The WUT-3 Car
The WUT-3 car designed and constructed by the students from the WUT Racing Research Group; photo credit: BPI
The latest design of the WUT Racing team has been shown to the public.
During the presentation which took place on 28 February in the Main Building of the Warsaw University of Technology, we had an opportunity to see the results of months of work of the student Research Group operating at the WUT Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering. The event was accompanied by a science exhibition and a meeting with Piotr Biesiekirski, the youngest rider in the motorcycle European championship.
The presented vehicle is not the first one in the history of WUT Racing. As the name suggests, the WUT-3 is the third generation of the student car and, at the same time, a continuation of the efforts initiated in 2011 by the founders of the Research Group.
Several elements of the new construction stand out. Most importantly, a monocoque self-supporting composite body, intended to replace the much heavier welded frame. The vehicle frame itself was created using a combination of composite materials and high-strength steel welded with a non-fusible tungsten electrode, i.e. the TIG (tungsten inert gas) method. This allowed not only to reduce the weight of the supporting structure by 23% but also to obtain a level of torsional stiffness twice as high as in the case of the WUT-3’s predecessor. The weight of the car is also affected by the change of the wheels diameter from 13 to 10 inches and equipping them with magnesium rims with a centerlock system.
However, the WUT-3 car is not meant to be a construction curiosity only. Its creators have set themselves a clear goal – participation in the Formula Student engineering competition and competing against enthusiast teams from all over the world. The first such opportunity will present itself between 6-9 May, during the Formula SAE Michigan race. The students themselves will take control of the car since Formula Student does not allow the participation of drivers with racing licences.
The participation in competitions organised in the United States will be possible thanks to ministerial support provided under the “Best of the best! 4.0” program.
