MACH 2016Oxford Brookes University is a leader when it comes to developing the engineers of the future, and a key factor is its participation in the Formula Student motor-sport competition.

At the launch of the team’s 2016 car, team leader Chris Shaw highlighted the many successes notched up since 1999; these include being the top UK team five times, plus creating a carbon monocoque chassis, then an aluminium monocoque and — for this year’s car — a folded-carbon monocoque.

When OBU Masters student Chris Warburton went to the MACH exhibition earlier this year, he visited the stand of WNT (UK) Ltd (www.wnt.com) and entered the company’s prize draw; as a result, the OBU team is now using WNT tooling worth £1,000.

“The areas of focus include: suspension components that have been redesigned to make them stiffer and lighter; aerodynamic components to improve the efficiency of the wings and the floor; and reducing the mass of powertrain
components.”

Since Mr Warburton won the tooling voucher, WNT (UK) has started to develop a partnership with OBU, to help it compete against some of the best-funded universities in the world. Managing director Tony Pennington says: “We
are excited to be involved with OBU and its on-going challenge in the Formula Student competition.

"As well as the £1,000 prize, it is taking advantage of our standard 50% discount for educational establishments, and we are available to offer support through our technical sales and applications engineering team.”