Community Report 2012

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY SOLAR CAR TEAM

A TIME OF CHANGE

With the unveiling of the University of Calgary Solar Car Team’s 4th generation car, Schulich Delta, it seems fitting to reflect on change and the impetus for change.

Our third generation solar car, Schulich Axiom, performed beautifully at the 2011 World Solar Challenge (WSC) in Australia, allowing us to maintain our position as the number one Canadian team. Both the car and our WSC race team made it home safely—the team with unforgettable memories and experiences, and the car with a legacy as a racing machine.

While in Australia, it became clear to our team that there was a need for more communication and collaboration amongst Canadian solar car teams. We are proud to say that our University of Calgary team stepped up and led the founding of the Canadian Solar Car Alliance, a forum for Canadian university teams to share information and help each other with the logistics of building, shipping and racing solar cars.

The experience and discussions with universities around the globe sparked discussion in our own shop, around the possibility for change.

We were seeing a trend in solar car design; in order to make a car as aerodynamic and efficient as possible, design pushed further and further away from practicality. A design for racing sometimes meant sacrifice in terms of aesthetics and functionality. Like many solar cars, Schulich Axiom , is an excellent example. When the team takes Schulich Axiom out on local roads, people often wonder if it’s a spaceship. At exhibitions and school visits, people ask when they will be able to drive a solar car, or when they will start seeing them more often on the road.

With a drive to innovate and with a proven track record of solar vehicle construction, the team decided to attempt to build a solar car that would be a step closer to making solar-powered vehicles a consumer reality. We decided to build a car unlike anything we have ever dreamed of before; a car that would fit a driver and passenger with room for golf clubs rather than camel back water packs.

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At the same time, we decided that the new direction could not be made at the expense of the team’s racing legacy from previous generations. While our new car would move toward practicality it would also be designed to maintain our tradition of producing top-of-the-line solar race cars.

You can imagine the excitement as the idea took hold. Our new prototype would mark a significant change in direction.

This is what our generation-four car Schulich Delta is all about. Appropriately, delta is the Greek symbol for change! Schulich Delta is one step closer to being a consumer reality, yet is still a high-performance solar race car.

We are excited to tour around Alberta this spring and place it to the test in Australia in October.

As our car design has evolved, so too has our team. We have said goodbye to members who have graduated and joined the working world. Jordyn Troyer, outgoing co-chair and business manager is amongst our graduated members. Her work in starting the generation four project has been monumental. We send Jordyn and all our graduated members on their way with big congratulations for their hard-work and dedication to the team, and with appreciation for setting the bar high for members continuing on and those just joining.

With a solid foundation, we have much to look forward to in 2013.

Susanna Kubik – Co-Chair, Business Manager

Mico Madamesila – Co-Chair, Engineering Manager

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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1.  The Solar Car Team Mission ………………………………………………

2.  About The Solar Car Team ………………………………………………...

3.  Team Overview ……………………………………………………………..

4.  Communications Team …………………………………………………….

5.  Electrical Team ……………………………………………………………...

6.  Mechanical Team …………………………………………………………...

7.  Accounting Team …………………………………………………………

8.  Race Logistics Team ……………………………………………………….

9.  Sponsorship Team ………………………………………………………….

List of Sponsors ………………………………………………………………….

2012 – 2013 Solar Car Team Members ……………………………………….

Schulich Delta Specifications …………………………………………………..

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Our team’s mission consists of three components:

Innovate. We continually strive towards innovation and excellence through designing, building and

racing cutting-edge solar cars.

Educate. We believe in creating student energy leaders by providing tangible and meaningful

experiential learning.

Inspire. We believe in investing in the same community that has supported us through our

journey by educating and inspiring youth on the possibilities of sustainable energies.

THE SOLAR CAR TEAM MISSION

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Schulich Axiom Alberta Tour Race Team 2012

Who We Are. A program of inter-disciplinary students, working towards design excellence,

innovation, and building a more sustainable future. The team was founded in 2004

and has grown considerably from a few engineering students to a team of 46

members from disciplines such as Business, Communications, Engineering and

Kinesiology.

