Today we took a big step forward in our WSC09 campaign, with the release of the bottom shell from its mould.
Over the last week, team members have been working night and day at our Partners, Boeing Aerostructure Australia, to build the most complicated carbon-fibre part that we will need: the bottom shell. This component supports the suspension, steering, driver, batteries, solar array and every other part of the car in what is known as a monocoque design. Campbell McLaren, the team member who analysed the structure, looked on nervously as we pulled it out, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw that the surface finish was so good! Soon, various stiffeners will be bonded into the bottom shell, and we will be able to see IVy on the road for the first time.
Today we were visited by Simon Pullinger and Amy Szypica from RS Components. RS has generously donated all kinds of equipment and components that will make an enormous difference in the construction of Sunswift IV, and to the team's student members in years to come. Highlights of their donation include a new digital oscilloscope, multimeter, milling tools, toolboxes, heatshrink and glues.
Not only did RS give us these fantastic, high-quality tools, they also gave the team members knives, coffee cups and all kinds of other goodies.
It is a wonderful contribution to our team, and we look forward to working with RS Components for our electronic and mechanical component and tooling needs in the future.
Sunswift IV production kicked into overdrive this week, as all the preparation that has been done over the past few months starts to bear fruit. Geoff, Pete and Alby from the tooling team at our partner company, Boeing Aerostructures Australia, helped to grind our male moulds (plugs) from their shipping structure. It has allowed our moulds team to begin work on the final carbon-fibre parts which make up Sunswift IV. For more information about these large, high-accuracy moulds, see the recent case study published by our sponsor MouldCAM. Many thanks to the tooling team at Boeing Aerostructures Australia for all of their help!
Construction of Sunswift IV is going full steam ahead. Today our moulds team took time out from their exam preparation to build the first of three fibreglass moulds for Sunswift IV. The canopy mould that was built today is the smallest of the three, but will give the team crucial experience and data in order to make sure that the large bottom shell and top shell moulds are a success. These fibreglass moulds are capable of surviving the high-temperature autoclave process used by our partner, Boeing Aerostructures Australia.
Today the team brought Jaycar Sunswift III to the Yagoona Lions Club annual Autumn fair. The fair was held at Gazzard Park, Yagoona and showcased many interesting community stalls. The day is designed to raise money for...
As the team prepares work on UNSW Sunswift III, seven team members made the journey out to one
of our technical partners Hawker de Havilland (Boeing) at Bankstown Airport. Glen McCrone, a retired
Sunswifter, who now works for Boeing showed us around.
...
The UNSW SRT has been spending several weekends over the past month at our workshop. The team has been experimenting with a life size mock-up of the solar car, testing new steering system ideas and finding ways to provide the passenger with more room. We also took the car for a short test run...
...cy of the car, while being 100% reliable, to ensure the safety of the solar car driver.
Composites
Special materials are required in the construction of modern solar cars to maintain strength a...
... (and every team wants the most efficient array!). Other significant costs include the carbon fibre composites often used to make solar car body shells, the internal electronics and electric motor. Some cars ha...
Today we took a big step forward in our WSC09 campaign, with the release of the bottom shell from its mould.
Today we were visited by Simon Pullinger and Amy Szypica from RS Components. RS has generously donated all kinds of equipment and components that will make an enormous difference in the construction of Sunswift IV, and to the team's student members in years to come. Highlights of their donation include a new digital oscilloscope, multimeter, milling tools, toolboxes, heatshrink and glues.
