Vehicles, rockets and tools in sharp student projects
An environmentally friendly Auto Rickshaw in collaboration with the Indian company TVS Motors, and a fuel turbine in cooperation with Volvo Aero for Ariane rockets in the European space program. That is two of several sharp student projects at Luleå University Technology within the SIRIUS course, finally presented at the university.
- You will see that the results are fantastic and the SIRIUS course is known in almost the entire Swedish manufacturing industry, automotive industry and a lot of other places said Professor Lennart Karlsson at Luleå University of Technology in conjunction with the final presentation. He is an examiner for the SIRIUS course.
SIRIUS is the last course within the program for mechanical engineering for those who read the machine construction, but is also optional for students with other approaches and programs. This year marks the 15th year of SIRIUS, and the course works very close to the industry in sharp project. Total so far about 500 students attended the course and for next year the course is already fully subscribed. In this year of the course five different projects participated.
Tricycle for a better environment in India
A three-wheeled hybrid car, so-called Auto Rickshaw for the Indian market, which has received the Sami-sounding name of SANJAS ("snow and ice-free") is one of the groups' projects. Auto Rickshaw project runs in close collaboration with the Indian company TVS Motors, and the company Gestamp HardTech. At SIRIUS final presentation it was the vehicle platform, developed by six LTU students, who were in focus, but it is an interdisciplinary project and a total of some 20 students participated.
The intention is to develop a vehicle that can handle both safety and environmental requirements and that can be mass produced for the Indian market. There is a great need for it among other things due to the chaotic traffic situation in the country which can lead to high carbon emissions.
- We feel that this is the next natural step to take our development into the industry, says Christopher Sveder, who was project manager for the development of the vehicle platform.
The students have developed a vehicle platform for a Hybrid Auto Rickshaw with room for a driver and four passengers. That is two more passengers than in a conventional rickshaw. Students mainly electric powered rickshaw has also an internal combustion engine that charges the batteries for electric drive. The body is self-supporting with merged components through the whole, which gives it strength and enhanced security.
Tools Solution to world leaders
Another group of LTU students have collaborated with the world leading company Sandvik Coromant and has developed a comprehensive solution for the area between the tool holder and cutting blades. The company that manufactures lathe, milling and drilling tools has by the LTU students received new product concepts for general steel turning. It includes a new interface between the insert and holder which means everything from the cut, the holder and how the parts in between are designed.
- Generally one can say that our final concept is better than the current solution in four to eight required criteria and they are treated right now by Sandvik Coromant for patents, said the six students' project leader Daniella Martinsson.
Students' turbine in a real rocket
Six LTU students studying mechanical engineering, half with a focus on production and half on design, has developed a turbine of the future rocket engine in collaboration with the company Volvo Aero. Ariane 5 is the European Space Agency, ESA's largest space rocket that Volvo Aero develops engine parts for. It is the next generation of rocket engines. Students have e.g. designed an inlet for fuel with high capacity requirements that manages and directs the flow of fuel from the pump to the engine. Low pressure loss, as low weight as possible and that the turbine should be easy to disassemble for inspection, has been the company's requirements.
- Volvo Aero will do a test campaign in which to test the product, disassemble it and test it in several cycles, therefore, we have developed a product that is easy to disassemble, said Tim Lindsköld, student project leader.
More efficient wheel loader with student’s idea
Working closely with the company, Volvo CE (Construction Equipment), a group of LTU students in the SIRIUS course improved the lifting unit for a wheel loader.
- Our challenge was to develop an innovative linkage of the future wheel loaders, says Christoffer Gruv, one of the students in the group.
Linkage is a steel frame which is attached to the wheel loader's front frame and the students had a variety of requirements to consider, including which elements and forces that linkage must meet.
- Important is a real movement pattern and visibility for the driver, which affects both the efficiency and security, another requirement was that it fit the company's new design, he says.
Test Rig for better calculation of the engines
A longstanding partnership with Hägglunds Drives AB, Bosch Rextoth has this year resulted in a major rig and computational model to improve its hydraulic radial piston engines.
- Our challenge was to develop a test rig for measuring the “splash” losses in Hägglunds Motors, says Gustav Näslund, one of the students in the project.
Splash losses are defined as the energy losses in the motor housing because of oil. The group of students who worked on this has created a test rig and developed a mathematical model to measure how to increase the effect on the engine by reducing energy losses in the motor.
