TEAM STRUCTURE
How are we organized?
The Team currently has 3 ongoing projects (two electric vehicles and a driverless vehicle) and is divided into 12 subteams: Aerodynamics, Chassis, Control Systems, Cooling, Design, Drivetrain, Electric Motors, Manufacturing, Marketing, Suspension & Steering, Powertrain and Vehicle Dynamics. The projects are supervised by two chief engineers, one for the electric car and the other for the driverless car, who use their experience to support and coordinate the subteams in order to avoid possible development delays. The team is managed by a team manager – who is primarily concerned with the organization and structure of the team and supervises the members, and a project manager – who observes and manages the car development process from all aspects, including timeline, financial development and the production plan.
Each subteam consists of a subteam leader and about 6 to 10 members, each with their own role and responsibilities. They are divided by seniority, knowledge, and experience into Senior and Junior Engineers and Team Members. Senior members are the bearers of the project and perform all tasks independently, Junior members are usually younger and spend less time on the project, while Team Members are all members from the entry into the team until they prove their knowledge and commitment.

CLICK ON SUBTEAM ICON FOR MORE INFO:

AERODYNAMICS
CHASSIS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COOLING
DESIGN
DRIVERLESS
DRIVETRAIN
ELECTRIC MOTORS
MANUFACTURING
MARKETING
POWERTRAIN
SUSPENSION & STEERING
VEHICLE DYNAMICS
IT & SYSTEMS
AERODYNAMICS
The Aerodynamics subteam has the task of developing and testing the car’s aero package, which aims to improve overall car’s balance by manipulating the airflow around aero components such as the front, rear and side wings and the underbody panelling. Sophisticated CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations and extensive testing are used to increase efficiency and reduce the mass of the finished aero package.
SKILLS
  • Fluid mechanics
  • CFD
  • CAD
  • Knowledge of composites, cores, resin, etc.
  • Innovation and creativity
  • Organization
TASKS
  • Conceptual development of aero package (components and global assembly)
  • Creating and modifying CFD simulation settings
  • CFD component simulation, iteration of geometries based on analysis
  • Geometry modelling for CFD simulations
  • Post-process analysis of simulated geometries and decision making in the design phase
  • Development of multi-element aerofoil sets for aero package components
  • Optimizing cooling air flow
  • Mapping the results obtained from simulations
  • Development and development of load-bearing parts of packages
  • FEA simulations of load-bearing parts of composite structures
  • Manufacturing of composite structures
SOFTWARE
  • ParaView
  • Siemcenter STAR-CCM+
  • SOLIDWORKS
  • MS Excel
  • Abaqus
CHASSIS
The Chassis subteam conducts the entire development cycle of a CFRP composite monocoque chassis – CAD modelling, CAE simulations, manufacturing, and testing. Detailed knowledge of the properties and applications of composite and sandwich structures is therefore essential. The chassis tightly integrates all the vehicle subsystems, which requires efficient collaboration with other subteams to achieve optimal results.
SKILLS
  • Cad modelling
  • Structural cae simulations
  • Structural optimization
  • Knowledge of composites material
  • Composite laminating
TASKS
  • CAD design of monocoque chassis
  • Design of monocoque chassis moulds and moulds of composite parts
  • Manufacturing of chassis and other composite parts
  • Structural cae simulations and optimization of monocoque chassis and all structural composite parts
  • Structural cae simulations and optimization of monocoque chassis and all structural composite parts
  • Determining the layout of the monocoque chassis and composite parts
  • Testing and validating materials and samples
  • Conducting strength calculations of the monocoque chassis
  • Impact attenuator testing
  • Driver's ergonomy, design of the seat and steering wheel
SOFTWARE
  • Solidworks
  • Abaqus
  • Hypermesh
  • Optistruct
  • Laminate tools
  • MATLAB
  • MS Office
CONTROL SYSTEMS
The Control Systems subteam is mainly concerned with the development and integration of various estimation and control algorithms in the Vehicle Control Unit, with the aim of improving driving dynamics. Furthermore, the subteam is responsible for ensuring successful communication between all other control units in the vehicle and has the task of creating a telemetry system that enables live monitoring and maintaining safe operational state of the vehicle.
SKILLS
  • Control and Estimation theory
  • Vehicle Dynamics
  • Electric vehicle architecture
  • Electrical engineering
TASKS
  • Development of vehicle dynamics control algorithms
  • Development of battery control algorithms
  • Vehicle and battery state estimation
  • Sensor data processing
  • Vehicle state monitoring
  • Integration of algorithms on Vehicle Control Unit
  • Telemetry development
SOFTWARE
  • MATLAB / Simulink
  • AVL VSM
  • PCAN-View/Vector CANalyzer
  • MS Excel
Cooling

The Cooling subteam is tasked with designing and manufacturing of cooling system that is powerful enough to keep the vehicle driving at race pace cool while remaining as lightweight as possible and meeting the restrictions of the Formula Student rulebook. To support this task and complete the design of the system, calculations and simulations are used, after which the system is manufactured.

