Formula Student 2016 : Student Society: Formula Student team : ... : Engineering and Design : University of Sussex

Mobil 1 Team Sussex have begun their Formula Student journey, the current team of 11 students for 2016 are introduced below.

The team consists of a diverse combination of 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Automotive, Mechanical and Electronic Engineers, as well as a small team of Product Designers and Computer Scientists.

FS 2016 Team Pic

Full team photo, from left to right: Matthew Corne, Suspension and Breaking Sub Team Leader James Bradbury, Commercial Director Rebecca Geraghty-Shewan, Team Leader Lee Dunn, Chassis and Vehicle Controls Sub Team Leader Thomas Westwood, Chief Engineer Tomos Ramm, Suspension and Braking Team Member - front uprights Darshan Patel, Powertrain Sub Team Leader Athinodoros Vassiliades, Suspension and Braking Team Member Alex Mitchel, Power Train Team Member Jess Rampton, Suspension and Braking Team Member (seated in the car)

For Team Sussex 2016, major design changes to the car have been made; where previous teams have used a steel space frame, Team Sussex 2016 will be utilising a monocoque constructed of aluminium honeycomb sandwich panels in order to reduce the chassis mass by up to 20%. The team will also be downsizing to 10 inch wheels, these two design changes will lead to a significant weight reduction of the car. Within Formula Student weight is a major factor for increasing the speed of the car as the team’s engine has a restrictor on the intake, therefore limiting the available power. The team hopes to improve upon work completed in previous years and implement the experience gained by shadowing last year’s team. The team are aiming for the best result Mobil 1 Team Sussex has seen to date.

TS16 Team Leaders Profiles

Thomas Westwood, Chief Engineer

I am a fourth year MEng Mechanical Engineering with Industrial Placement student, and am the Chief Engineer on this year’s Formula Student team. It is my responsibility to ensure that the team meets all time and financial expectations, whilst maintaining good communications amongst the sub-teams. I am also designing the drivetrain and gear linkage system for the TS16 vehicle, and aim to continue the progression of Team Sussex’s performance to our best ever results in the Formula Student competition.

Rebecca Geraghty-Shewan, Secretary

I am a fourth year MEng student and this will be my third year of involvement with Mobil 1 Team Sussex. As the team secretary it is my duty to minute and record all meetings, in addition to managing all contact with exterior relations to the team. I set weekly objectives for each and every team member, with the addition of ensuring these are followed up with progress tracked.

This will be one of our most experienced and confident teams to date, with several members having partaken in the Class 2 team, in addition to this we are able to build on the large vault of knowledge that Mobil 1 Team Sussex has grown over the years. I am excited to take part in Formula Student 2016 with this strong team and know we will finish with some of the best results seen in Sussex’s history.

James Bradbury, Commerical Director

I am a fourth year Mechanical Engineering MEng Student, my role in the team includes being Commercial Director and the design and build of the steering system. As Commercial Director I will be responsible for handling the finances of the project, finding and securing sponsorship in addition to maintaining an effective working relationship with our current sponsors.

Matthew Corne, Suspension and Breaking Sub Team Leader

I am a fourth year Mechanical Engineering MEng student and I also competed in the Class 2 competition last year. As head of the Suspension and Braking team it's my job to squeeze every drop of performance from the car and cut lap times through precision handling. As the co-author of the business presentation I will also be showcasing our business plan and strategy moving forward.

Lee Dunn, Chassis and Vehicle Controls Sub Team Leader

I'm a final Mechanical Engineering MEng Masters student and this is my second year of involvement with Mobil 1 Team Sussex. As leader of the Chassis and Vehicle Controls Sub team, my role is to coordinate team members to work efficiently as a group, overlooking their progress to ensure deadlines are being met within the available budget. This year the main aims of the sub team are to test and develop Mobil 1 Team Sussex's first monocoque. chassis design as well as looking to improve the ergonomics and packaging or the driver controls.

Darshan Patel, Powertrain Sub Team Leader

I am a fourth year Mechanical Engineering MEng student in my second year of involvement with Mobil 1 Team Sussex. As Powertrain Sub Team leader I will be guiding members’ efforts towards developing a better performing and more reliable powertrain, whilst also meeting tight deadlines and working within budget. Areas under my supervision include the engine, intake, exhaust, fuel system, cooling and drivetrain.

Alex Mitchell, Static Events Manager)

This year the team will focus on two main themes - Lean Manufacture, and Design for Remanufacture, which will be incorporated into the team’s cost, design and manufacturing approach. As Static Events Manager, I will ensure the team takes the necessary steps required to succeed in these areas. The team will be rewarded with valuable experience, and an organised mind-set. Both of which can be taken to Silverstone in order to improve the team’s overall performance.

