April, May, June 2021 - Vol V
Green LETTER
table of contents 1 2 3 5 6 7 9
1
News
New Main Sponsor
team leader’s remarks Vítor Teixeira
Siemens Innovation GP21’s revolutionary transmission supports
sponsors Arquiconsult
#Teammates
Afonso Teixeira; Leonor Franco; Pedro Correia
Photo of the month ECar-Show
Greenpower Track List Castle Combe Racing Track
News As you can imagine, for a non-profit project like ours, financing is on most occasions the limiting factor. Whether being for the construction of prototypes or for travelling to foreign competitions, namely in Spain and England, it is often difficult to connect with a national or international company that proactively invests on a group of young engineers dedicated to building a Portuguese electric prototype to participate in international competitions. However, PSEM has recently allied with a company with that same determination, so it is our pleasure to announce that Arquiconsult is our new Main Sponsor!
Team Leader’s Remarks
“With the support of Arquiconsult, THe longevity of our project
Is guaranteed”
Vítor Teixeira This new edition of the Green Letter was worth the wait! At PSEM, we’ve been working non stop, both in terms of conceptual design and R&D, but also in terms of marketing. We’ve been developing new versions of GP21’s rear semi-axles, and some of its components have arrived! Other than that, the older generation of team members has been heavily involved in the training of younger members, teaching them how to properly (dis)assemble and properly maintain GP17.EvoII and GP21, allowing for a perpetual transmission of knowledge that ensures the longevity of the project. Following this line of thought, it’s with great joy and pride that we announce that Arquiconsult will be PSEM’s main sponsor. The determination and proactiveness of this company is what makes the difference in the lives of portuguese students and recent graduates, and it’s as remarkable as is commendable, being something that other companies of our country should strive for, to ensure that the portuguese job market is as competitive and appealing as the international one. To Rui Santos (CEO) and the whole team of Arquiconsult we thank you all for believing in us and for collaborating with us in the journey for a more competitive future at PSEM.
2
Siemens Innov
GP21’s revolutionary tr
GP21’s rear axle supports were created with the aim of reducing the weight of the ones used in GP19. We started with the structural analysis of the original part and developed several ideas for new geometries. At each attempt, we made new simulations to the modified parts to understand how the changes affected the mechanical behaviour of it. The new version features an A-shaped front silhouette, which allows it to better withstand lateral efforts, compared to the rectangular structure of the previous version, implemented in GP19. We also implemented a truss on each side to add greater resistance to the vertical upward load that is
3
vation
ransmission supports
observed in that area, due to the car’s weight. In addition, all corners were carefully rounded (especially the critical ones), which reduced and homogenized the stress distribution. To increase the stability of each support, we doubled the assembly points between them and the vehicle’s structure, which allowed us to cut out the connecting bar of the two supports, leading to a significant decrease in weight. In conclusion, the great advantage of this part is its low weight/strength ratio, an imperative factor in GP21’s components
4
sponsors
It is with great satisfaction that we see our project grow year after year. However, for a non-profit organization like ours, the support of sponsors is essential to fulfil the objectives we set for ourselves - to build an innovative and competitive prototype, capable of raising the name of Técnico (University of Lisbon) and Portugal. Thus, we proudly announce our new main sponsor: Arquiconsult! Arquiconsult is a renowned company in information systems consulting, based on Microsoft technologies. It has a highly professional and certified team working in
5
Microsoft Dynamics in Portugal and has already implemented some of the most complex Microsoft business solutions, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations. We truly believe that this new partnership will further propel us towards our goals, and we can barely wait to see GP21 displaying Arquiconsult’s colours, which will certainly lead to new achievements and triumphs. Thank you, Arquiconsult!
Pedro Correia
leonor franco
aFonso Teixeira
#teammates I am 20 years old, from Portalegre and I currently attend the 3rd year of Aerospace Engineering. I really enjoy solving the Rubik’s cube because it helps me to relax. I joined the Aerodynamics Department in the 2019/2020 season and I am currently developing the monocoque for GP21’s evolution to be as aerodynamic as possible. I am also continuing to learn about aerodynamic simulations (CFD). I am looking forward to be able to get back together with the team and prepare the cars for future races. I am 19 years old and I study Industrial Engineering and Management. I love collecting vinyl and, recently, I rediscovered a taste for reading! I joined PSEM in 2020 and currently am one of the responsibles for the website, which made me acquire a lot of knowledge in HTML. Along this journey, I also got a clearer insight about the marketing area and I am constantly improving my soft skills. The most remarkable moment was when I saw the car for the 1st time, which only happened 7 months after having joined the team, since I did so during the pandemic. I’m 20 years old and currently in a Mechanical Engineering course, despite also loving programming. I thought about changing my course but, in the future, I hope to work on these subjects together. I joined PSEM’s mechanical design department in 2019 and since then, I’ve been analyzing various of the car’s components. Within acquired skills, I’ll have to highlight teamwork. The most memorable moment since I’ve joined PSEM was my first contact with the car at the workshop, right at the beginning of my path. I hope that PSEM will continue to welcome new teammates so that we can help at the development of future engineers.
6
Photo of the m
Pedro Correia
leonor franco
aFonso Teixeira
#teammates
7
I am 20 years old, from Portalegre and I currently attend the 3rd year of Aerospace Engineering. I really enjoy solving the Rubik’s cube because it helps me to relax. I joined the Aerodynamics Department in the 2019/2020 season and I am currently developing the monocoque for GP21’s evolution to be as aerodynamic as possible. I am also continuing to learn about aerodynamic simulations (CFD). I am looking forward to be able to get back together with the team and prepare the cars for future races.
I am 19 years old and I study Industrial Engineering and Management. I love collecting vinyl and, recently, I rediscovered a taste for reading! I joined PSEM in 2020 and currently am one of the responsibles for the website, which made me acquire a lot of knowledge in HTML. Along this journey, I also got a clearer insight about the marketing area and I am constantly improving my soft skills. The most remarkable moment was when I saw the car for the 1st time, which only happened 7 months after having joined the team, since I did so during the pandemic. I’m 20 years old and currently in a Mechanical Engineering course, despite also loving programming. I thought about changing my course but, in the future, I hope to work on these subjects together. I joined PSEM’s mechanical design department in 2019 and since then, I’ve been analyzing various of the car’s components. Within acquired skills, I’ll have to highlight teamwork. The most memorable moment since I’ve joined PSEM was my first contact with the car at the workshop, right at the beginning of my path. I hope that PSEM will continue to welcome new teammates so that we can help at the development of future engineers.
month
8
Greenpower Track
9
Castle Combe Racing Track, in Wiltshire, England is another former Royal Air Force base built at the end of World War II. It was used as a polish refugee camp, and it was only in 1955 that official races started to take place. It has already staged F3
k List: Castle Combe
and the British GP Championship but, due to noise pollution, these events were cancelled at this racing track. Nowadays, the circuit welcomes amateur races for both cars and motorcycles, motoring shows and a Greenpower Challenge stage.
10
Thank you for your support! 11
Follow PSEM’s Adventures on:
@psem.ist
@psem_portugal
company/psem
@Psem_Portugal
psemportugal@gmail.com (+351) 218 419 561 Vítor Teixeira
Bruno Vitorino
Team Leader (+351) 913 548 111
Technical Director (+351) 935 820 953
Leonor Barata
Head of the Comms & Marketing Dept. (+351) 968 275 408
12