What We Do. “Innovate, Educate, Inspire” is the team’s mission. We design, build and race solar

powered cars across international borders. Our primary purpose is to educate the

community about renewable energy and act as a median through which students

of various departments and faculties can collaborate in supporting sustainable

energy.

Why We Do It. Renewable energy sources are crucial to the Earth’s sustainability. Solar energy is

one of the leading sources of green energy and is rapidly developing more

practical applications. Through research and innovation, the Solar Car Team

showcases the potential and capabilities of solar technology being incorporated

into our daily lives.

ABOUT THE SOLAR CAR TEAM

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TEAM OVERVIEW

The University of Calgary Solar Car Team consists of a total of 46 inter-disciplinary

undergraduate students. The team is divided into a business and an engineering team,

which are further divided into 6 sub-teams.

Our communications team is in charge of public relations and community involvement

which reaches over 10,000 people annually. As part of our core commitment in educating

our community, we have reached out to approximately 3,500 students in 2012 alone with

our school visits initiative. The Race Logistics team works closely with our Communications

team when arranging our annual Alberta Tour each spring. The Alberta tour typically lasts 6

days and the Solar Car Team covers approximately 3,000km during this tour that visits

schools across Alberta while testing the solar car. The Race Logistics team is also

responsible for all logistical support during the World Solar Challenge in Australia.

The majority of our funds are used towards building the solar car. For the Generation 4

project, the team took 9 months to design and will take 6 months to complete building the

solar car, which is led by the engineering team. The electrical team plays the critical role of

increasing solar cell efficiency, through research and innovation. They assemble the solar

array, which consists of approximately 370 Mono – crystalline Silicon solar cells and

building the battery, made up of 1,353 lithium – Ion cells.

All of this would not be possible without our accounting team which works with a budget of

just over $560,000 and is responsible for managing cash flow, reimbursements and

conducts frequent budget reviews. In order to reach this budget, the sponsorship team

works hard at developing and maintaining good relationships with sponsors. The

sponsorship team raised over $470,000 with the help of 14 sponsors as of January 2013

and is continuously looking for organizations to partner with.

Schulich Axiom in the shipping container ready to be shipped to Australia for the 2011 World Solar Challenge.

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Holy Spirit Catholic School visit on SAAT 2012.

Fox Creek School visit on SAAT 2012.

The communications team has played an

integral role in the past year in reaching

out to our local community. One of the

biggest accomplishments for the team

was arranging 18 school visits throughout

the year. During these visits, the team

provided interactive presentations to

students and while bringing along

Schulich Axiom for display.

Our annual Schulich Axiom Alberta Tour

(SAAT) was held from April 30 to May 5,

2012. During this six day tour, the team

was able to reach out to approximately

1,000 students and community members.

The team acted not only as Solar Car

Team members, but also as ambassadors

of the University of Calgary.

Through our school visit initiative, we were able to reach out to approximately 3,500 students.

Jillian Stephenson, Communications Manager

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COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

At every event we attend people always ask us, ‘When will I be driving a solar powered car?’ Mico Madamesial, Engineering Manager & Project Co-Chair

