UoP Racing team

UoP Racing Team

Full name	University of Patras Racing Team
Base	Patras, Greece 38°15′0″N 21°44′0″E / 38.25000°N 21.73333°E / 38.25000; 21.73333Coordinates: 38°15′0″N 21°44′0″E / 38.25000°N 21.73333°E / 38.25000; 21.73333
Advising Professor	George Chryssolouris
Website	uopracingteam.com
Formula Student World Championship
Debut	2002 Formula Student UK
Latest race	2014 Formula Student Czech Republic
Competitions competed	13x Formula Student UK 2x Formula Student Germany 1x FSAE Michigan 2x Formula ATA 1x Fomrula Czech Republic
Competition Victories	2003, 2006 Formula Student UK 2014 Formula Student Czech Republic
Special awards	2003 Formula Student UK IMechE Design Award winner 2006 Formula Student UK Autodesk Design Award winner
Current World Ranking (electric)	29th (as of 2013-12-12)[1]

UoP Racing Team is the first and oldest Greek Formula Student team located at the University of Patras. Founded in 2002, and supported throughout the years by the Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation, UoP Racing team member’s design, develop, and manufacture a racing car that competes at the Formula Student series around the globe, alongside with hundreds of teams from all over the world.^[2]

Team's Ethos

Background & Origins

The idea was born in 2000 when a few students from the Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics department of the University of Patras decided to build a single-seater racing car and participate in the worldwide competitions of Formula Student. At that time their experience came only from books and their resources were limited. However, under the support of the Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems & Automation as well as the guidance of professor George Chryssolouris they managed to gather a team and build their first –of many- single-seater formula style racecar.

Philosophy & Education

The main goal of the team is education, and working in the team gives students a great opportunity to gain a lot of experience and qualifications. The students that participate in the team are mainly students from the Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics department of the University of Patras. However since 2013 the team includes students from other departments, such as Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Economics and Business Administration. The members are divided in several modules, with each module having one leader who coordinates all members.

Since 2014 the team operates under a new philosophy of resource efficiency. Design and materials are assessed in order to be not only environmentally friendly but also to have the best price to performance ratio. This leads to adoption of “out of the box” thinking and often the creation of highly innovative ideas, using non-conventional approaches in areas with established technologies and making use of novel manufacturing approaches, which (in our opinion) contributes in developing excellent critical thinkers and future engineers, while it captures perfectly the spirit of the FSAE/FS competitions.

History

UoP Racing team is competing officially from 2002 in the aforementioned competitions,^[3] and has already built its own history, designing and manufacturing 4 single seater racecars until today. Highlights include an overall Class 1 win (FS Czech 2014) and winning two times in Class 2 (FS 2003 and 2006), gaining the first position in all events, as well as the special design prize provided by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

UoP1 (Year: 2002-2004)

The beginning of it all, UoP1 (year:2002)

2002 was the starting point of UoP Racing and subsequently the Formula Student programme in Greek universities. Seven students in the department of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics at the University of Patras had the idea to build a racecar and take part in Formula Student competitions. The concept was then completely unknown in Greece, and the resources available were really limited; their passion for excellence though led to a car that everyone was proud of. UoP1 was way ahead of its’ time, featuring an (in-house built) hybrid composite monocoque chassis with a removable subframe, 10” wheels to minimize unsprung mass and inertia, and a 4 cylinder Yamaha engine. The team went on to win the IMechE Design award and conquered the first place in the overall scoreboard of the Class 2 in FSUK (the only European competition back in the day, held in Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground^[4]) in 2003, moving on onto the first Greek entry in Class 1 in 2004. Reliability issues prevented the team to score high, but the experience gained from the competitions was of utmost importance for the future evolution of the team. Since 2014, UoP1 has found a new home in the Hellenic Motor Museum, as a reminder of how all began.^[5]

UoP1 and UoP3Evo exhibited at the Hellenic Motor Museum

UoP2 (Year: 2005-2007)

Aiming at the continuation of the project in the University of Patras, a brand new team of nine students participated in the 2005 FS Competition for the first time, as a Class 3 entry, presenting new design solution for the next FS car to be manufactured. Simpler, cheaper and more straightforward solutions were adopted throughout the car, using a steel tubular spaceframe and directly actuated dampers. UoP2 also marked the beginning of the single cylinder engine era for the team. Along with a significant weight reduction in all sections led to a car faster than UoP1.

