Pennsylvania-based engineering simulation and 3D design software company Ansys has entered into a partnership with the F1 in Schools organisation to provide computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation solutions for participating student teams representing 58 countries, enabling them to design, test and optimise their race cars.
F1 in Schools engages students of all abilities in engineering competitions, while introducing future workforce skills and inspiring career opportunities. Ansys joins F1 in Schools global CAD partner Autodesk to extend an existing strategic partnership that connects students with real-world engineering tools throughout the competition.
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F1 in Schools competitions feature teams of school-age students who design, build, and race miniature Formula One cars using engineering software and cutting-edge manufacturing technology. To be successful, teams need simulation tools to design, test and optimise their race cars. The introduction of Ansys CFD solutions will give student teams exposure to a valuable skillset while unlocking engineering insights that can lead to enhanced race car designs.
‘F1 in Schools remains committed to delivering exciting, challenging educational experiences through the appeal of Formula One to raise awareness around STEM and create memorable experiences for students from around the world,’ said Andrew Denford, founder and chairman of F1 in Schools. ‘Our partnerships with Autodesk, and now Ansys, help students make valuable connections between the power of teamwork and cutting-edge tools to address engineering challenges – skills that will propel them forward in their studies and future professional lives.’
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With access to Ansys CFD solutions through Ansys Discovery, students can quickly design and optimise their cars and gain real-world experience at the same time. Several F1 student teams have worked previously with Ansys, including members of German team Sonic Boom (the team’s car design is pictured above). Last season, Sonic Boom reached the global finals and won a high-profile elimination event against the competition’s 16 fastest cars.
‘At a certain point during the design process, we realised we needed very accurate simulation to compete effectively, so we contacted Ansys,’ said Florian Wolf, design engineer for Team Sonic Boom. ‘Ansys’s meshing capabilities provided us with positive results overall for our design and allowed us to gain great professional simulation experience. Simulation was our final optimisation step and involved running many CFD iterations to secure a perfect result – which was designing the best cars we’ve ever made.’
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‘We are proud to partner with F1 in Schools in fostering innovation, diversity and skill development among the next generation of engineers,’ said Prith Banerjee, chief technology officer at Ansys. ‘This collaboration helps nurture future engineering leaders by levelling the playing field and creating gender-balanced and inclusive real-life learning opportunities for students around the world.’