Monthly Newsletter November 2012
On The Brink…. Final Flash! Over the last five years, Formula Manipal has grown and improved by leaps and bounds. The four cars that we have built till date, FM08, FM09, FMX and FMXI, are masterpieces of our hard work. Winning laurels in Italian, English and Austrian circuits, today Formula Manipal is one of the country’s best student racecar team. November was a very hectic month for students of the Formula Manipal team. The end-semester exams were round the corner, and the evaluation and manufacture of various components of the car was in full swing.
Inside this issue Inside Story .................................2 Inside Story .................................2 Inside Story .................................3 Inside Story .................................3
End semester examinations shrouded most of the November days as usual, leaving considerably less time at hand, to work on the new car. However, this did not hamper the pace of work going on in the workshop. After months of effort and perseverance, the manufacturing stage is nearing an end. The assembly of various parts is soon to commence.
Inside Story .................................4
Welcome Stratasys
Briefly highlight your point of interest here.
We also welcome our new in-kind sponsor Stratasys to the Formula Manipal family.
Briefly highlight your point of interest here.
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Inside Story .................................4 Inside Story .................................4
Special points of interest Briefly highlight your point of interest here. Briefly highlight your point of interest here.
IN THIS ISSUE ENGINE VEHICLE
DYNAMICS
STRATASYS
STRUCTURE
OUR ALUMNI
TRANSMISSION
OUR EXISTING SPONSORS
WHAT’S NEXT?
ELECTRONICS
DID YOU KNOW? Pull and push rods are the two types of suspensions in the car. The pull rod is attached to the upper A-arm while the push rod is attached to the lower A-arm. The pull rod basically pulls the bell crank up when the car is over a bump on the road. Similarly, the push rod pushes the bell crank up when the car moves over a bump on the road. Thus, in this way the suspension actuates according to the usage of the push or the pull rod.
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OUR NEW SPONSOR:
ENGINE The month of November witnessed small, but necessary modifications to the engine. The polycarbonate intake manifold has now been received from our sponsor, Stratasys. The fuel lines for the engine were also obtained. Certain repairs were made to the engine, such as the replacement of piston rings and installation of the new air filters. The engine, fuel tank, intake manifold and strainer are to be tested on the Dynamometer.
HOW A COMPONENT IS MANUFACTURED Various parts and components are required in the making of our car, some of which need to be
(Top) The newly manufactured A-arms (Left) The Inboard Stub Axle
manufactured. The making of a component is an elaborate process. First, the part to be made is designed on a software such as CATIA. Its design and dimensions are decided depending on its position and orientation on the vehicle’s anatomy. The material to be used for its manufacture depends on its weight, and durability. Now
VEHICLE DYNAMICS The new aluminium uprights have been designed and are now being manufactured. The new cups manufactured by FlamePack Manipal were used in the making of the new A-arms for the car. The steering column mount was also manufactured by FlamePack Manipal, and is ready to be mounted onto the chassis.
STRUCTURE The structure team was done with most of its work on the car’s skeleton. The redesigned seat has now been mounted on the car framework. The Ethafoam ordered for the head-restraint was received and is being used for making its padding. The team is planning to lay up glass fibres for the side panels and floor pan.
TRANSMISSION The wear testing of the heat specimens was done and a comparison was done between the heat treated and non-heat treated specimens was done. They were examined for their microstructure and research is being done on them. Also, the inboard stub axle was sent for manufacturing.
the process by which the part is to be manufactured is decided. Many components can be easily created by the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining method. Some parts are made within the workshop, while others are manufactured with the help of our sponsors and other agencies. After the completion of the manufacturing process, the component is checked if it satisfies all requirements. Suitable amends are made if necessary, and viola! A new component is ready!
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WHAT IS ARDUINO? Arduino is an open-source single-board microcontroller, designed to make the process of using electronics in various projects more accessible. The hardware consists of a simple open hardware design for the Arduino board with a processor and on-board input/ output support. The software consists of a standard programming language compiler and the boot loader that runs on the board. Arduino hardware is programmed using a Wiring-based language (syntax and libraries), similar to C++ with some slight simplifications and modifications, and a processing based integrated development environment. Current versions can be purchased pre-assembled; hardware design information is available for those who would like to assemble an Arduino by hand. Additionally, variations of the Italian-made Arduino with varying levels of compatibility have been released by third parties; some of them are programmed using the Arduino software.
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ELECTRONICS The electronics team completed the manufacture of certain parts, such as the brackets for the electronic mount, the PMS (Primary Master Switch) and the brake light mount. The interfacing of the ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) with the µ4DGL display was done, which displays analog inputs in bar graph form. The dashboard prototype was tested too.
The components for the power distribution module were sourced. The team expects to receive the new PCB in a few days.
