How we collected the car in Baumanka: why did the student team need PLM technologies
Hello! I study at the N. Bauman Moscow State Technical University at the E2 department “Piston Engines”. In this article I want to talk about what conclusions we have made by participating in Formula SAE - international engineering competitions for student teams to create racing cars like the Formula, and why we decided to switch to digital design. Now we are starting to implement in our laboratory, where the car is going to, a product lifecycle management system (PLM). The first stage is training, and LANIT helps us in this. Our experience may be useful to students of technical specialties who are working on similar tasks or want to put together their university team to participate in Formula SAE, as well as a small design office that is already thinking about switching to digital design.
Photo of Habrahabr
The history of Formula SAE, or "Formula Student," goes back almost 40 years. Organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers ( Society of Automotive Engineers , SAE) in 1978 in Texas, student racing race car competitions have significantly expanded their geography.
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Today, in addition to the United States, the official stages of Formula SAE are held in Australia, Brazil, Italy, England, Japan, Austria and Germany. The most interesting for us are the last two. Firstly, the automotive industry is actively developing here, which gives rise to new solutions and approaches to design and production. Secondly, the selection in Formula SAE is the toughest here. All pass a kind of qualification - they pass tests for knowledge of the regulations, solve engineering problems. Teams that correctly and fastest coped with tasks are allowed to enter the stage. This ensures a high level of competition. Germany has become a kind of “Formula Student” center in Europe.
Formula Student Germany 2016. 113 teams from around the world
When we started our Bauman Racing Team project in 2012, there were only three teams in Russia. Today there are more than thirty of them. Half of them have a finished car. For comparison, in Germany more than 70 teams with cars. We do not build cars, because they cannot find a sponsor, but they cannot find a sponsor, because sponsors do not understand why Formula Student is needed and what gives the student participation in it.
The idea to participate in Formula SAE appeared in 2012, and we immediately received the approval of the rector. This is how the Bauman Racing Team appeared. At that time, teams already existed at the Moscow Automobile and Highway State University (MADI), Moscow Polytechnic University and the Peoples Friendship University of Russia. Details of the creation of our team can be found in the post “ Bauman Racing Team - a story with a taste of speed ” on Geektimes . There are also descriptions of the main components of our car. In this article, we will focus mainly on the technological aspect of the Bauman Racing Team’s work and the conclusions that were made after participating in the international stages.
My future profession is related to engine-building, and in the project I started working on the engine for which the Formula SAE regulations impose certain requirements. Although it is allowed to create your own version, this solution is not popular due to the complexity for students. Our engine had its own characteristics: a drive compressor of the Roots type and a dry crankcase system created in the second year. My task was to refine this system for a third car. We conducted tests and by their results changed details.
The car was designed using SolidWorks, Ansys, Matlab, OptimumLap. For the first year of this set was enough, and the university had enough licenses.
Study in Ansys aerodynamics of one of the first versions of body kit
3D model of the intake manifold in SolidWorks and the real printed part
There was a lot of work, experience was not enough. As a result, we went to a stage in Italy with a disassembled car ...
Photo of Habrahabr
The organizers, considering our luggage, were sure that it would not be possible to assemble a full-fledged car out of this “designer” overnight. Many have recommended not to waste time. However…
Tirelessly
By morning, our car was submitted to a technical inspection, during which the judges had to check it for compliance, and we - to prove the correctness of the calculations and the validity of the decisions.
According to the results of the check, we received one and a half sheet of comments that needed to be eliminated if we want to get to the track. For the second day we once again completely sorted out our car. This, incidentally, is an extremely rare case, there is something to be proud of.
As a result, we were allowed to dynamic disciplines. While the engineers were preparing the car, the guys engaged in static disciplines defended the business plan and cost report. Under the terms of the assignment, we need to produce 1000 cars, the price of which is calculated on the cost of parts and work on the assembly of our car. They are based on standard tables, which include the smallest details that affect the cost of production. Despite the fact that teams can use parts from previous cars, the price of new parts is included in the cost report. In other words, even with cheaper own production, a full-fledged calculation is provided. This is good practice for future technologists.
After defending the cost report, the teams show a business plan. According to the assignment, we have developed a new car and for its successful production we must protect the business plan before the auto professional judges acting as investors. They assess the completeness and attractiveness of the developed business plan.
This stage is followed by the most interesting, in my opinion, part - dynamic competitions. Here, in the real world, everything created and calculated in laboratories is checked.
For Formula SAE, it’s normal if the finish line is less than half a car. Leaders can also go the distance. And our first race cars broke before the finish line. Rolled drive shafts, problems with the brake and fuel systems ... Some of the failures were due to design errors, others due to a trivial marriage.
