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Written by Administrator
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To view the PDF version of the newsletter, click here (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Letter from the President
 A new year is upon us and the team has welcomed 2010 with open minds and great expectations! As we prepare to return to the Shell Eco-Marathon in Houston, Texas, a lot of work has been put in to modifying Pulsar for an urban setting. Although the 2010 race has yet to come, the team is already focusing on the 2011 Eco-Marathon. Celeritas, the team’s revolutionary urban concept vehicle, will compete in 2011. It will be a car unlike any the team has built before because it will be more like today’s conventional vehicle. An optimized, aerodynamic design, a sleek dashboard, and the capability to travel city speeds are a few features that have been integrated into a design that holds great promise for the future. Celeritas, once only a concept, is now becoming a reality due to the support of so many. I would like to thank you for your continued support as we gear up for the future!
—Ted Pesyna
Letter from the Aero Director
The Aeronautical team has been very successful this semester from a design standpoint. We used our CATIA knowledge to generate a vast range of concept models for Celeritas, optimizing them with CFD analysis. We selected the best features from our concept models by using the data we generated and have been hard at work creating a final design. Nearing the end of the design process, everyone is looking forward to the excitement of the build season as we begin to stock supplies and prepare to CNC the molds. We have met the challenges presented to us in the creation of Celeritas and look forward to a busy semester of working to bring Celeritas from computer model into reality.
—Justin Krull
Letter from the Electrical Director
The electrical team had a very productive fall semester. We made key design decisions in the battery pack and solar array, and have begun assembly of the core systems of Celeritas. The team will now begin focusing on building a bench-top test rig for the electrical systems in Celeritas, a first for the team. This will give us the unprecedented ability to perform complete system level testing and debugging of Celeritas before the car is even built.
As the semester progresses, the electrical team will be broken into 3 to 4 sub-teams, and each sub-team will be given a design project related to Celeritas. The projects will cover all aspects of electrical design, from schematic capture to PCB design and circuit implementation. This will give members exposure to a variety of skills which are necessary in designing and building a solar car.
—Jeff Kubascik
Letter from the Mechanical Director
The fall semester was a good one for the ME team. Motor design was finalized, and machining and construction have begun on the motor. A program to model and analyze the suspension has been in the works for a while, and it is close to completion. Wheels, tires, brakes, and various other components have been chosen for Celeritas. Lightweight 8 lb wheels will help keep efficiency maximized, while 8 piston brakes will bring Celeritas to a halt. Chassis design has begun, and is a big step forward for PSR. The chassis for Celeritas is a monocoque design which will enable Celeritas to have a functioning trunk and door, with removable front and rear panels for access to Celeritas' various systems. Work on rebuilding Pulsar has also begun, and it is providing members a chance to get their hands dirty in the machine shop.
—Garrett Brown
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 January 2010 23:54 |
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Written by Secretary
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The Purdue Solar Racing Team has really hit the ground running this semester. We have been working hard to continue the design of our next car, Celeritas, recruiting the next generation of the team at our fall callout, and keeping busy appearing with the car at various outreach events around campus and in the community. Celeritas UpdateAt the end of the spring semester, based on the success that we had with our most recent car, Pulsar, at the Shell Eco-Marathon Americas, the team decided to change the objective of our next car, Celeritas. Instead of building it for the 2010 North American Solar Challenge, it was decided that Celeritas would be built for and compete in the Urban Concept division of the Shell Eco-Marathon, the goal of which is to create a more practical, road-worthy vehicle.
During the summer, the team began planning the new design for Celeritas, as well as working out some of the details regarding our new direction. These ideas were brought together in the first few weeks of this semester and we developed a more complete plan for Celeritas:
- Celeritas will combine the best aspects of a North American Solar Challenge car with those of a Shell Eco-Marathon car. That is, it will be built to compete on an efficiency level and conform to the smaller size regulations of the Shell Eco-Marathon, while also being fully street-legal and capable of highway speeds.
- To compete in the Urban Concept division, it will be built with an upright driver, and more closely resemble a commercial vehicle.
- To give the team plenty of time to fully design and implement these revolutionary features of Celeritas, it was decided to build Celeritas to compete in the 2011 Shell Eco-Marathon, and take our previous car Pulsar, back to the 2010 race, with some further modifications to improve its performance.
Be sure to check back often for updates as the design and construction of Celeritas begins to take shape! CalloutThe team had a very successful callout on September 10, with over 125 students in attendance. Those interested in joining Purdue Solar Racing and who were unable to make it to the callout can do so by contacting our president or secretary from the Contact Us page. Outreach EventsSince the semester began, the team has been involved in numerous outreach events, including: - Visit and presentation at Westminster Village
- Fall Activities Fair
- Potter Engineering Library Anniversary Celebration
- President's Council Luncheon
Visit our Upcoming Events page to see where we will be appearing next!
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 September 2009 13:39 |
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Written by Secretary
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This is the last week of an eventful summer! We had an enjoyable experience at the Indiana State Fair. Purdue President France Cordova stopped by our booth at the Fair and marvelled at SPOT II and PULSAR, which were both on display. We had to leave a little earlier than we had planned because it started raining, but it was a very successful event overall. Pictures from the State Fair will be posted in our image gallery shortly. PSR is looking forward to a busy semester. Celeritas's design is still ongoing. Once it is finalized, the construction process will certainly keep everyone busy. We will post our callout information shortly, so check back soon if you're interested in joining the Purdue Solar Racing Team! |
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Written by Secretary
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Purdue Solar Racing has been featured in several videos. These videos have not yet been added to our Video Gallery, but they can be accessed here for the time being. We will be at the Indiana State Fair in August. Make sure to check our Upcoming Events page for more events. This video was produced by Purdue University's News Service. This video aired in a Boiler Bytes segment on the Big Ten Network. |
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Last Updated on Saturday, 08 August 2009 15:59 |
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