SKILLS
  • Heat transfer and fluid mechanics
  • CFD
  • CAD
  • Knowledge of material properties
TASKS
  • Development of CFD flow simulations
  • Thermodynamic calculations and one-dimensional simulations
  • Development of cooling system components
  • Selection of purchased and standard components
  • Development of heat exchangers for electric motor drive
SOFTWARE
  • SOLIDWORKS
  • Autodesk Inventor
  • MATLAB & Simulink
  • SimScale/Openfoam
DESIGN
The Design subteam is concerned with enhancing the team’s overall appearance and brand recognition, in line with modern graphic design standards. Among their many tasks are livery design, UI design, photo and video editing as well as web design and rendering of the vehicle and its components, used to provide promotional shots as well as detailed figures and mock-ups for competition submissions.
SKILLS
  • Graphic design
  • Working with basic graphic standards
  • Pre-press and printing processes
  • Illustration
  • Content creation
  • Creativity
  • Thinking out of the box
  • Attention to detail
TASKS
  • Development of graphic solutions - logos, typography, posters, brochures, websites, etc.
  • Close collaboration with other subteams, mostly Marketing
  • Design and visualization of team clothes
  • Rendering / visualization / illustration
  • Creating and editing photos and videos
  • UI Design / Web Design (front-end and back-end knowledge, WordPress)
  • Fulfilling tasks within deadlines
SOFTWARE
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Adobe Lightroom
  • Adobe After Effect
  • Adobe Premier Pro
  • KeyShot 10
  • SOLIDWORKS/Catia
DRIVERLESS
The Driverless subteam’s main goal is to transform one of our previous cars driven by a driver into an autonomous one. Our main task is to develop a software platform which will allow our car to build a map of its environment and drive around it. For the purpose of easier testing, we’re also building out own telemetry and datalogging applications specifically for our autonomous platform. Besides software development, we also integrate some hardware changes on the vehicle like steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire and emergency braking system.
SKILLS
  • Linux / bash
  • Python, C / C++
  • Computer Vision
  • Neural networks and Machine learning
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Control and Estimation theory
  • CAD
  • Electronics & Wiring
  • Control and Estimation theory
TASKS
  • Camera object recognition
  • LiDAR point-cloud based object detection
  • Simultaneous Localization and Mapping
  • Trajectory optimization
  • Vehicle motion planning and control
  • Integrating electronic steering and braking
SOFTWARE
  • ROS
  • Gazebo simulator
  • MATLAB / Simulink
  • Qt
  • Solidworks
  • Altium Designer
DRIVETRAIN

The Drivetrain subteam designs and develops the mechanical side of the vehicle’s powertrain, making iterative improvements to find the most efficient way to transfer torque from the motors to the wheels. A rigorous concept selection process is followed by calculation, modelling, detailing and optimization. Finally, procured standard part and manufactured non-standard parts are assembled.

SKILLS
  • CAD
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • Topology optimization
  • Technical documentation
TASKS
  • Concept development
  • Framework calculations in Python
  • Gear, shaft and bearing calculations in KISSsoft
  • Development of CAD models
  • FEM analysis of shafts, housings, gears in Abaqus
  • Topology optimization of housing and gears in Abaqus
  • Model detailing
SOFTWARE
  • Abaqus
  • Python
  • Autodesk Inventor
  • KISSSoft
  • SOLIDWORKS
  • MS Excel
ELECTRIC MOTORS

The work in the Electric Motors subteam can be roughly divided into three parts: electrical design, motor design and the modelling and development of the motor cooling system. The development starts with the definition of basic performance that the motors must meet, and the definition of their limit values, followed by the design, manufacturing assembly and extensive testing.

SKILLS
  • Electromagnetism
  • Finite Element Analysis
  • CAD
  • Knowledge of material characteristics
  • Interdisciplinarity
TASKS
  • Electromagnetism
  • - Stator and rotor geometry design
  • - Satisfying the requirements of force and momentum
  • - Calculation of heat fluxes in the engine
  • - Efficiency map calculation
  • - Geometry optimization
  • Constructio
  • - Shaft design
  • - Housing construction
  • - Bearing selection
  • - Selection of sensors and other parts
SOFTWARE
  • SimScale
  • Motor-CAD
  • SOLIDWORKS
  • MATLAB
MANUFACTURING
The Manufacturing subteam primarily manages and monitors the manufacturing of the vehicle’s numerous individual components and carries out quality control of the team’s technical documentation and inbound manufactured parts. Most test benches are designed and manufactured in-house, while advanced machining services are arranged with the sponsors. Successful cooperation with them is essential for the successful completion of the project.
SKILLS
  • Turning
  • Lamination
  • Grinding
  • Welding
  • Soldering
  • Drilling
  • All other work in the team garage
TASKS
  • Review of technical documentation of parts forwarded for manufacturing
  • Advising members of other sub-teams so that parts are constructed in accordance with the capabilities of production technologies
  • Finding machining companies and arranging the manufacturing
  • Construction of various devices required for quality team performance (battery trolley, chassis torsional stiffness test device, etc.)
  • Improving team's production technologies
  • Manufactured parts assembly
  • Vehicle assembly
  • Technical documentation preparation for static events of FS competitions
SOFTWARE
  • AutoCAD
  • SOLIDWORKS
  • MS Excel
MARKETING

Marketing is not merely about attracting sponsors and creating content – it is about presenting the team in the best possible way. This subteam takes care of creating and presenting the Business Plan Presentation (BPP) on the competitions, maintaining contact with our sponsors, organizing events and team buildings, preparing promotional content for our social media profiles, filming promotional videos and keeping our website up to date.

