Titan race car features rPET honeycomb in front wing to withstand forces 1000 times its own weight
Centered on recycled PET content, the rPET honeycomb cores are created up of 100% recycled content, predominantly sourced from non-meals postconsumer and industrial PET squander streams to add in the direction of beating the oversupply of these most problematic PET squander streams.
Due to its hugely useful mechanical general performance, lower body weight and substantial temperature stability, rPET is the materials of decision for a range of purposes which includes automotive, transportation, making and development, industrial packaging / graphical shows, home furnishings and significantly extra. One particular marketplace in individual where the mechanical houses and weight of a material solution can show the variance between successful and losing is inside of motorsport.
EconCore’s rPET honeycomb cores are at this time currently being applied by Method Electric powered Belgium within just the entrance wings of their race car or truck. The team of engineering students created the front wing pores and skin out of normal flax fibre. Very last calendar year, the team employed carbon fibre bolstered composites for the skins of the wing profile and in order to give the wings higher stiffness, they needed aluminium stiffeners very similar to individuals found in plane wings.
Method Electrical Belgium’s dedication to “Green Innovation satisfies Performance” perfectly encompasses EconCore’s rPET know-how. In purchase to adapt a more sustainable tactic devoid of compromising on general performance, System Electrical Belgium substituted the aluminium stiffeners with rPET honeycomb to produce a sandwich panel which was both lighter and additional rigid.
For their entrance wing structure, Method Electric powered Belgium expected a thermoplastic content as it would have to be thermoformed. For the thermoforming of the rPET cores the Components Electrical Belgium workforce began with consistent thickness to shape into the wing, making use of heated moulds to push the core into condition. Not only did the rPET honeycomb main locate its position inside the aerodynamics deal, the entire undertray of the 220kg race car or truck was also created from EconCore’s rPET honeycomb cores.
By optimising the use of rPET honeycomb engineering the Formula Electric powered Belgium staff have been able to cut down the wings body weight by 26% compared to the similar measurement wing from past year. The light-weight entrance wing component is also superior in rigidity, capable of withstanding forces equal to just about 1000 moments its possess body weight. The Titan race car or truck has been through various exams inside of its various phases of advancement, beneath a three-issue bending check the wing was able of withstanding 46kg of pressure.
For the 2022 year, Formulation Electric powered Belgium’s use of lightweight components has enabled them to produce a race automobile which presents a whole body weight of only 220kg. As the founder of Lotus Vehicles, Colin Chapman famously as soon as stated “adding ability would make you a lot quicker on the straights, subtracting bodyweight will make you faster everywhere”, but Formula Electrical Belgium certainly are not lacking on electric power possibly with their race vehicle acquiring a -100kmh time of 2.5 seconds.
All over the enhancement levels EconCore opened up their doorways to the Components Electrical Belgium crew enabling them to use their screening equipment to evaluate the power of the content, which proved important to the complete growth procedure.
Wouter Winant, Complex Manager at EconCore explained: “With the rPET honeycomb main, Formulation Electrical Belgium ended up equipped to produce a remarkably rigid, lightweight front wing element which weighed in at only 50 grams. And at the exact same time this reveals that accomplishing exceptional general performance is feasible with sustainable elements. Our rPET honeycomb core technology is out there to be licensed for a variety of applications and Components Electrical Belgium have correctly shown the material’s flexibility. “
System Electric powered Belgium has been bringing jointly aspiring engineers from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, UGent, UHasselt, UCLouvain and Thomas Additional College in Belgium for the past 12 several years. The program was initially set up to supply engineering learners with a real-entire world doing the job environment to improve their specialized expertise by making comprehensive race cars every single calendar year to contend in the around the world Components University student competitions.
The Titan race automobile was showcased at the start celebration on the 24th of May perhaps 2022 to in excess of 300 attendees, such as Components Electric Belgium associates and other Belgium University teams using section in the Components Scholar competitions. The upcoming steps for the race vehicle are to endure tests and set-up periods prior to the first aggressive race in the Netherlands in July, followed by even more races in Hungary and Croatia in August.
For the competitions on their own the Method Electrical Belgium workforce will put their race auto as a result of a array of dynamic and static situations which they will be scored on. The dynamic gatherings include acceleration, skid pad, autocross and stamina, while the static gatherings are value evaluation, design and style examination and business enterprise plan presentation. The competitiveness is not only about how the cars and trucks accomplish but also the revolutionary technique that each and every group has undertaken in the style and design and manufacture of their car.
Karel Van Wambeke, Aerodynamics Engineer at Components Electric powered Belgium reported: “The rPET honeycomb main was an remarkable and fascinating product to work with and the full EconCore group ended up enthusiastic in supporting us while we applied their facilities. We can not hold out to set our tough perform to the exam and see how we execute in our initially levels of competition in the Netherlands in July.”
EconCore’s rPET honeycomb technologies demonstrates how mechanical attributes and functionality can be obtained sustainably. The Belgium centered enterprise was announced currently (31st May perhaps 2022) as the winner of a European Inexperienced Award in the Eco-friendly Innovation Award group. RPET honeycomb main technologies was also just lately accredited with the highly prestigious Photo voltaic Impulse Label, a honest and reputable certification of top quality which highlights the relevance of investing in clean technologies as an financial and industrial option.