Warwick Moto team, consisting of 25 Warwick students aren’t letting the pandemic get in the way of designing, building and developing the electric superbike, as they’re doing it virtually from home.

It was hoped that the Warwick Moto team would see their electric superbike Aurora race this summer with racer Tom Weeden racing it for them. Although plans are on hold due to the current pandemic, students have tried to make the most of their time during lockdown by carrying out virtual meetings to progress on the project as a whole.

Meeting online, the 25 students from a range of Departments including: WMG, School of Engineering, Computer Science, Physics and Maths have redesigned a vital part of the superbike chassis, the subframe.

The subframe is an integral part of the motorcycle geometry, therefore, has an impact on handling characteristics of the superbike by defining the seating position of the rider. The subframe for Aurora will also package a critical powertrain component, the inverter for the 3-phase 150 kW (200 bhp) electric motor along with some low voltage components.

The team utilised previously gathered data from the strip, measure and weigh activities performed in November 2019 before lockdown, with the help of the metrology team at WMG. This exercise enabled them to define the necessary constraints for the position of the subframe. They have managed to make it 1.5kg lighter than a stock Honda Fireblade subframe and roughly 300g than a racing one. It’s made using carbon fibre and aluminium parts as opposed to just aluminium, reducing weight and increasing the overall stiffness.

Nesta Ferguson and Aneesh Jois, two first year School of Engineering students, have led the design and engineering cycle behind the subframe while discussing ideas, constraints and risks with the rest of the team through online meetings.

Aman Surana, a School of Engineering student and the Chief Engineer for the Warwick Moto team comments:

“We wanted to make the most out of lockdown and try to use this setback as an opportunity to enhance the bike instead. The team’s design intent was to create something simple, easy to assemble and the ability to be built off-site.

“The current global situation demands for concepts that can be built while maintaining social distancing, this new design helps us achieve that as it can be put together by a single person. As a result, we can utilise workshop time for other critical activities.

“We believe this concept could be used by other racing enthusiasts, as it’s made using stock carbon fibre tubes cut to size and bonded to aluminium joining nodes, where the contact surfaces have been sanded to increase bond strength and area. Moreover, it has the potential to be used on other parts of the superbike at a much lower cost than traditional composite only components.”

Having spent the last 3 months to continuously come up with various load-cases to simulate and optimise the subframe structure, the team have used techniques such as shape optimisation to minimise the amount of material used.

The team are still hoping to be able to test the bike in winter, as a competition between University teams is still hoping to take place early next year, however their long-term objective is to compete with a podium qualifying time at the Isle of Man TT 2022.

Rock West Composites are donating the raw material required for this concept along with advice to improve things like bond strength from their years of experience with composites. Xometry Europe have supported the team by providing on-demand manufacturing services that have enabled the manufacture of the joining nodes. The team will be able to assemble this concept off-site with the support of Rock West Composites and Xometry Europe.

Significant support from industrial partners such as High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult team at WMG, MUPO Race Suspension, Michelin Tyre PLC, DYMAG Performance Wheels, MIVOLT, Demon Tweeks, SITRAmoto and Rajputana Custom Motorcycles have immensely helped the team, for which they would like to thank them all for.

To support the team making their first electric bike, you can sponsor them or donate to them here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/warwickmoto

Follow their journey:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warwick.moto/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/warwickmotoracing/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/warwick-moto/

ENDS

5 AUGUST 2020

NOTES TO EDITORS

Video of the team during lockdown available to view at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLyj7fzbIw0&feature=youtu.be

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of Warwick
Tel: +44 (0) 7920531221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

This week, as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2020, WMG welcomed 38 local students and staff to a Degree Apprenticeship Insight Day.

The primary focus of the day was to help students learn more about Degree Apprenticeships and explore digital health, technology and engineering career paths.