SKILLS
  • Initiative
  • Creativity
  • Flexibility
  • Persistence
  • Presentation skills
  • Organization skills
  • Communication skills
  • TA sense of humor
TASKS
  • Defining and improving our PR strategy
  • Creating the Business Plan Presentation and defending it at competitions
  • Team merchandise purchasing and design
  • Communication with sponsors
  • Team merchandise purchasing and design
  • Communication with sponsors
  • Request for bids for the procurement of equipment and materials
  • Representing the Team in public at sponsor meetings, team presentations, etc.
  • Social networking with other Formula Student teams and other organizations
  • Event organization: meetings with sponsors and media, promotional events, and team buildings
  • Photographing and recording everything
SOFTWARE
  • MS Word
  • MS Excel
  • MS PowerPoint
  • Adobe Premiere Pro
  • CapCut
  • Canva
  • WordPress
POWERTRAIN

The Powertrain subteam oversees the development of overall electrical architecture of the vehicle, including the development of the battery pack, selection and programming of the inverter, complete HV and LV wiring and electronics systems. The subteam’s main goal is to create an efficient, high-performance, safe and reliable system, thus maximizing the performance of the vehicle.

SKILLS
  • Electrical engineering
  • Electromagnetic compatibility
  • Electronics & wiring
  • Soldering
  • Understanding CAN & isoSPI communication protocols
  • System level troubleshooting
  • CAD
TASKS
  • Powertrain concept design
  • Battery pack design and manufacturing
  • PCB design
  • Embedded software development
  • BMS development and optimization
  • Wiring harness design
  • Selection of sensors, cables, fuses, relays
  • Testing and troubleshooting on component and system level
SOFTWARE
  • Altium Designer
  • Vector CANalyzer
  • PEAK PCAN View
  • EPLAN Harness proD
  • Solidworks
  • CST
SUSPENSION & STEERING

The subteam encompasses the development of the suspension and steering systems from the various concept evaluation to its final assembly and adjustment. To achieve the best vehicle’s performance and ergonomics for the driver, compromises within the subteams have to be made. The team deals with finding lightweight design solutions with high stiffness while satisfying the demanded suspension geometry and packaging, therefore basic knowledge of mechanical engineering, CAD and FEA is required.

SKILLS
  • Designing
  • Technical documentation
  • Finite Element Analysis
TASKS
  • Design of suspension parts
  • Design of large assemblies (suspension, steering, pedal box)
  • Finite element analysis of critical parts
  • Finite element analysis of CFRP parts
  • Topology and shape optimization
  • Assistance in suspension manufacturing and assembling
  • Suspension and steering adjustment
SOFTWARE
  • SOLIDWORKS
  • CATIA
  • Abaqus
  • MS Office
VEHICLE DYNAMICS

Vehicle dynamics subteam oversees the development and improvement of the whole vehicle’s performance. It starts from the concept phase and continues with deep simulation and development phase. This subteam also correlates and validates the vehicle model to see what was achieved and what to improve. Close cooperation with many other subteams is crucial for achieving the desired performance values.

SKILLS
  • Understanding Vehicle Dynamics
  • Estimation and optimization theory
  • Load analysis
  • Teory of Mechanisms
  • Understanding Tire Model
  • Race car drivetrain layout
  • Understanding Vehicle Kinematics
TASKS
  • Vehicle performance analysis
  • Development of vehicle dynamics control algorithms
  • Testing data processing
  • Vehicle dynamics simulations
  • Tire Modeling
  • Vehicle layout and drivetrain concepting
  • Modeling vehicle subsystems for simulation
  • Vehicle validation and correlation
SOFTWARE
  • MATLAB & Simulink
  • Avl: vsm, connect, cruse, concerto
  • MSC Adams Car
  • Lotus Suspension Analysis
  • Other multi-body and kinematics software
  • MS Excel
IT & SYSTEMS

The IT & Systems subteam supports the other subteams by maintaining the systems they need to collaborate and develop on a daily basis, and ensuring that the Team has all the tools it needs to successfully navigate the design phase. A hybrid Windows and Linux environment presents special technical challenges that prospective applicants will learn to overcome.

SKILLS
  • Abstract problem-solving
  • Automation
TASKS
  • General Windows & Linux systems administration
  • Maintaining a single identity platform
  • Ensuring high uptime of all services
  • Arranging hardware and software sponsorships
  • Supporting other subteams with tailored solutions
SOFTWARE
  • Windows Server
  • MS Active Directory & Azure AD
  • Proxmox VE
  • Samba (with OpenZFS)