Automotive & Motorsport Engineering – (M.Sc.)

Contents

This course will combine modules in automotive and motorsport engineering to develop graduates who are well equipped with the knowledge and skills to work in the multi-discipline area typically encountered in the automotive and motorsport engineering industry. The programme will help students attain the imaginative and creative skills necessary for a successful career in this field both at national and international levels. The course will allow students the option of specialising in automotive engineering or motorsport engineering.

Every student also produces a group project, usually carried out with four or five other students. The group project involves the design, manufacture, assembly, and testing of a single seater racing vehicle that will take part in the Annual Formula Student Competition in July with over 70 teams competing in the event.

Students will have the opportunity to spend a few days at Ricardo Motorsport during the course.

Compulsory Modules

* Research Planning and Methodology
* Racing Team Management and Vehicle Testing Develops the necessary skills in racing team management and understanding of a race season and race planning, and introduces and familiarise students with racing vehicle testing.
Main topics include: team management; marketing concept; ethical business; leadership; risk management; employment; vehicle testing.
* Advanced Vehicle Dynamics, IC Engines, Materials and Manufacturing Main topics include: principles of multi-body dynamics; the mixture preparation methods and combustion process in direct injection SI engines; overview of the principal property requirements for materials used in racing car structures; theories of fibre-reinforcement in materials; performance of engineering plastics; composition and properties of high performance elastomers and rubbers; advanced processing and joining technologies for the manufacture and construction of racing vehicle components from high performance polymers; physical and metallurgical properties of high strength steels, aluminium, titanium, nickel and magnesium alloys; metal matrix composites; fabrication of metallic components; failure modes and non-destructive evaluation techniques; composition, properties and processing methods for engineering ceramics used in racing vehicle construction.
* Group Project Main topics include: students work nominally in groups of 5 or 6 to prepare a novel design for a particular engineering system or product; they will be required to work from an initial design brief to produce the product design specification and the necessary planning and management strategies; using these procedures students will learn and apply the techniques and skills necessary to carry out the design of a multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary system or product; as part of the outcome of this work they will be required to produce a final technical specification including cost justification; they will also be expected to provide performance justification, the specification of appropriate manufacturing techniques and provision for accommodating environmental effects.
* Dissertation

Optional Modules

Block 1:

* Advanced CAD and Manufacturing
* Advanced Thermofluids Main topics include: methods and instruments in fluid flow measurements: laser doppler anemometry (LDA), particle image velocimetry (PIV), hot-wire anemometry (HWA); fluid flow and heat transfer simulations by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) modelling, large eddy simulation (LES) and direct numerical simulation (DNS).

Block 2:

* Racing Legislation, Finance and Sponsorship
* Racing Vehicle Design and Performance

AssessmentAssessment of academic progress for the duration of the courses is by continuous assessment of reports on practical work or site visits, essays, tutorial work and by formal examinations at the end of each term. Students are also required to complete an assignment on selected topics on a subject of immediate public concern or on topics that require study over a wide range of technical, political, social or economic aspects.