Piston breakage due to overheating. Germany, 2016
Sometimes more spectacular problems occur. On average, 1-2 cars light up per stage. Fortunately, our car burned only once, and it was tests
In 2015, our car was among the 29 lucky ones who finished (just started 71 cars). The winner of Formula SAE is the team that scores the most out of 1000 points possible.
It is important that the "Formula Student" - a comprehensive test. For example, if you are the first in the race for endurance, but the last in the presentation of the business plan, then most likely you will not become a winner. Although the experience will get anyway.
Photo of Habrahabr
1. More than 20 people work on the car, and between them there should be an interconnection both at the communication level and at the software level.
Until recently, we used the usual Dropbox. File hosting does not involve any collaboration. There is no versioning, no statistics, who exactly worked with the files. As a result, there were errors at the physical level: we save the file, after which someone else from the team saves his file with the same name, and after selecting the “write” button, the file we created is permanently lost. And there are many such situations. To solve the technical problems of interaction in a team, we tried several software options and finally decided to implement PLM.
The transition to the PLM-technology involves the use of a data management system (Product Data Management, PDM), which provides information about who worked, what changes have been made and in what state is currently working. The PDM system also makes it possible to initially lay all the necessary requirements for the car, which will allow not only to design the car and check the geometry, but also to maintain its relevance in real time.
One of the main ideas of implementing PLM technology is that everyone works in context with the whole model, and every engineer can see the work of the other. This design approach will allow you to quickly make the necessary changes. All files that are designed are linked by "links" to the final assembly. At the same time, the time required for making a change is noticeably reduced, as the process becomes more automated.
Since the result of the final assembly depends on the work of each project participant, the introduction of PLM technology is just the version of the joint work that we aspired to. Of course, for a team of five people this may be superfluous, but in our case, when 20 people are working on the car in two shifts, a PLM system is needed.
2. Designed parts do not get dusty, they need to be made, and therefore work with different enterprises. They need the right design documentation.
The computer-aided design (CAD) market grew by leaps and bounds: first there was a pencil and paper, then a so-called electronic drawing board. The next stage is the means of three-dimensional modeling by primitives: ball, cube, etc. Using the simplest tools, it was possible to build a three-dimensional model - to visualize the drawing.
Now we are at the stage when the three-dimensional model is not just important, it is a single source of relevant data. Previously, the three-dimensional model was used to form drawings, because people did not understand how to make an object out of it: there were no dimension lines in 3D, no callouts, no roughness. The model itself was, but it was impossible to make it. Now it has become possible to apply the necessary information to the three-dimensional model, which will allow it to be manufactured on a machine with numerical control. From it, of course, you can make drawings, if necessary, but they will only be casts of the actual model, and not their source.
3. The car changes in the design process, and sometimes seriously enough: you need to keep the right things as much as possible, and the wrong ones - to fix them quickly.
After reviewing the PLM systems presented on the market, we settled on the Siemens NX product in conjunction with TeamCenter. It correctly stores all files and provides quick access to them. The management team is important to monitor the work of different engineers, because the car must be made on time. The faster developers can make changes, the faster the work of the entire team is progressing.
4. Sometimes a “backup plan” is needed, and at some point we realized that PLM is not just a combination of letters, but a real necessity.
We are already learning to work together in the PLM-system, we study the technology of requirements and configuration management. After that, we proceed to the implementation process. This is not to say that it will be the same as in an enterprise where implementation takes place in several stages. In our case, LANIT will provide us with a specialized training course, and we will independently implement the PLM system in our laboratory based on the knowledge gained.
Now that only a few classes have taken place, it is obvious that when we switch to PLM technology, we will be able to shorten the design time of the car and simplify the process of redesigning the structure if necessary. It is also important that we learn how to work in the conditions of a modern design bureau at the university. This will help to quickly adapt to real work in enterprises using PLM-technologies.
In the next article I will tell you more about our experience in the transition to digital design technology.
✎ Co-author of the text vsevolod_grigorev
Photo of Habrahabr
From wooden car to racing
The history of Formula SAE, or "Formula Student," goes back almost 40 years. Organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers ( Society of Automotive Engineers , SAE) in 1978 in Texas, student racing race car competitions have significantly expanded their geography.
')
Today, in addition to the United States, the official stages of Formula SAE are held in Australia, Brazil, Italy, England, Japan, Austria and Germany. The most interesting for us are the last two. Firstly, the automotive industry is actively developing here, which gives rise to new solutions and approaches to design and production. Secondly, the selection in Formula SAE is the toughest here. All pass a kind of qualification - they pass tests for knowledge of the regulations, solve engineering problems. Teams that correctly and fastest coped with tasks are allowed to enter the stage. This ensures a high level of competition. Germany has become a kind of “Formula Student” center in Europe.
