Fast Prototyping for a Fast Team - See how the Carvera supports a STEM Racing Program

There are many reasons to consider bringing subtractive manufacturing techniques into the classroom, but perhaps one of the most prevalent ones is to foster industry-standard concepts in a makerspace learning environment. That is exactly what the educators at Woodberry Forest School are looking to accomplish as they offer students the opportunities to design, fabricate, and race prototype CO2 drag cars through the international STEM Racing Competition.

The STEM Racing challenge is an annual STEM competition that challenges students from around the globe. Endorsed by Formula 1, this program sets students on the fast track to interacting with real-world concepts and skills in 3D modeling, prototyping, production, and problem solving.

There are strict regulations and rules teams must design around, just like in the professional racing series. Teams are also responsible for documenting their processes, engaging their local communities, and presenting to the other teams and judges at the events.

The cars are ultra lightweight CO2 drag cars which race to set the fastest time across multiple heats and challenges. Teams design using real-world skills, like CFD and small-scale wind tunnels as they work to design the most efficient solution.

Another key component of the competition is that the cars must be manufactured out of a regulated polystyrene block through subtractive methods, which can be a hurdle for many.

This past March Jason, Makera's Education Direction, had the opportunity to visit Woodberry Forest School to meet the Formula Forest team and learn more about the project. Woodberry is a private high school for boys located in Virginia, United States of America. During his brief stay, Jason was able to tour the campus, meet the team, and see how they were working to prepare for the upcoming competition.

Each member of the team took on a key role working towards the common goal of developing a fast and competition spec car. Some members worked on the CAD while others worked on the CAM and prototyping stages. But there are many other key roles like aerodynamic testing, documentation, community outreach, and team branding and marketing.

The teams' coach and educator Dr. Scott Michaels knows about racing as he is a former aerodynamicist. But he strongly believes in student perseverance and problem solving as he works to support the students' ideas, but also lets them find their own way through prototyping and problem solving.

A key resource towards the team's success is the Carvera Desktop CNC. Dr. Michaels shared with us how this tool has played a role in the team finding success. "Many teams actually out source the production of their cars, but we've been fortunate to have been able to make our own using the Carvera" , said Michaels.

Thanks to its compatibility with Autodesk Fusion and true 4th axis machining capability, the team has been able to work through rapid prototyping techniques as they iterate their design in-house. The Carvera's tool changer also makes complex setups and longer machining operations across the school day more achievable through autonomous production.

Prototype cars are then tested using the teams' own DIY wind tunnel and test track to see how they perform, and where there's room for further improvement. The team has also taken advantage of SLS printing methods for small details and parts, but ensured that the main car chassis is machined from a single piece of foam as per the racing regulations.

In April, the Formula Forest team traveled to the National STEM Racing Competition in North Carolina to compete against 26 other teams for the chance to go to the World Championship. The team performed admirably, with recognition for their car design as well as their pit display and showcase on their efforts for community engagement and collaboration too. Their car was quick too, placing 4th! Unfortunately this wasn't enough to make it to the next stage, but the team took home the Sportsmanship award and a great experience overall.

The students at Woodbery show us exactly what can be achieved when they are provided with the tools and resources to explore even the most complex concepts and a young age, and its something we hope to see even more as CNC machining becomes even more accessible.