Northwestern University Formula RacingNorthwestern University Formula RacingNFR25’s team has set out to with the major goal of developing the team’s first drivable electric car. Using the previous year’s car as a major learning point, the team plans to iterate on previous designs and follow a more ambitious timeline. The team is eager to finally see results after all of the hard work put in to make an electric car.
For NFR24, the team focused on making a better thought-out electric car. This meant a completely redesigned frame meant specifically for an electric car, a more compact accumulator, and a complex cooling system. The car made it to competition on time and passed Mechanical Technical Inspection but could not pass the Accumulator Technical Inspection successfully, thus preventing the car from racing at competition. The team was still able to spin the car’s wheels and have the dashboard display useful information using an external power source.
NFR23 was the team’s first fully electric car. The team had a lot on its plate for its ambitious goal of developing an electric car for the first time within one year. Despite the team’s efforts, the car did not make it in time to pass the technical inspections at competition. Instead, the team used the competition to learn from other schools and prepare for the next year.
NFR22 was the last internal combustion car the team produced. The car completed 7.5 laps of endurance before an oil clog led to an explosion and fire in the cockpit. The team ended up placing 67th out of about 100 teams.
NFR21 further developed on NFR20’s designs, attempting to further refine the car after the pandemic. The car drove at all dynamic events at competition, with the acceleration score being among the top-ranking teams. The car also completed 18 out of the 22 laps of endurance.
NFR20’s team set out to continue iterating and improving on the previous year’s design, with the major goals of completing endurance and gaining many more driving hours throughout the year for testing, validation, and training. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, physical manufacturing was halted to ensure the well being of the team, and design shifted offsite.
NFR19 iterated on NFR18’s designs and worked on improving its powertrain, suspension, and aerodynamic systems using the previous year’s data and dedicating more time to education and design in the fall. At competition, we got the highest placement in recent NFR history, sharply improving our static events and jumping 18 spots in ranking. Other accomplishments include gaining our first ever creativity points.
NFR18 saw a dramatic design overhaul. We pivoted to a new 4-cylinder Yamaha R6 engine for an increase in power, requiring system-level alterations throughout the car. The most dramatic changes were made to the chassis, powertrain, and electronics subsystems.
The team for NFR17 initiated a redesign of our electronic systems, building a fully removable electronic harness. Its powertrain system had large power gains due to new designs for its intake and exhaust. Overall, the team was able to reduce the weight of the car and lower its center of gravity.
NFR16 was built with one goal in mind: to finish the endurance race. In the past years, the team never even made it to the start line. The team made changes in dropping down to 10-inch wheels giving the suspension team a more aggressive build cycle. After analysis, the team also decided to include an aero package on the car for the first time. This was also the first year the team decided to compete in FSAE West which took place in Lincoln, Nebraska. NFR16 was the first car to complete endurance and did it successfully at both competitions.
This year, the team upgraded from a one-cylinder engine to a larger, more powerful, Honda CBR500R engine. On this car, the team had more structural composites than any previous car and radically redesigned electronics, including fully electric shifting. This year, the team was fully equipped to finish the endurance race for the first time, but there were electrical issues that wouldn’t allow the car to start.
Building off of the completely overhauled design of the previous year’s car, NFR14 was the lightest, fastest car the team had ever designed and built. This year saw the reintroduction of machined aluminum uprights, as well as substantial improvements to the custom aluminum hubs, lightweight wheel centers, pneumatic shifting system, and structural composites. Although a drivetrain issue prevented NFR14 from competing at Formula SAE Michigan, the substantial improvements of this new car were confirmed in post-season testing.
Northwestern Formula Racing began 2013 with an experienced team, and decided to push the design envelope. For this car, the team redesigned every major component including pneumatic shifting, reclined driving position, lightweight wheel centers, custom hubs, a rebuilt engine, and a structural carbon fiber floor. All this innovation resulted in an impressive car from a design standpoint, but ultimately did not allow for adequate testing time.
This was the first Northwestern Formula Racing car to be completed in a one-year cycle. It was designed in Fall 2011 and manufactured Winter and Spring 2012. The car showcased some notable engineering improvements with full carbon fiber bodywork and improved driving dynamics. Simplicity was key, as the team wanted to prove that NFR could compete with a new car every year.
Formula SAE 2012 Results
The team went through a restructuring in 2011 with an emphasis on team building before competing again in 2011. The team grew to 25 active members with defined subteams for composites, engine, frame, and suspension. The theme guiding the 2011 design was simplicity and efficiency, allowing members to know the car from the inside out.
Formula SAE Michigan 2011 results:
The 2008 design focus was on a simple reliable package that was within the team’s capability to manufacture, assemble, and maintain. The result was a car that ran throughout the three days of competition without mechanical difficulty and passed technical inspection on the first attempt, an extremely rare achievement for a first-year vehicle. The competition rules allow a maximum displacement of 610cc, and the standard engine choice is a 600cc 4-cylinder motorcycle engine. A smaller, lighter, and more compact 450cc single-cylinder engine was selected for the direct weight savings and the additional weight reduction from the smaller frame required to carry it. The result was a compact, nimble package. With further development, it had the potential to outmaneuver the bulkier vehicles designed for maximum power.
Formula SAE Michigan 2008 Highlights
