2012/2013 Season Review
The 2012/13 season started with high
hopes as many experienced team members returned from their Year in Industry and
volunteers had gained a valuable years’ worth of experience. The previous
season did not go to plan due to electrical and mechanical unreliability;
something the team endeavoured to gain a better understanding on for this
season.
The Aprilia SXV 550 engine of recent
years hit a number of reliability issues in the last season however relentless
dynamometer work proved successful at pre-event testing. The Chassis and
Suspension team continued to develop the aluminium honeycomb sandwich panel
front monocoque, an aspect that the team has a wealth of knowledge in. Using data obtained from a third year
dissertation, the corner radii was increased and as a consequence which
resulted in an increased chassis strength and the overall aesthetics of the car
were improved. The rear of the car maintained last year’s philosophy with a
steel spaceframe, however packaging was improved resulting in better access and
a tidier overall construction. Last season, the front dampers had been mounted
on the top of the car which obstructed driver visibility. This year the suspension
system was mounted to the side of the vehicle which lowered the mass and centre
of gravity whilst maintaining handling characteristics, a significant improvement.
The rear suspension was completely revised from last years with an improved
design which did not break any fundamental competition rules. For the first time in five years, a
differential has been incorporated into the drivetrain to aid handling and
drivability. Following back to back
testing of spool and differential drive trains it was found that lap times were
lower, more consistent and the drivers’ feedback meant the switch back to a
differential was essential.
As electrics were the team’s downfall
last season, work started early in the year to create a reliable system firstly
by introducing higher grade connectors. A custom electronic housing box was
designed and made by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) in conjunction with
Cardiff University’s MEC department. This box was designed to store the data
logger, MoTeC ECU, relays, fuses and a communications system which would relay
information with the Race Technology Dash and engine. This set up ensured that
the electronic components were stored safely with improved accessibility
allowing fault identification process to become a lot more efficient.
By late May the car was complete and
the first testing session was held at Llandow in June. The initial shake down
of the car showed promising results, with drivers reporting more responsive
handling compared to the previous season’s car. The data logger did show that
the engine was being starved of oil under cornering; this was soon fixed by
modifying the oil sump tank and oil cooler location. The second testing session
was primarily for driver training, with Cardiff Racing affording two new
students the opportunity to drive the car. In the final testing session at
Llandow Kart Track the team attempted a mock endurance, consisting of two
stints of 8 laps. However, on lap 6 of the second stint an oil line came loose
which put a premature end to the test. Although less testing took place than
initially planned the team recorded valuable data and had identified a number
of minor faults prior to competition.
The team’s engagement department took
on the mammoth task of turning the team’s show car, CR03b, into a simulator
which is intended to be used at engagement events. The team was generously
funded by the CET Small Grant Scheme and Barry Sullivan at Cardiff University. The
intention on completion is that it be used at UCAS and engagements days
supported by the university. The simulator consists of a PlayStation 3 console,
Gran Turismo 5, Thrustmaster GT5 steering wheel and pedals, two television
screens, 5.2 surround sound and ButtKicker motion simulators. The combination
created a realistic driving experience with in car feedback so the user can
feel the feedback of their driving, also creating a spectators area with a
second, larger TV screen.
Cardiff Racing started the
competition week by launching the car on Monday 1st of July in
Cardiff School of Engineering’s Forum. The team not only launched this year’s
competition car but also the simulator, which was the first time both cars were
unveiled to the public. The launch had excellent support with academics, staff,
students and sponsors all attending. A
great start for a week of exciting competition at the Silverstone race circuit
in Northamptonshire.
Silverstone, July 2013
Cardiff Racing arrived at Silverstone
early afternoon on Wednesday 3rd July allowing plenty of time to set
up the garage in the legendary pit lane, until recently used for the glitz and
glamour of Formula 1. A change in the design event meant that judges would now
come to the car opposed to the opposite in previous years, making it ever more
crucial to have a well presented garage. Thursday saw scrutineering begin in
glorious sunshine, where teams queued up to be checked for rule adherence.
Cardiff Racing’s #87 car was the sixth team to enter the scrutineering bay,
facing only a few minor problems which were fixed on the spot. The first two
drivers also successfully passed their five second egress test with flying colours,
leaving the car with tech, chassis and safety stickers in place by 3pm. The
team swiftly moved onto the tilt and noise test before the end of the day which
were passed at the first attempt. Up bright and early, again bathed in
sunshine, the team prepared for the final requirement, the brake test. Last
year the car struggled to pass the brake test which held the team up
significantly, so the team were apprehensive about passing quickly. Fortune was
in the team’s favour and CR09 passed the brake test on the first run, allowing
the team to concentrate on the competition itself.