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SAAT Schools 2012

- Big Valley School

- Holy Spirit Catholic School

- Lakeland Ridge School

- Barrhead Elementary School

- Fox Creek School

- CP Blakely Elementary

- Sundre High School

- Turner Valley Elementary

Local Schools 2012 - McKenzie Lake School

- Willow Park School

- Simons Valley Elementary School

- Douglasdale School

- Calgary French International School

- Colonel Walker School

- Terry Fox School

- Bishop Pinkham School

- Cappy Smart School

- Western Canada High School

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Schools visited in 2012

Dear Jillian and the Solar Car Team, The team was terrific! Thank you so much for taking the time to inspire young people. It is all too common to learn about a technology like solar transportation, without actually experiencing the concept. Your powerful presentation and showing of the car certainly was experiential education that will benefit students’ learning significantly. The students made many comments about how impressed they were with the car and the team’s presentation. I have had a few students who were a part of “Earth Club” last year who now want to build our own mini solar car! I’m not sure if I will take on this idea or not but I am considering it! I don’t think ours would be made of carbon fiber though, more the wooden “carbon” variety ha-ha. The solar car team presented to approximately 70 students, twice. The total number of Terry Fox students who shared the excellent experience was 135-140. Thank you again and please consider coming back for Citizens in Action day as your team really is a perfect fit. I know you’re busy with other requests but our students never get enough exposure to university students and the idea that they could be at university themselves one day – I truly think you inspire our young people. Sincerely, Tim Mang Teacher at Terry Fox Junior High School

School presentation at school event Schulich Axiom at Brooks Annual Car Show and Shine.

One of the largest community events that the

team was invited to attend this past summer

was a two day event in Brooks, Alberta. This

event was sponsored by the Brooks and Area

Science Olympics and Newalta Corp.

The first day of the event was geared towards

students of the Brooks and surrounding area.

The team had an opportunity to present and

demonstrate Schulich Axiom to over 500

students, aged kindergarten to grade 12. On

the second day of the event, the car was

displayed at the annual Car Show and Shine.

Other large scale community outreach events

that the Solar Car Team attended included the

BP A+ for Energy Conference, Chinatown

Street Festival, Mayor’s Environmental Expo,

and Minds in Motion Science Camp.

The Solar Car Team has appeared in 18 different

media related items since the beginning of 2012.

Jillian Stephenson, Communications

Manager

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Joshua Chow, member of the Electrical Engineering Team, working on assembling solar cell modules

Assembling the solar array is one of the greatest

challenges tackled by the electrical team. The cells are

very fragile and must be soldered into modules with the greatest

of care to prevent damage. This is another area in which the Sunpower

cells represent an improvement over the previous cells. Previously, the solder contacts were

three long strips on both the top and bottom surfaces of the cell. Soldering them was a

challenge due to thermal expansion; but the new cells have only three small point-like

contacts. To further ease the process of assembly, the team purchased pre-fabricated

interconnect tabbing designed for the C60s.

ELECTRICAL TEAM

The greatest accomplishment for the Electrical

Engineering Team this year was the procurement of the

solar cells that will be used on Schulich Delta. The

team takes pride in its ability to assemble the

array in house, and as a result it must

purchase raw solar cells that have yet to

Undergo assembly into panels. It is often

difficult to find suppliers that are willing to

distribute top grade cells in this state, but

the team was able to acquire Sunpower

C60 K-bin cells. The team anticipates

improved power production compared to

previous generation cars as a result of

obtaining these cells.

Solar cells on the Schulich Delta have an efficiency rating in excess of 22.5%, approximately 3% increase in efficiency when compared to cells used on Schulich Axiom Ian Haigh, Electrical Engineering

Manager

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A partially assembled battery pack module showing the use of nickel tabbing for interconnection of individual cells.

From a man-power perspective, a

second major challenge lies in

assembling the battery pack for the

car. For this car, the team has elected

to use a battery pack consisting of

approximately 60kg of lithium ion

batteries (an astonishing 1,300

individual cells). All of these cells must

be interconnected in series and parallel

functional blocks to develop the

desired pack voltage and charge

capacity. Individual cells will be

connected in parallel using strips of

nickel tabbing welded to the battery

through a capacitive welding process.

A side of the communications board.

For Schulich Delta, the Electrical Team is

developing an application for a tablet

that will display all the critical telemetry

data on one large screen mounted on

the dashboard. This not only allows the

driver to access all critical information at

a glance, but also opens up the realm of

possibility for adding driver

conveniences and comforts typically

found in today’s automobiles such as

integrated navigation, entertainment, and

communications.

Alongside the tablet, the team has

developed a communications board that

acts as a hub for the different devices on

the car to communicate internally and

with external monitoring and display

devices. This board is approximately half

the size of the analogous board used in

Schulich Axiom despite having added

functionality.

