Top ranking for innovative Swedish race car in global student race
Engineering students from Chalmers University in Gothenburg have in fierce competition created a super car for race competitions between the world's top universities. A victory and a third place are important merits for tomorrow's racing engineers. Lesjöfors has sponsored with chassis springs and important advice.
Annually, Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg participates in an international competition in which over 100 universities world-wide participates. Students are given the task to put their theoretical studies into practice and build a race car for competitions throughout Europe. Participants are judged in three categories: business, engineering and dynamic tests (acceleration, maneuver track and endurance race).
“Each year the fourth year students begin a new race car project. In addition to the traditional design elements, we get training in cooperation, in finding partners and developments in both materials and costs that streamlines the project. This is as close to reality as you can get as a student”, says Ibrahim Bakirci, one of the engineering students at the master program Automotive Engineering and responsible for the car's performance.
The importance of shock absorption
The shock absorption and wheel suspension are essential for a racing car. Therefore, much time and effort has been devoted to test and try different combinations which has given the car its optimum properties.
“The suspension is one of the most important factors for success in racing where you have to optimize the car's performance to the driver and the surface. Lesjöfors has been fantastic in our project. We have had access to all their expertise and experience and could discuss ideas and questions at any time. They have also given us the opportunity to change springs and try different stiffness. With very short notice, they manufactured springs for us with a greater stiffness, just days before the start of the race so that we would get the best possible starting position”, says Ibrahim Bakirci, Race Engineer.
Top results
The results showed immediately. During a competition in the UK where most universities participated, the Chalmers team was the winner. In a competition in Germany, where more than 100 European universities participated, the Gothenburg Students came in a creditable third place. These are success stories of great importance for the university and make more people aware of the skills the university students possess.
Sponsoring of springs with multiple purposes
For Lesjöfors the recurring cooperation with Chalmers is important.
“We get the opportunity to show what our company can do, both in skills and in material terms. It also allows us to establish important contacts with future customers, partners or colleagues, says Niklas Pettersson, Sales Manager at Lesjöfors Industrial Springs in Herrljunga.
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