The event included a range of practical workshops and demos including engine stripping in WMG’s engineering hall, an introduction to programming and electric circuits as well as finding out about airflow over an aeroplane using a wind tunnel. Existing apprentices also gave a short talk on their apprenticeship journey and some of the exciting projects they are working on.

Rebecca Archer, Business Engagement and Student Destinations Manager, at the WMG Academy for Young Engineers Solihull, said:

“An excellent and insightful event to give a fantastic introduction to Degree Apprenticeships in the digital health, technology and engineering sectors.”

Steve Maggs, WMG’s Director of Undergraduate Programmes added:

“I’d encourage teachers, parents and students to attend more Degree Apprenticeship events to understand what engineering, technology and healthcare careers are available, and research how diverse, varied and stimulating studying and working in these area can be.”

WMG will be hosting further events of this kind to raise awareness of STEM career paths and Degree Apprenticeship programmes.

WMG at the University of Warwick has launched an exciting new fusion science degree, accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science as part of Health Education England, and is designed specifically to train people for a brand new, and first of its kind health role within the NHS - Digital Healthcare Scientist.

The BSc degree, which has been developed in partnership with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, will be open as both a full-time undergraduate course, and a Degree Apprenticeship.

Graduating students will be eligible to apply for membership of the Academy for Healthcare Sciences under the new heading of Digital Healthcare Science. This represents the formation of a new healthcare professional and a new branch within the Academy, the first for many years.

The course has been designed with the aim of augmenting the existing workforce in the NHS and breaking down silos, adopting a fusion science approach: taking into consideration aspects of digital science, academic and professional development, clinical decision making, physiological science and behavioural science. Students will learn in an integrated way, applying knowledge, and ensuring that no subject is taught in isolation from any other.

Four fusion sciences: Behavioural Science, Healthcare and Physiological Sciences, Digital Healthcare, and Shared Clinical Decision-making, will be interwoven throughout the programme giving students a breadth of scientific training.

Professor Ed Peile, from the University of Warwick comments:

“Rarely do patients and health service users have a single problem. They have multiple, often complex, problems affecting their health and wellbeing. Thus, the help they need is not confined to a single discipline. They need broad, holistic, scientific professionalism.

“The ‘Fusion Science’ approach developed here is specifically designed to ensure that the new Digital Healthcare Science workforce can meet these needs”.

Tim Jones, Executive Director of Workforce & Innovation at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust comments:

“This is an exciting new degree which will help us train people for a significant new role in the NHS. University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust is also offering six full-time undergraduate students the opportunity for a paid summer vacation placement at the end of the first year of study.”

Berne Ferry, Head of the National School of Healthcare Science, adds:

“The National School of Healthcare Science has been closely involved in initiatives to develop a health workforce fit for the digital future. This includes the use of digital technologies and computer science in all areas of healthcare from artificial intelligence and bioinformatics to patient-focused apps and devices. We are delighted to see universities such as Warwick working quickly and responsively with the health service to develop exciting new programmes to meet these needs.”

The programme would suit students who are interested in medical and healthcare sciences, life sciences, data sciences or psychology. For more information on where to apply please call +44 (0) 2476 525724

ENDS

11 JUNE 2019

NOTES TO EDITORS

The programme would suit students who are interested in medical and healthcare sciences, life sciences, data sciences or psychology. For more information on where to apply please call +44 (0) 2476 525724

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager – Science
University of Warwick
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 574 255 or +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

A record number of almost 1450 students have enrolled at WMG this academic year.

A huge 1,241 people from 63 countries, are now studying full-time, with a further 27 studying part-time, on one of our 15 Management, Business or sector specific Master’s courses.

96 students have enrolled on our part-time Applied Engineering Programme, studying for a BEng degree alongside their full-time job in the engineering or technology industry. Another 11 have enrolled on our Postgraduate Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Programme.

We have welcomed our largest single intake of Research Degree students across various programmes, including seven EngDs, 24 PhDs and six MSc by Research and the first intake onto our new MSc by Research in Business Transformation.