Formula Student Germany 2016. 113 teams from around the world
When we started our Bauman Racing Team project in 2012, there were only three teams in Russia. Today there are more than thirty of them. Half of them have a finished car. For comparison, in Germany more than 70 teams with cars. We do not build cars, because they cannot find a sponsor, but they cannot find a sponsor, because sponsors do not understand why Formula Student is needed and what gives the student participation in it.
The experience that students receive in Formula SAE
- collaboration with professional engineers;
- application of knowledge in practice: students assemble all knots of a race car independently;
- realization of the most daring ideas: the rules of competition allow the creation of original author's models;
- cooperation within the framework of the work of a full-fledged design bureau (this can be considered the main idea of the existence of the Formula Student);
- exchange of experience with students from other universities and countries;
- the opportunity to receive an invitation to an internship with the automaker;
- experience in finding financing for the project.
A few words about the Bauman Racing Team
The idea to participate in Formula SAE appeared in 2012, and we immediately received the approval of the rector. This is how the Bauman Racing Team appeared. At that time, teams already existed at the Moscow Automobile and Highway State University (MADI), Moscow Polytechnic University and the Peoples Friendship University of Russia. Details of the creation of our team can be found in the post “ Bauman Racing Team - a story with a taste of speed ” on Geektimes . There are also descriptions of the main components of our car. In this article, we will focus mainly on the technological aspect of the Bauman Racing Team’s work and the conclusions that were made after participating in the international stages.
My future profession is related to engine-building, and in the project I started working on the engine for which the Formula SAE regulations impose certain requirements. Although it is allowed to create your own version, this solution is not popular due to the complexity for students. Our engine had its own characteristics: a drive compressor of the Roots type and a dry crankcase system created in the second year. My task was to refine this system for a third car. We conducted tests and by their results changed details.
The car was designed using SolidWorks, Ansys, Matlab, OptimumLap. For the first year of this set was enough, and the university had enough licenses.
Study in Ansys aerodynamics of one of the first versions of body kit
3D model of the intake manifold in SolidWorks and the real printed part
There was a lot of work, experience was not enough. As a result, we went to a stage in Italy with a disassembled car ...
Photo of Habrahabr
Technical requirements for the car
Engine
Must be piston with a four-stroke thermal cycle, the working volume of which does not exceed 710 cm 3 . A circular cross section restrictor should be installed downstream of the throttle valve in front of any compressor not exceeding 20 mm for gasoline engines or 19 mm for ethanol-fueled engines. The use of drive and turbo compressors is allowed. Liquid cooling.
Suspension
The minimum suspension travel is 50 mm. Minimum wheelbase - 1525 mm.
Aerodynamics
More than half of the teams use advanced aerodynamic packages.
Weight
There are no weight limit rules. Usually the weight of an average machine does not exceed 230 kg. In 2009, the importance (in the overall standings) of the fuel economy item increased, which determined the trend for weight reduction. Now teams prefer four-, two- or single-cylinder engines. To reduce weight and reduce fuel consumption, teams switch to single-cylinder engines.
Security
In the car should be: the frame of the designated thickness and alloy; tested energy absorber; two hydraulic brake circuits and seat belts. The driver’s position in the cab must conform to the geometric pattern, and equipment must be homologated by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
Interior Formula SAE Kitchen
The organizers, considering our luggage, were sure that it would not be possible to assemble a full-fledged car out of this “designer” overnight. Many have recommended not to waste time. However…
Tirelessly
By morning, our car was submitted to a technical inspection, during which the judges had to check it for compliance, and we - to prove the correctness of the calculations and the validity of the decisions.
Stages of technical inspection
- Technical inspection. The car, the additional equipment and equipment of drivers is checked.
- Test on an inclined table. The car is tilted sideways by 45 degrees to prevent leakage of fuel and operating fluids. In addition, the resistance to lateral tipping is checked, for which the angle of inclination is increased to 60 degrees.
- Check the noise level.
- Brake testing. The main condition is that during braking all wheels should be blocked, and the car should not change the line of motion.
According to the results of the check, we received one and a half sheet of comments that needed to be eliminated if we want to get to the track. For the second day we once again completely sorted out our car. This, incidentally, is an extremely rare case, there is something to be proud of.
As a result, we were allowed to dynamic disciplines. While the engineers were preparing the car, the guys engaged in static disciplines defended the business plan and cost report. Under the terms of the assignment, we need to produce 1000 cars, the price of which is calculated on the cost of parts and work on the assembly of our car. They are based on standard tables, which include the smallest details that affect the cost of production. Despite the fact that teams can use parts from previous cars, the price of new parts is included in the cost report. In other words, even with cheaper own production, a full-fledged calculation is provided. This is good practice for future technologists.
After defending the cost report, the teams show a business plan. According to the assignment, we have developed a new car and for its successful production we must protect the business plan before the auto professional judges acting as investors. They assess the completeness and attractiveness of the developed business plan.
