 178 g
We are back after a heavy workload these past days on getting the monocoque ready for painting.
Wednesday 23rd of April, 2008, 20:55
Play of the Day!
This afternoon the team took advantage of the first true spring sun and played some soccer and had a BBQ. Two long and fierce games ended in a tie between the teams and the saga will have to continue another day as the team returns to the workshops to finish the car.
Weight: Hotdog 50 g
Tuesday 22nd of April, 2008, 23:51
Brake pedal
Even though one of the main goals in racing is going as fast as possible, stopping as fast as possible is also vital. High stiffness has been the major goal in the design and manufacturing of the brake pedal, in order to give the driver the maximum feel in the brakes. This ultimately helps the driver to brake as close to the traction limit as possible.
Weight: 179 g
Monday 21st of April, 2008, 22:43
Monocoque mold
The molds are critical when building a carbon fibre monocoque. The very time consuming task of preparing the molds have been made easy thanks to our sponsors. By milling MDF board in a 5 axis CNC mill, very high tolerances have been achieved. During this week the last parts of the monocoque will be finished.
Thanks to
Karlit
Alfa Tools International
Björn Sandberg at the KTH Department of Production Engineering
Sunday 20th of April, 2008, 23:31
Linear potentiometer
In order to measure the movements of the suspension and steering during driving, linear potentiometers are going to be fitted to the car. Our potentiometers from Penny+Giles offer high precision in combination with high durability and low weight and are therefore very well-suited for KTHR5.
Thanks to
AB Elwia
Friday 18th of April, 2008, 20:16
Wishbone bracket
Keeping things in their right place is not always easy, especially not if you you want them to be adjustable. This wishbone bracket is adjustable in order to tune the suspension geometries and with its ribs it'll stay in place.
Weight: 41 g
Thanks to
Micromatic International
Thursday 17th of April, 2008, 22:18
Pedal box chassis
Here is a great piece of engineering, the chassis to the pedal box. 15 different functions are based around the chassis and thanks to waterjet cutting the machining time can be drastically reduced.
Weight: 653 g
Thanks to
Kimtech Waterjet Machines
Wednesday 16th of April, 2008, 19:48
Shifter system development card
Fortunately not all the parts in the car are made of metal. Today's part comes from our electronics department and one of their projects, the control circuit for the pneumatic shifting system.
Thanks to
KTH Department of Mechatronics
Tuesday 15th of April, 2008, 20:27
Damper attachment
Low weight, high stiffness and good manufacturability are the three cornerstones in KTHR5 and the damper attachment bracket really embodies this philosophy. By using finite-element analysis (FEA) in combination with waterjet cutting, complex shapes can be produced with minimum effort.
Weight: 37 g
Thanks to
Kimtech Waterjet Machines
Monday 14th of April, 2008, 19:48
Rear bellcranks
The bellcranks play a vital role in the rear suspension system, they are used to connect the wheel assembly to the shock absorber and the anti-roll bar. The geometry of the bellcranks have been developed with the use of special simulation software.
Weight: 127 g
Thanks to
Alfa Tool International
Sunday 13th of April, 2008, 16:00
Differential internals
The internals of this year's differential come from a classic European sports car, the Opel Manta. In conjunction with a custom made housing the clutch pack differential can be easily preloaded externally.
Weight: 1.4 kg
Saturday 12th of April, 2008, 23:09
Wishbone brackets
By combining the attachment bracket and the spherical bearing housing into a single component, lower weight and increased installed stiffness have been achieved. This design drastically facilitates the manufacturing of the wishbones and also increases the suspension geometry precision.
Weight: 39 - 47 g
Thanks to
Micromatic International
Saturday 12th of April, 2008, 22:37
Wheel nuts
The wheel nuts sporting a hefty 60 mm thread have been made using a 4 axis CNC lathe. The run time for each part was a low 136 seconds.
Weight: 56 g
Thanks to
KTH Department of Production Engineering
Uddeholm Tooling
Sandvik Coromant
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