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As the electrical team looks forward to

2013, evaluation of the drive system will be

an area of intense testing. The team will

examine the utility of a pair of drive motors

linked by an electronic differential through a

pair of motor controllers and compare this

to the weight and possible power savings

of a single drive motor. For Schulich Delta,

the way the driver receives feedback from

the car has undergone a radical change

and driver responses will be crucial for

further improvements to the system.

During the spring of 2013, the Mechanical

Team will complete construction of the top

shell of Schulich Delta, at which point the

Electrical Team will then install the solar

cell array. The sensitive nature of the array

makes embedding it in the top shell one of

the most tedious processes for the team.

By spring 2013, the electrical team will

have encapsulated cells to make two full

arrays. This helps the team mitigate the risk

involved with array embedment in the top

shell and delayed production as a result.

We are very excited to be able to present

some of our designs at this time and cannot wait to showcase all

the systems of the car through our spring

tour.

Ian Haigh, Electrical Engineering Manager

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Brandon Roswell and Austin Jang, members of the Mechanical Engineering Team, working on the brakes for Schulich Axiom

2012 began with an idea, supported by rough sketches, and ended with a nearly

complete prototype car.

Matthew Johnson, Mechanical Engineering Manager

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The main objective for the Mechanical

Engineering Team this year was to design

and build a truly unique car that would be

practical for the everyday driver, yet still be

competitive on the world solar racing stage.

This proved to be a difficult challenge but it

was achieved through strategic project

planning, ingenious engineering design

and countless hours of hands-on

commitment from our team.

The team decided to go with a two-door

coupe design with a large trunk that would

provide ample storage room. Through the

use of advanced computer design and

simulation programs, the team was able to

design a body that provides us the

necessary size needed for the driver,

passenger and cargo while still maximizing

our aerodynamic efficiency.

To keep the weight down, the team opted

to build a completely composite body

and custom chassis made from leading-

edge, spread tow carbon fiber. Not only

does this cut weight, but it also adds

strength to the car, improving safety and

enhancing surface finish of the body.

Throughout this process, the team took

the time to carefully select good quality

and reputable local and international

suppliers of materials for the car,

including products that improved the

aerodynamic efficiency, while at the

same time managing to keep costs low.

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MECHANICAL TEAM

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Mechanical Engineering Team Members building a negative fiberglass mold

Upon completion of the design phase of Schulich Delta, the next challenge for the team

was to begin construction of the car. This began in the summer of 2012 by constructing a

full size positive mold of our car which was then used to cast a negative, fiberglass mold.

Completing the construction of the molds proved to be a huge milestone for the project as

this mold allows the team to build the prototype car and ultimately, the final car which will

be raced in the World Solar Challenge. It took many long days and nights between classes

and schoolwork but in the end, the team managed to cast two spectacular molds, one each

for both the top and bottom shells of our car.

The suspension system for Schulich Delta is a one-of-a-kind design made by the

mechanical team members. It was designed with simplicity and performance in mind at all

times. Nearly every component of the suspension system is completely interchangeable

between the front, back, left and right. This not only makes the suspension easier to build,

but also decreases machining time and associated costs dramatically. Pairing this with

materials such as titanium and aluminum makes for an extremely light suspension that is

sure to keep Schulich Delta competitive on the world stage.

This vehicle is completely different from

anything we’ve produced before.”

Susanna Kubik, Project Co-

Chair and Business Manager

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The team finished off the year strong by

constructing its prototype car. This is the

point where the team was able to

assemble all of the components together

for the first time, outside of a computer

program. The next coming months will be

equally as exciting, with the crash-testing

of the Schulich Delta prototype car, final

construction of Schulich Delta, and the

grueling road-testing to prepare the team

for the World Solar Challenge in the fall of

2013!

Computer design of the Schulich Delta using Solid Works software

We are making an exceptional, one-of-a-

kind car that will be sure to turn heads and attract global attention from our competitors.

