Western Formula Racing team unveils new car

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The new Western Formula Racing car on display in front of the University College Building. (Submitted) 

The Western Formula Racing (WFR) team is thrilled to unveil their latest creation, the result of eight months of hard work and dedication.  This year’s car boasts an array of exciting features that are sure to provide a high-performance driving experience.  

“One of the standout features of this year’s car is a full carbon fibre monocoque, which was manufactured in-house using a single-shot vacuum infusion,” says Sam Romanchik, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and WFR’s Technical Director. 

“The monocoque's external structure is made entirely of carbon fibre composite material, which provides an ideal combination of strength and lightness. This feature aids in improving performance and handling while also increasing fuel efficiency.”  

Another exciting feature is the decoupled suspension, designed by a former team member in partnership with Multimatic . The suspension is designed to isolate the wheel movement from the rest of the car, providing a smoother and more comfortable ride while improving handling and stability.  

"Being part of the Western Formula Racing team provides us with a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of engineering, learn valuable skills not taught in the classroom and build connections with industry and community."
- Sam Romanchik, 4th-year Mechanical Engineering student

A custom 420V accumulator was designed and manufactured by the team. An accumulator is an energy storage device that powers the car's electric motor, and the team's custom design can provide better performance and efficiency than a commercially available accumulator.  

Finally, the custom 13” carbon fibre wheels are another standout feature. These wheels can provide better performance and handling due to their lightweight and strong design. Customizing the wheels allowed the team to tailor them to the specific needs of the car, providing a competitive advantage in terms of performance and efficiency.  

Challenges

Romanchik shared that designing a car is a complex and challenging process. 

“A challenge the team faced was designing custom carbon fibre half shafts, which required a unique solution for mounting tripod bearings to the ends of the shafts. Through brainstorming and consultation with alumni in the industry, the team came up with a geometric connection to couple the bearing to the shaft,” he said. 

The team also had to design an accumulator that could provide the necessary power while still fitting within the constraints of the monocoque. This required close collaboration between the battery and chassis teams, with multiple iterations of the design process to ensure the battery cells could be integrated into the vehicle.  

The experience of unveiling the car after months of hard work was a thrilling moment for the team, who are proud to showcase their creation to sponsors, family and friends. 

"Being part of the Western Formula Racing team provides us with a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of engineering, learn valuable skills not taught in the classroom and build connections with industry and community," says Romanchik

Western Engineering is #purpleproud of what the team has accomplished. Prospective students looking to be part of an innovative and dynamic team should consider joining Western Formula Racing.