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Lean, Mean and Green

Being green is often perceived as being boring and sustainable materials thought of as somehow inferior to traditional materials. Warwick’s WorldF3rst racing project was established to disband those myths and show just what could be achieved with sustainable, natural and recycled materials. It demonstrated the potential of natural and recycled composites, biopolymers, biofuels and other novel sustainable materials to compete in highly demanding engineering challenges.

Using a F3 race car as a real world demonstrator has pushed previously unconsidered materials into the demanding motorsport arena and they are performing as well as more traditional materials such as carbon fibre. The talk focussed on the technical challenges that were overcome to build the car and take the audience through the design process from blank sheet of paper to competitive running and then its subsequent role in setting a Land Speed Record.

Dr Kerry Kirwan

Director - EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing (EngD)
Strategic Director - International Doctorate Centre (High Value, Low Environmental Impact Manufacturing)
Head of the University of Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Global Research Priority

Kirwan