Purdue Solar Racing http://www.purduesolar.org Sat, 20 Apr 2013 04:00:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Navitas Takes 1st at SEMA 2013 http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/04/navitas-takes-1st-at-sema-2013/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=navitas-takes-1st-at-sema-2013 http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/04/navitas-takes-1st-at-sema-2013/#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:04:12 +0000 Secretary http://www.purduesolar.org/?p=1507 Last week, Purdue Solar Racing took home first place in the Battery Electric division at the 2013 Shell Eco-marathon. The winning run reached an efficiency of 78.1 m/kWh (a miles per gallon equivalency of approximate 2,630MPGe). Navitas made a great debut as the first vehicle at SEMA to utilize solar concentrators. Other characteristics that set Navitas apart included the aerodynamic design, distinctive carbon fiber body, carbon fiber wheels, a touchscreen driver display, and an overall weight of just over 200lbs. PSR also took third place in the Student Energy Challenge for a student-made infographic on the future of energy. As this was Navitas’ first year, the team overcame many challenges bringing the vehicle to the track, making the experience incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to work among the other teams was also a great part of the experience, and the team came home with new friends and new perspectives. Check out the pictures below to see what SEMA 2013 was like!

Navitas going through technical inspection members of the St. Thomas team taking a look at Navitas working on Navitas in the pit in the queue getting ready to race the open canopy door members of the team with an alum who worked on our first vehicle, the Boilermaker Special Navitas in action Navitas on the track 47035_532165793488884_474559791_n 541881_532165583488905_1608715378_n 531772_532165646822232_441313452_n 526642_532166120155518_408717949_n 68512_532165773488886_992937276_n the race team after completing our winning run the team after being awarded 1st place in the Battery Electric division recieving 3rd place in the Student Energy Challenge

 

]]> http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/04/navitas-takes-1st-at-sema-2013/feed/ 0 Navitas Progress http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/03/navitas-progress/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=navitas-progress http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/03/navitas-progress/#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 03:06:05 +0000 Secretary http://www.purduesolar.org/?p=1468 As the 2013 Shell Eco-marathon nears, Purdue Solar Racing’s latest vehicle approaches completion. The team has been working tirelessly since the fall to manufacture Navitas, an urban concept solar car. A significant amount of time has gone into the preparation of the body molds and the carbon fiber layups, as well as the completion of electrical and computer systems. After hours of work, the body of the vehicle is now complete and the chassis has been successfully incorporated. The team is currently pushing to finish machining and assembling mechanical components, such as suspension and steering, and to integrate electrical systems into Navitas.

In addition to the Shell Eco-marathon, the Unveiling of Navitas is quickly approaching. This Friday, March 22, Purdue Solar racing will celebrate the completion of our newest vehicle with a banquet. Navitas will be revealed to corporate and Purdue University supporters, family, and friends. Following the banquet, the team will be busy testing and fine tuning Navitas before the Shell Eco-marathon on April 5-7. Keep up with us over the next few weeks on Facebook and Twitter and check out our progress in the photos below!

Machining the wind tunnel model for Navitas The scaled model of Navitas in the wind tunnel Polishing the molds for the bottom half of Navitas Laying carbon fiber down in the mold Laying down carbon fiber in the mold Carbon fiber in the mold before curing The bottom half of Navitas curing under pressure The top half of Navitas curing under pressure A carbon fiber layup that shows the headlights The bottom-front of Navitas The bottom-rear of Navitas The layout of coring to strengthen the body of Navitas Aluminum components machined by Purdue Solar Racing Dry fitting the chassis before assembly The bottom of Navitas including the chassis and roll cage The joined body of Navitas next to the wind tunnel model ]]> http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/03/navitas-progress/feed/ 0 Join PSR! http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/join-psr/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=join-psr http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/join-psr/#comments Wed, 23 Jan 2013 01:12:48 +0000 Secretary http://www.purduesolar.org/?p=1341

]]> http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/join-psr/feed/ 1 Advanced Pattern Works http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/advanced-pattern-works/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=advanced-pattern-works http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/advanced-pattern-works/#comments Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:34:38 +0000 Secretary http://www.purduesolar.org/?p=1329 We have completed some of the carbon fiber layups for Navitas, and it is looking great! We could not have achieved such high quality without the excellent work of Advanced Pattern Works in machining our molds. Thank you APW for your services and support!

Visit their site for more information! http://www.advancedpatternworks.com/index.html

]]> http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/advanced-pattern-works/feed/ 0 FOX http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/fox/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fox http://www.purduesolar.org/2013/01/fox/#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:06:34 +0000 Secretary http://www.purduesolar.org/?p=1314 Thank you to FOX for their generous donation of shocks. The FOX Float CTD shocks help ensure that we will have a reliable and high-performance suspension in Navitas. All of us at Purdue Solar Racing are grateful to be supported by a company as committed to excellence as Fox.

 

 

To check out all the great products that FOX produces, visit http://www.ridefox.com/.

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