Tomos Ramm, Logistics and Operations Manager

I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering in my final year of my MEng course. Within the team I am the Logistics and Operations manager meaning I organise key events the team attend as well as arranging team equipment, making sure the team has everything it needs in preparation for Silverstone. In the Suspension and Braking team I will be taking on the design of the front uprights and hubs as well as sourcing the wheel bearings. The main objective is to reduce the weight of both designs in comparison to previous years and to improve or match the overall strength of each component. I will be using Finite Element Analysis software to test the design before moving onto the manufacturing phase.

Suspension and Breaking Team Profiles

Matthew Corne, Suspension and Breaking Sub Team Leader - Geometry designs and shocks.

My role within the sub team is to design the overall suspension geometry. TS-16's suspension geometry will be set up to incorporate many of the performance features from TS-15 as well as a significant increase in anti-dive. This will keep the car level under braking and should allow the driver more control than ever through the sharp corners of the Formula Student track. Suspension calculations are also my responsibility; it is important that the characteristics of the car are calculated to ensure optimal suspension setup. In addition to this I will be overseeing the design of the brake system which will include more driver controls than ever before to ensure maximum performance. All of this work comes with the added challenge of downsizing our wheels from 13" to 10", the suspension and braking packaging will perhaps be our most interesting challenge.

Tomos Ramm, Suspension and Braking Team Member - front uprights and hubs

I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering in my final year of my MEng course. Within the Suspension and Braking team I will be taking on the design of the front uprights and hubs, as well as sourcing the wheel bearings. The main objective is to reduce the weight of both designs in comparison to previous years to improve or match the overall strength of each component. I will be using Finite Element Analysis software to test the design before moving onto the manufacturing phase.

Jess Rampton, Suspension and Braking Team Member

I am a fourth year Mechanical Engineering MEng student, this is my first year working with the Mobil 1 Formula Student team. I will be working on the rear uprights and hubs as my section of the car, cutting weight where possible, yet keeping structural integrity intact to handle the forces in which the upright will undergo while in motion.

Athinodoros Vassiliades, Suspension and Braking Team Member

I am in the process of finishing my final year of university as a MEng student and am currently working as part of the chassis and suspension sub team. My goal is to design a light brake system and achieve a good brake balance in an attempt to increase performance by improving braking and acceleration.

Power Train Team Profiles

Darshan Patel, Powertrain Sub Team Leader

The car this year will use a Honda CBR600RR engine, this type of engine has powered the Team Sussex cars for the past two years and we have gained a wealth of knowledge on it during this time. I will focuse mainly on the intake, exhaust and fuel system. These components affect when the engine reaches peak torque, as the Formula Student events take place at lower speeds these components will be tuned to increase low to mid-range torque. This will be achieved by simulating flow through these components and reducing losses wherever possible. I will also be ensuring that all components of the Powertrain come together smoothly and on time.

Alex Mitchell Alex Mitchel, Power Train Team Member

I am currently in the fourth year of my MEng mechanical engineering degree. My role is to design and manufacture the cooling system, ensuring the car does not overheat whilst idling and at full loads. As static events manager, I will be working closely with our Chief Engineer and be involved in the design, cost and sustainability aspects of the project.

Thomas Westwood, Power Train Team Member

I have been designated as the drivetrain and gear linkage engineer for this year's Formula Student car. I aim to reduce the total weight of the drivetrain, as well as improve the structural integrity of the rear differential mounts, which failed under load on last years vehicle. I am also aiming to change the design of the gear linkage system to incorporate a paddle-shift mechanical cable system, rather than using the previous method of a stick-shift with a solid steel rod connecting to the gear shift spindle.

Chassis and Vehical Controls Team Profiles

Lee Dunn, Chassis and Vehicle Controls Sub Team Leader

The aim for the chassis design this year is to significantly reduce the chassis mass and increase the structural rigidity by utilising a monocoque in the chassis construction. The monocoque will be constructed from Aluminium Honeycomb Sandwich Panels and make use of a simple low cost manufacturing method. Finite Element Analysis studies will be conducted to help shape the monocoque as well as the spaceframe which will house the powertrain. Significant material testing will be undertaken to prove the structural equivalence of the monocoque design with that of a traditional steel spaceframe.

Rebecca Geraghty-Shewan, Chassis and Vehicle Controls Sub Team Member

For this year’s car I will work on the design of the nosecone, IA and pedal box of the car. Weight reduction for all three of these areas is essential, one specifically large change in respect to TS-15’s pedal box design, will be that the pedal box is custom built and reduced in size dramatically. In addition to this driver ergonomics and comfort will be taken into consideration to help ease the usability of the car for the driver during the dynamic events.

James Bradbury, Chassis and Vehicle Controls Sub Team Member - Steering design

For this project I will be designing a steering system which will provide precision handling, giving the driver accurate and reliable feedback by reducing undesirable effects such as a bump steer. I will also look at optimising the wheel toe to provide increased stability which will enable the calculation of the optimal Ackerman steering geometry for the Formula Student racing environment.

Team Sussex are proud to support Help for Heroes, with a percentage of all donations being passed to the charity, further details can be found in the teams brochure below or head to the teams web site to find out more/to make a donation: www.sussex.ac.uk/teamsussex/donate