Cambridge University Designs Solar Car Using SolidWorks
 CONCORD,
MA, Mar 10, 2009 -Dassault Systems (DS) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a
world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today
announced that a team of Cambridge University engineering students is using
SolidWorks 3D CAD and Abaqus finite element analysis (FEA) software from
Dassault Systems’ SIMULIA brand to develop a solar-powered car they will race
across Australia in the fall of 2009. More spaceship than road vehicle, the
car’s flat shape will feature a large solar panel that converts the sun’s energy
into speeds of 60 miles per hour or faster as the team races against other teams
from around the world.
The World Solar Challenge is a biannual event drawing about 40 teams from
universities, car manufacturers, and individuals to race across 3,000
kilometers of the Australian outback. Engineering ingenuity and grit are
typically the difference-makers, with teams only having a limited amount of
time to design, prototype and test their vehicles. This will be the first
World Solar Challenge for Cambridge University Eco Racing, and the team is
finalizing the car’s design and testing in SolidWorks and Abaqus.
“When you think about it, this is just one big optimization problem to
solve,” said Charlie Watt, a fourth year graduate student and Eco Racing Team
Leader. “The solar panels we use only generate about 1 kilowatt of power, which
is what a hair dryer uses. SolidWorks and Abaqus helped us find the best
aerodynamic design to reduce rolling resistance, drag, and overall weight so we
could wring the best performance from the battery.”
The team used SolidWorks software to model the chassis with an eye toward
slimming down the profile to reduce the drag coefficient while maximizing the
solar panel’s sun exposure. The team explored a variety of shapes in SolidWorks
to find the fastest solution, while eliminating potentially costly errors such
as part interference out of the design before prototyping began. “We were able
to complete the design in a virtual environment without expending any materials
such as wood, aluminum or carbon fiber, which is a huge advantage with limited
time and resources,” said Watt.
Watt used SIMULIA’s Abaqus finite element analysis software to evaluate the
realistic stress performance of the solar car’s chassis. The team used the
SolidWorks Associative Interface for Abaqus to easily transfer their SolidWorks
model to Abaqus FEA to quickly analyze the physical behavior of different
materials, with the goal of optimizing weight against performance and cost. “We
looked at using aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, bamboo, birch plywood, and PVC
piping,” he said. “The analysis results from Abaqus showed us on screen that
plywood, for example, wasn’t rigid enough to withstand the speeds. Other
materials were either too expensive, or too unknown to pursue further in such a
short timeframe. In the end, we went back to aluminum because we’re more
familiar with its properties.”
About Cambridge University Eco Racing
University Eco Racing (CUER) is a team developing a solar-powered car to
compete in the World Solar Challenge 2009. Founded in 2007, CUER has already
built a prototype vehicle Affinity, which was the first solar-powered car to
drive legally on UK roads, following its launch in June 2008.
For more information, visit www.cuer.co.uk.
About SIMULIA
SIMULIA is the Dassault Systems brand that delivers a scalable portfolio of
Realistic Simulation solutions including the Abaqus product suite for Unified
Finite Element Analysis, Multiphysics solutions for insight into challenging
engineering problems, and SIMULIA SLM for managing simulation data, processes,
and intellectual property. By building on established technology, respected
quality, and superior customer service, SIMULIA makes realistic simulation an
integral business practice that improves product performance, reduces physical
prototypes, and drives innovation. Headquartered in Providence, RI, USA, SIMULIA
provides sales, services, and support through a global network of regional
offices and distributors.
For more information, visit www.simulia.com.
About Dassault Systems SolidWorks Corp.
Dassault Systems SolidWorks Corp., a Dassault Systems S.A. subsidiary,
develops and markets software for design, analysis, product data management, and
documentation. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams
intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products.
For more information, visit
www.solidworks.com.
About Dassault Systems
As a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions,
Dassault Systems brings value to more than 100,000 customers in 80 countries. A
pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systems develops and
markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes
and provide a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to
maintenance to recycling. The Dassault Systems portfolio consists of CATIA for
designing the virtual product – SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design – DELMIA for
virtual production – SIMULIA for virtual testing – ENOVIA for global
collaborative lifecycle management, and 3DVIA for online 3D lifelike
experiences. Dassault Systems’ shares are listed on Euronext Paris (#13065,
DSY.PA) and Dassault Systems’ ADRs may be traded on the US Over-The-Counter
(OTC) market (DASTY).
For more information, visit www.3ds.com.
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Source: Material used in press releases is often supplied by external
sources and used as is.
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