Matthew Johnson, Mechanical

Engineering Manager

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Best wishes from the community at Chinook Mall before the 2011 World Solar Challenge

ACCOUNTING TEAM

38%

18%

44%

Race Budget

Community Initiatives

Designing and Building

2012 has proven to be a major milestone for the

accounting team. The team’s major

accomplishment was reviewing all expenditures

of the Generation 3 project. During the same

period, the accounting team was able to create a

comprehensive budget for the Generation 4

project.

The team has also been able to improve

accountability and efficiency by implementing

new processes. With a budget of just over

$560,000 for the Schulich Delta project, the team

has begun creating a three-month rolling budget

and sending out bi-weekly updates to each sub-

team manager.

Overview of Budget Allocation for Schulich Delta

By being part of the Solar Car Team, I have had the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to

solve real world problems.

Stephanie Ly, Accounting Manager

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2011 World Solar Challenge Race Team Members

Fox Creek Re-Juiced Beetle (left) vs. Schulich Axiom (right)

RACE LOGISTICS TEAM

The Race Logistics Team played a pivotal role in planning the route the team was to take

during the Schulich Axiom Alberta Tour (SAAT) 2012. In addition to routing, the team

ensured all accommodations for the SAAT members were arranged. During the six day

tour, SAAT members travelled over 1,700 km and visited numerous communities

throughout Alberta.

A particular highlight of Alberta tour was the unique opportunity to race the Fox Creek Re-

Juiced Beetle. It was a close race, but ultimately Schulich Axiom managed to pull through

and cross the finish line first, in spite of having an electrical problem at the very start of the

race. It was truly an unforgettable event, which was made better by the incredible turn out

from the Fox Creek Community.

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Map of the World Solar Challenge race

One of the biggest events that Solar Car Team

participates in is the World Solar Challenge

(WSC) that takes place in Australia. WSC is an

international competition where solar vehicles

compete in a grueling, cross-country race that

totals a distance of just over 3,000 km.

The WSC provides the Solar Car Team with a

chance to test its abilities by racing against

teams from around the world. It’s a highly

dynamic environment that puts the team’s

capabilities to the test by solving problems

quickly and working effectively as a team.

Although it requires a tremendous amount of

work, effort, and dedication, the end result is a

very rewarding and invaluable educational

experience for every member on the race

team.

The team will be participating in the WSC 2013

race that will be held from October 6 to

October 13, 2013, where teams will race from

Darwin to Adelaide, driving straight through the

outback.

Our race team members will head to Australia in the Fall of 2013 and will not only

represent the University of Calgary,

but also act as ambassadors of the Province of Alberta.

Brigitte Sullivan, Race Logistics

Manager

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Group photo of all the Canadian Teams at WSC 2011

The Race Logistics Team looks forward to a busy 2013, when the team will prepare for both

the 2013 Alberta tour and WSC 2013. Driver training will be arranged through a variety of

methods in order to ensure the drivers will be able to thrive in the challenging environment.

The Alberta Tour, which is scheduled for early May 2013, will provide an opportunity for the

team to visit more Alberta communities and a chance to test Schulich Delta.

In June 2013, the Race Logistics team will assist in shipping Schulich Delta to Australia.

During the month of September 2013, race team members will fly to Australia to prepare for

WSC. The team’s target for the WSC 2013 race is to remain the number one Canadian team

and win the top sportsmanship and safety awards.

Faculty Advisor, Dr. Lynne Cowe Falls, cheers the team with a Canadian Flag

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Alberta Tour 2013 and WSC 2013 Team Members

-  Ian Haigh

-  Stephanie Hladik (Driver)

-  Matthew Johnson

-  Susanna Kubik

-  Mico Madamesila

-  Brandon Roswell (Driver)

-  Joshua Chow

-  Jack Sreekumar (Driver)

-  Brigitte Sullivan

-  Connie Tran

-  Nizar Walji (Driver)

Solar Team Members with Schulich Axiom at The Chancellor’s Golf Tournament

SPONSORSHIP TEAM

The University of Calgary Solar Team

greatly appreciates the support provided by

its sponsors. Through the generous support

of sponsors, the team is provided with the

resources necessary to spread the team’s

message of sustainable energy education.

