JOIN USMIT students make India's lightest FSAE car
Speaking with the mediapersons, MIT Director Dr Kumkum Garg said that this year the car, named FMX competed at Wachauring, Melk in FS Austria, cleared all static tests and competed in dynamic events. With a carbon fibre outer body, the FMX is the lightest Indian FSAE car.
The total cost of the car was around Rs 28 lakh. The team received the ‘Most Motivated Team award’ at the competition. The Formula Manipal Car even finished fourth among the 30 teams from around the world including from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden and United States. FMX was the only team from Asia. Efforts will be made in the coming years to improve the design and lessen the weight of the car, she said.
Team Head Pradeep Pandurangi said that since its inception in 2008, Formula Manipal has participated in Formula Student competition held at Italy, UK and Austria. The 2008 car, FM08, visited the Ferrari Firano race track for FSAE Italy. The car was called a “Supreme first-year effort” by the judges at the competition. The FM09 visited Silverstone FI track for FSAE UK. The car was lighter, better designed and better received at the competition, he said
The Formula type single seater, open wheeled race car, which won accolades at the competitions held in Melk, Austria, was displayed at the health sciences library for viewing. This is the third car made by the engineering students. The FM08 and FM09 weighed 423 and 356 kg respectively. Owing to a full carbon fibre outer body and use of better materials, the FMX weighed 266 kg, almost 100 kg lesser than the previous cars.
To achieve the light weight, the team had to source special materials such as carbon fibre, titanium and also high performance race grade parts for which the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore agreed to support. On the electronics front, a data acquisition system was made for the car so that real-time data and performance of the car could be analysed and reviewed.