Task management system aids student racers
A
Delcam product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Dec 17, 2002
The Formula Student Team at Warwick University, in Coventry, UK, used Delcam's PS-Team task management system to help build a better racing car.
The Formula Student Team at Warwick University, in Coventry, UK, used Delcam's PS-Team task management system to help build a better racing car.
The team designed and manufactured a single-seater racing car from scratch, using an extensively modified motorcycle engine, in order to compete against other universities from the UK, Europe and the USA.
The competition, which is organised in the UK by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, challenges undergraduate students to put their academic knowledge into practice by designing a product that is innovative, competitive and reliable, and then deliver it to the race on time.
Nearly 50 students were involved in the project, which was managed entirely by a group of students in the fourth year of their mechanical engineering degree.
Individual students or small groups were responsible for developing assemblies, such as chassis, suspension, brakes, steering, and cooling and engine management systems.
A huge amount of communication and collaboration was needed to ensure that all the assemblies would fit and work properly together.
In addition to resolving technical issues and design management problems arising with the parts designed in-house, all parts, including those sourced externally, had to be accurately costed so that a predicted cost of a production version of the car could be calculated.
A cost report had to be compiled and a marketing presentation made as part of the competition.
Dr Tim Goodhead, a Lecturer in the Department of Engineering, summarised the advantages of using PS-Team for the students undertaking the project.
"The software allowed all members of the team to track progress of every task that affected them and permitted them to make other interested parties aware of the status of their own tasks.
The visibility of all activity made it very clear when there was a potential bottleneck and allowed it to be dealt with, possibly even before it had caused a problem".
PS-Team also provided benefits for the staff monitoring their progress.
"It enabled nonintrusive monitoring of the team's progress by academic staff", said Dr Goodhead.
"Staff could observe who was really initiating ideas or taking the lead in decision making and who was performing the laborious but essential analytical work so that appropriate credit could be given.
PS-Team allowed the emphasis to be placed on teamworking.
The competitive spirit that Formula Student encourages could be focused on working together".
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