Oxford Brookes Racing (OBR) is a dedicated project run by Oxford Brookes University to take young engineers through the challenge of designing and building a single-seat racing car and competing as a team.

OBR takes part in the international Formula Student competition, which judges the cars on a number of criteria: design, cost, presentation, technical and safety aspects, tilt test, brake and noise test, skid pan, 1km sprint, 75m acceleration, 22km endurance and fuel economy. Since 1999, it has scored more points and returned faster laps than any other UK Formula Student team — and it has been the top UK team five times.

The current team comprises students from all over the world. Past members have gone on to work for some of the most prestigious names in motor-sport, including Red Bull Racing, Renault F1, Virgin Racing, Force India, Lotus F1, Cosworth, and Audi Motorsport.

This year, the team turned to Seco Tools UK to help them develop a complex sequential gearbox shifter barrel. OBR provided Seco applications manager Spencer Adams and business development manager David Magnall with a drawing and a solid model. Seco identified the tooling and geometries, drew up the tool list, then worked in partnership with Edgecam (www.edgecam.com) from Vero Software to create the tool-paths and manufacture the part.

Mr Adams, who gained in-depth knowledge of Edgecam on a training course at Seco’s Technical Centre created specially for customer project engineers, proved the program out on the carbide cutting-tool manufacturer’s Agie Charmilles Mikron HPM 600U five-axis machine. “This part required Edgecam to create the program and make efficient edits, ensuring that the barrel was absolutely perfect first time.

The software’s powerful simulation function was particularly important to the project, giving us the ability to identify any issues before we started to cut metal. We liaised with Edgecam engineers on slight program amendments to the NC code and the post-processor.”

Edgecam’s strategic-partnership manager Wesley Tonks said: “The Oxford Brookes enterprise demonstrates the value of the training course that we developed for Seco. It was designed to show Seco engineers how to program more efficiently and effectively with Edgecam for their in-house customer projects.

"It was particularly rewarding to work on this project, as Formula Student uses the excitement and appeal of motor-sport to open young minds to the enormous possibilities of a career in engineering, while giving them a wealth of real-life experience to help them be successful.”