UoP2 (year:2005-2007)

UoP2Evo (Year: 2008)

UoP2Evo is an almost complete upgrade of the UoP2. Using the same basic components, the chassis was redesigned to improve stiffness. At the same time, changes to almost all subsystems led to a further reduction of weight. Track was increased for stability, while dampers actuation changed to pushrod. Moreover, a completely new, lighter and higher quality bodywork was built. The car participated successfully to all the events of the competitions gaining valuable experience for further development of future cars.

The upgraded UoP2Evo (year:2008)

UoP3 (Year: 2010)

An alternative way of manufacturing came up during the designing process of UoP3. The changes applied would bring an innovation in team’s history.A new frame was constructed from carbon fiber monocoque which became key ingredient for UoP racing. Lightweight was a top priority and that led to a change in the used engine, switching from a Yamaha XT600E (3AJ) to a Yamaha WR450. The third generation of the team, which consisted of 12 students, gathered all the feedback and experience from the design and construction of the two previous cars and aimed high. The racecar competed only in the FSAE Michigan and proved significantly lighter than its’ predecessors and is still the lightest car in UoP Racing history.

UoP3 (year: 2010)

UoP3Evo (Year: 2011)

After an encouraging feedback from judges in previous years' competitions, the 18 members of the team improved the UoP3 chassis construction, while redesigned the suspension system to reduce compliances. The same powertrain was retained, albeit with a revised differential mount and exhaust system. The result was a slightly heavier car but way more reliable. UoP3Evo successfully participated in Formula Student Germany held in Hockenheimring and in Formula SAE Italy held in Autodromo Riccardo Paletti, finishing in all dynamic events that year, rendering the best results the team had this far.

The upgraded UoP3Evo (year:2011)

UoP4e (Year: 2012-2014)

The first ever all electric Formula Style racecar build by a Greek Team, UoP4e (year:2012-2014)

After 10 years of participation in competitions and a lot of research in motorsport, the team took a difficult decision, left internal combustion engines and had a breaking point from the nine members in team’s philosophy, marking the “electric car era” for the team. Tried to keep up with the trend of the future, but also the spirit of Formula Student competition that promotes innovation. UoP4e incorporates all knowledge and experience, from 3 previous UoP Formula Student racecars, namely a carbon fiber monocoque and 10” wheels. This evolutionary car's highlight is the whole new electric drivetrain. In regards of the transmission, electric motor and accumulator, the team has always had these three words on their mind: Functionality – Durability - Lightweight. It had a more complex geometry than the previous four cars, but its ergonomically focused design and increased stiffness gave confidence for the construction of a high performance car. A single electric motor, directly driving a differential without the use of a gearbox was promoted for its simplicity, reliability, and ease-of-maintenance. In 2013, the UoP4e got an aerodynamics package, something the team up until then had never experimented with. Utilized aerodynamic downforce tend to develop the entire car around the aerodynamic package, including massive wings and undertrays. The benefit of a well-developed aerodynamic package is evident; depending on how fast the course is, the slowest aero-package car sometimes run several seconds per lap faster than any of the non-aero cars. After all the car turned out to be an amazing performer, being by far the fastest and most successful car of the team so far, ending up in a 5th place in Formula Student UK electric class and winning the FS Czech Republic competition, setting high targets for the teams to come!^{[3] [6] [7]}

Participations & Awards

References