With a budget of just over $560,000 for

Schulich Delta, the team has managed to

raise $488,598 in financial contribution and

$27,585 in in-kind contribution. The Solar

Car Team is still looking to raise just over

$60,000 to complete funding for the

Schulich Delta project.

Our sponsors are the backbone of our project and we continually strive to build

lasting relationships with each one of them.

Nizar Walji, Sponsorship Manager 27

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Funding Partners for the Schulich

Delta Project

Educational Institutions

44% Corporate Partners

56%

Educational Sponsor

Lead Sponsor

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

CANADIAN CENTREFOR ADVANCED LEADERSHIPIN BUSINESS

Supporting Sponsors

David Johnson Airtech International Inc.

* Sponsor list as of January 2013

2012 – 2013 University of Calgary Solar Car Team Members

Project Co-Chair, Engineering Manager

Mico Madamesila

Project Co-Chair, Business Manager

Susanna Kubik - 2013 Jordyn Troyer - 2012

Accounting

Stephanie Ly - Manager Raymond Huynh

Communications

Jillian Stephenson - Manager

Steve Cheng - Graphics

Sarah Kosowan - Public Relations

Marian Yet - Events Michelle Yet - Events

Race Logistics

Brigitte Sullivan - Manager

Riccardo Palladini Brenda Nguyen

Sponsorship

Nizar Walji - Manager

Stefano Giovannetti

Jasdeep Hayer

Bonnie Huynh

Electrical

Ian Haigh - Manager

Daniel Benavides

Andrei Buiza

Joshua Chow

George Co

Tanner Collin

John Fernando

Stephanie Hladik

Salima Kairzhanova

Ryan Ma

Christopher Melendez

Dallas Rathbone

Daniel Young

Mechanical

Matthew Johnson - Manager

Odai Almoqadam

Tawheed Al-towaitee

Merryl Arokiasamy

John Fernando

Kaelan Goode

Yusra Hemed

Austin Jang

Derek Lee

Jose Podio

Brandon Roswell

Jack Sreekumar

Connie Tran

Steven Tran

Mike Vanderveen

Albert Vuong

Sophia Wong

Eiden Yoshida

Harry Zheng

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Schulich Delta Specifications

Electrical

Array Power: ~1000-1200W (projected)

Solar Cells: ~370 Mono-crystalline Silicon

MPPT’s: ~10 UC Solar MPPT’s

Batteries: 1353 Li-Ion (18650 type) cells

(61.6kg)

Battery Box: Kevlar

Instrumentation and Communication: Driver

display in steering wheel, tablet interface in

dash, and Wi-Fi link to chase vehicle

Mechanical

Time to Design: 8 months

Mold Construction: 3 months

Car Construction: 3 months

Weight: 320 kg = 700 lbs (estimated)

Length: 4.5 meters = 15 feet

Width: 1.8 meters = 6 feet

Height: 1.2 meters = 4 feet

Top Shell: Carbon fiber reinforced EPS

(expanded polystyrene)

Bottom Shell: Carbon fiber reinforced Corecell,

EPS mix

Chassis: Carbon Fiber and Kevlar reinforced

Corecell monocoque

Suspension: Double A – Arm, aluminum and

steel

Track: 1.4 meters = 4.6 feet

Base: 2.7 meters = 8.9 feet

Brakes: Four wheel hydraulic disk brakes, two

wheel electronic regenerative

Motor: Two, rear, in wheel, direct drive motors

Storage Capacity: 0.56 cubic meters = 20

cubic feet (estimated)

Seating: Two front

Body Style: Two door coupe with large rear

hatch

For additional information, contact:

The University of Calgary Solar Car Team

Engineering Block F, Room 262

2500 University Drive NW

Calgary AB T2N 1N4

communications@calgarysolarteam.ca

www.calgarysolarteam.ca

January 2013