This stage is followed by the most interesting, in my opinion, part - dynamic competitions. Here, in the real world, everything created and calculated in laboratories is checked.
Dynamic competitions - a series of races:
- for acceleration from stands to 75 m;
- on maneuverability, in which the ability of the car to move with lateral overload on the track of the "Eight" type is checked;
- check in two laps for a time on a closed track about 800 m long for control accuracy (fulfillment of a set of elements);
- endurance race with a separate start length of 22 km on a closed track with a mandatory change of pilot in the middle of the race.
For Formula SAE, it’s normal if the finish line is less than half a car. Leaders can also go the distance. And our first race cars broke before the finish line. Rolled drive shafts, problems with the brake and fuel systems ... Some of the failures were due to design errors, others due to a trivial marriage.
Piston breakage due to overheating. Germany, 2016
Sometimes more spectacular problems occur. On average, 1-2 cars light up per stage. Fortunately, our car burned only once, and it was tests
In 2015, our car was among the 29 lucky ones who finished (just started 71 cars). The winner of Formula SAE is the team that scores the most out of 1000 points possible.
It is important that the "Formula Student" - a comprehensive test. For example, if you are the first in the race for endurance, but the last in the presentation of the business plan, then most likely you will not become a winner. Although the experience will get anyway.
Photo of Habrahabr
What we understood after several seasons
1. More than 20 people work on the car, and between them there should be an interconnection both at the communication level and at the software level.
Until recently, we used the usual Dropbox. File hosting does not involve any collaboration. There is no versioning, no statistics, who exactly worked with the files. As a result, there were errors at the physical level: we save the file, after which someone else from the team saves his file with the same name, and after selecting the “write” button, the file we created is permanently lost. And there are many such situations. To solve the technical problems of interaction in a team, we tried several software options and finally decided to implement PLM.
The transition to the PLM-technology involves the use of a data management system (Product Data Management, PDM), which provides information about who worked, what changes have been made and in what state is currently working. The PDM system also makes it possible to initially lay all the necessary requirements for the car, which will allow not only to design the car and check the geometry, but also to maintain its relevance in real time.
One of the main ideas of implementing PLM technology is that everyone works in context with the whole model, and every engineer can see the work of the other. This design approach will allow you to quickly make the necessary changes. All files that are designed are linked by "links" to the final assembly. At the same time, the time required for making a change is noticeably reduced, as the process becomes more automated.
Since the result of the final assembly depends on the work of each project participant, the introduction of PLM technology is just the version of the joint work that we aspired to. Of course, for a team of five people this may be superfluous, but in our case, when 20 people are working on the car in two shifts, a PLM system is needed.
2. Designed parts do not get dusty, they need to be made, and therefore work with different enterprises. They need the right design documentation.
The computer-aided design (CAD) market grew by leaps and bounds: first there was a pencil and paper, then a so-called electronic drawing board. The next stage is the means of three-dimensional modeling by primitives: ball, cube, etc. Using the simplest tools, it was possible to build a three-dimensional model - to visualize the drawing.
Now we are at the stage when the three-dimensional model is not just important, it is a single source of relevant data. Previously, the three-dimensional model was used to form drawings, because people did not understand how to make an object out of it: there were no dimension lines in 3D, no callouts, no roughness. The model itself was, but it was impossible to make it. Now it has become possible to apply the necessary information to the three-dimensional model, which will allow it to be manufactured on a machine with numerical control. From it, of course, you can make drawings, if necessary, but they will only be casts of the actual model, and not their source.
3. The car changes in the design process, and sometimes seriously enough: you need to keep the right things as much as possible, and the wrong ones - to fix them quickly.
After reviewing the PLM systems presented on the market, we settled on the Siemens NX product in conjunction with TeamCenter. It correctly stores all files and provides quick access to them. The management team is important to monitor the work of different engineers, because the car must be made on time. The faster developers can make changes, the faster the work of the entire team is progressing.
4. Sometimes a “backup plan” is needed, and at some point we realized that PLM is not just a combination of letters, but a real necessity.
We are already learning to work together in the PLM-system, we study the technology of requirements and configuration management. After that, we proceed to the implementation process. This is not to say that it will be the same as in an enterprise where implementation takes place in several stages. In our case, LANIT will provide us with a specialized training course, and we will independently implement the PLM system in our laboratory based on the knowledge gained.
Now that only a few classes have taken place, it is obvious that when we switch to PLM technology, we will be able to shorten the design time of the car and simplify the process of redesigning the structure if necessary. It is also important that we learn how to work in the conditions of a modern design bureau at the university. This will help to quickly adapt to real work in enterprises using PLM-technologies.
In the next article I will tell you more about our experience in the transition to digital design technology.
✎ Co-author of the text vsevolod_grigorev
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/326354/
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