The team then had valuable time to
prepare for the static events, cost, design and business. As the static events
were carried out remaining team members had the opportunity to meet other teams
and companies at the event. Friday evening revealed the results of the days
static events, an aspect that Cardiff Racing has always has opportunity to
improve upon, however this year saw the best results Cardiff Racing has ever
seen. The team received a staggering 2nd place in the cost task out
of 90 teams, entering into the final which allows the team to battle for first
position. Unfortunately, the team were unable to gain the extra place however
remained at a very impressive 2nd, receiving 87.4 points out of an
available 100. Similarly the team were awarded 19th place out of
over 100 teams for the business task, 7th out of the UK teams.
Finally the team received 30th place in the design task, a
significant improvement compared to the previous season and gained 110 points
out of the available 150. The success of the first few days meant that Cardiff
Racing sat in 6th place overall, 2nd in the UK, at the
end of Friday, giving the team a big boost going into the competitive dynamic
events over the weekend.
The team again was greeted by
spectacular weather on Saturday morning; however teams were beginning to worry
about overheating problems. The temperatures observed had not been part of the
testing regime so a lot of British teams in particular were entering unknown
territory. The first acceleration time of 4.53 seconds was set early in the
morning, an average combustion car time. The second was set with a slight
improvement of 4.49 which remained the team’s fastest time of the day. There
were some small tweaks and changes to be made before heading over to the skid
pad in the early afternoon. An extremely competitive time was set, and the
fastest set in Cardiff Racing’s history however there is scope to improve with
additional driver training. The team had been very impressed with the cars’
handling in testing so the skid pad event demonstrated this perfectly,
resulting in a 23rd placing overall (Table 1).
The afternoon then presented the
tricky Sprint Challenge, which acts as a qualifying time for the Sunday
endurance. Track temperatures were getting especially high and the engine was
starting to heat up at a worrying rate, however due to the extended air intake,
on a long lap the team hoped the engine temperature would become steady. The
first driver managed to set a safe lap time on the first lap which was 3
seconds quicker than any other car that had competed thus far; however the car
cut out just before the end meaning some time was lost. The team were hopeful
of setting a quicker second lap however unfortunately due to driver error, the fifth
corner was overshot and compromised the second lap time significantly, resulting
in no improvement. The second driver did not set a sprint time, the team
qualified in 33rd meaning that we were racing with slower cars
earlier in the day. On Sunday, Cardiff Racing left the Silverstone pit lane at
11.30am to start the endurance, the first couple of laps appeared slow however
as the driver became more familiar with the car and the track a quick pace was
beginning to appear including a fastest lap of the day. The team sat
apprehensive in the famous Copse Grandstand watching faster and faster lap
times beginning to appear, ever catching the cars ahead. Five laps went by
before an uncharacteristic spin half way into the lap, so unexpected that the
team believed there must have been a fault. The car carried on with the lap but
marshals were signalling red and yellow flags, indicating a slippery track, the
team realised that it might have been our car that caused it. Soon after, the
car came to a halt, where it became evident that the number 87 car had dropped
oil on the track, ending the teams’ endurance efforts. When the car was wheeled
back to the pit lane it was found that an oil line had come off the engine,
releasing the entire oil supply onto the circuit, and potentially seizing the
engine. This was the next weakest link
in the chain and the problem has been diagnosed and fixed so that this cannot
happen again.
Even though the team were obviously
disappointed in leaving the competition early, the static results were a giant
step in the right direction for the team, and a massive improvement on the
previous year. The teams’ efforts had greatly improved compared with the
previous season, still resulting in an impressive 26th place finish
despite retiring from the endurance. Only 21 teams out of the 65 that started
the endurance managed to finish, mainly due to problems caused by the high
temperatures. As a result Cardiff Racing managed to maintain a very reputable
result, also finishing 7th of the UK teams. The team had high hopes
going into the competition, especially in terms of completing the endurance, as
the car’s performance was evident over the year of preparation.
Overall the 2012/2013 season provided
Cardiff Racing with a lot of joy, on and off the track at Silverstone. The team
have worked hard to improve their public image off the track, by pursuing
further engagement work in the community and investing in a more professional
demeanour. The team are losing many this year to the year in industry scheme,
although those remaining will look forward to improving on this year’s
impressive results. Cardiff Racing
wishes all the best to those who graduate, and looks forward to greeting new
members in the coming season. The team would also like to express our immense
gratitude to the Academics and Staff at Cardiff University and our sponsors for
the support throughout the year, which without this result would have not been
possible. The team will be travelling to Germany at the beginning of August to
compete again at the Hockenheim ring, hopefully producing similar results to
end the season on an even greater high.
Table 1:
Race Results for Silverstone
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Michelle Davis, 18/07/13