The Tiny Arduino ‘Nano’
OUR NEW SPONSOR:
US based company, Stratasys, is the newest member of the Formula Manipal Family. Founded by Scott and Lisa Crump, Stratasys is a manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems for direct digital manufacturing and outsourced prototyping solutions. It helps engineers to model complex geometries in a wide range of thermoplastic materials. Stratasys deals with the prototyping and DDM (Direct Digital Manufacturing) systems for automotive, aerospace, industrial, recreational, electronic, medical and consumer product OEMs. We welcome Stratasys to the Formula Manipal Family.
OUR ALUMNI “A good leader is one who tells another how to reach his potential. But a great leader is one who helps him achieve it” While working on our mission of building our dream car, the leadership and assistance of our seniors was of utmost importance. They were the ones who showed us how to harness our potentials to the fullest, and how to have fun doing that too! Here’s a small tribute to Jimmy, Subbu, Wasim and Kinshuk, our seniors, and members of the 2013 season
Jimmy Student of Automobile Engineering Team Manager, Formula Manipal, Season 2013 Jimmy Cherian was undoubtedly the smartest person in the workshop. He has a knack for managing people and is very polite and co-operative. Saying ‘Arre aise thodi na hota hai…see the thing is... !’ every now and then, is his trademark style! An excellent teacher to the juniors and a very good leader, Jimmy has been a concrete pillar that supported the entire team. In his leisure time, Jimmy loves to travel and has a penchant for good food.
Subbu Student of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Team Leader, Formula Manipal, Season 2013 E.R. Subramanian a.k.a. Subbu was one of the most well-read and technically aware persons in the team. Usually sporting a calm and cool demeanor, Subbu is a fun person to hang out with. But if you fool around and make mistakes, Subbu turns on his ‘angry-side’! Subbu is often heard muttering ‘Ui maa! Yeh toh alag level pe hai!’ which adds an element of humour to his charm. An avid Manchester United fan and a light hearted person at heart, Subbu has always kept the team at its feet and has helped it work efficiently. 5
Wasim Student of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Structure Head, Formula Manipal, Season 2013 Wasim Afzal, usually doted to be reserved and open to a few, is one of the cool-headed members of the team. He always followed a no-nonsense policy and always managed his work quickly and efficiently. Wasim is patient and diligent on the inside, but sports a dynamic personality. Wasim loves working out and playing cricket.
Kinshuk Student of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Engine Head, Formula Manipal, Season 2013 Kinshuk Panda, fondly called ‘Panda bhaiya’ by all, has been known to be the simple and straightforward person of the team. He has been efficient and quick in tackling any kind of problem with a rational approach Kinshuk has his basics clear and has been an efficient Engine head. His friends quote that he is as addicted to his blackberry phone, as he is, to his habit of saying ‘Arre bhai!’
Jimmy, Subbu, Wasim and Kinshuk graduate this year, which means, they will no longer be a part of the Formula Manipal Team. However, they will always be dear members of the Formula Manipal Family. We thank them for providing us with such able guidance and directing us to continue the work in the best possible way. They will always be remembered as stalwart leaders of Formula Manipal 2013. All the best to them for their future!
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Formula Manipal is the oldest and one of the largest student projects of Manipal University. We represent the University at the International Formula Student competitions around the world. We are a team of over forty inter disciplinary undergraduates, who aim to Design, Conceptualize, Fabricate, Test and Race a single seater Formula Style race car that participate in events hosted by Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE). Year after year, Formula Manipal’s efforts have been recognized internationally and we have become the most appreciated Indian FSAE team on the international circuit. Our performance has improved exponentially each time. The team has begun working on its next car. Since its inception, Formula Manipal has been striving hard to excel. A mere idea in 2007, Formula Manipal has come a long way in terms of experience, potential and a passion to thrive and be the best Indian FSAE car. The University has always been our pillar of strength and our biggest sponsor. We have received a lot of support from various sponsors who have helped us in the past and have agreed to support us this time as well. However, for achieving the aim of self-sustainability and to raise sufficient funds for our project, the team has come up with “Buy a CC” campaign. Here CC means ‘Cubic Centimeters’ which is the unit of capacity of an internal combustion engine. The primary purpose of the campaign is to integrate those individuals or groups who are interested in being the part of the Formula Manipal family but do not fit into our sponsorship slabs. Each CC costs merely $20 or Rs. 1000. The Team uses a 600 CC HONDA CBR Engine. The whole idea of the campaign is that all those interested in supporting/helping/being associated with Formula Manipal can BUY CC’s of the Engine. This initiative will not only allow a larger section of the society to become a part of our team but will also provide us the much needed support and bring us a step closer to achieve our dream. We provide our CC owners with various benefits which are mentioned on our website www.formulamanipal.in
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2013 SPONSORS
What’s Next? With the car near completion, the final phase of testing and assembly is soon to commence. The Dyno-testing of the engine on the Dynamometer is due in December. More Details about the same will be disclosed in the December Newsletter. Stay put , and find out for yourself!
Follow us on‌. For Feedback, please contact Team Manager: Rishu Raj Singh Mob: +91-9008-7716-13 Mail us at: team.manager@formulamanipal.in
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