We’ve also welcomed our first cohort of 23 full-time BSc Cyber Security students.

You can find out more about all of our education programmes here.

Students from WMG at the University of Warwick, who designed and built a submarine, were the UK champions at the 2017 International Submarine Race (ISR) in Washington DC, USA.

The human-powered submarine – Godiva 3 – achieved the fastest times and won more awards than any UK team in the competition, scooping the ‘Best Use of Composites’ and the ‘Best Design Outline’ awards.

Godiva 3 also achieved third place internationally in its class for speed, reaching 2.52 knots.

The Warwick Submarine team is made up of seven Engineering students from a variety of disciplines across the University.

The team has access to world-class engineering expertise and facilities from both WMG and the School of Engineering - both academic departments at the University of Warwick.

Over the past few months, the team has gone from developing an original concept for the submarine to constructing its parts, conducting thorough analyses, working with sponsors, and now taking part in a major global competition.

During the ISR, the team had to deliver a presentation to the panel of judges, submit a design report of their submarine, and race it in time trials on a 100 metre underwater course.

A bespoke engineering degree has been developed by WMG, at the University of Warwick, and Dyson which is designed for aspiring engineers.

The four-year degree programme will be delivered at the newly launched Dyson Institute of Technology which is based at Dyson’s Research and Development Campus in Malmesbury Wiltshire. The first cohort of 25 students will start in September 2017.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman and founder of WMG, University of Warwick said: “It is vital that in order for UK companies to be competitive they must have the right people with the right skills. I am delighted we are working with the Dyson Institute on this degree and welcome the move by James Dyson to develop a pool of talent which have the skills that are required to work in industry today.”

A submarine designed and built by engineering students at the University of Warwick has brought home a prize from a European racing competition.

The Warwick Submarine team won ‘Best Design Report’, when they raced their human-powered submarine Godiva 2 against other university teams at the European International Submarine Race (eISR) at QinetiQ’s Ocean Basin facility in Gosport, Hampshire in July.

The Warwick Sub Project consists of a team of six undergraduate engineering students from a variety of disciplines. The team has access to cutting edge engineering research from both WMG and the School of Engineering, both academic departments at the University of Warwick.

WMG at the University of Warwick has launched the ‘Class of 2016’, an exciting new initiative to showcase its world class education programmes, and the opportunities they offer people at any stage of their career.

WMG’s Chairman, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, is passionate about education and ensuring that industry has the right skills base on which to sustain its future.

He explains: ‘I started out as an apprentice, and it is that grounding that has shaped my whole career. I worked my way up through the ranks, so I know first-hand what it takes to work hard to achieve career goals. I feel strongly that everyone, at any stage of their career, should have the opportunity to develop their skills, which is why workplace learning and technical education is at the very core of WMG.”

A 24 hour hackathon is to mark the start of a new partnership between WMG’s Cyber Security Centre at the University of Warwick and the digital identification company Callsign.

The WMG Cyber Security Centre will partner with Callsign to work on the future security of digital identities.

In particular they will work together to develop and support cyber security talent. This supports the government’s own strategy for cyber security and is an area that Professor Tim Watson and Professor Carsten Maple, both from WMG’s Cyber Security Centre, have significant national and international reputations – they both sit on national bodies in this field and are key influencers in cyber security policy.

Engineering students from the University of Warwick are gearing up for an international racing event which will see them go head to head with their friends and rivals at Monash University.

Warwick Racing, assisted by staff from WMG and the School of Engineering, are taking their racing car (WR4) to compete in the UK Formula Student competition at Silverstone racetrack this July.

In the run-up to the competition the two sides, Warwick Racing and Monash Motorsport, have come together at the University of Warwick to share expertise as part of the Monash-Warwick Alliance.

Despite the spirit of friendly pre-race collaboration, the two sides will be pitted against each other in the three-day event starting on 9 July.