Innovation balanced with teamwork

| Redactie

With testing going well so far, Solar Team Twente is sufficiently prepared with teamwork, support and skill to take on the World Solar Challenge beginning in Darwin, Australia on October 25. Currently in Australia with their solar car '21Revolution', the team is preparing for their third run in the 10th World Solar Challenge. In the biennial race for cars designed solely reliant on solar energy, the team will travel a distance of 3,010 kilometers from Darwin to Adelaide, across the Australian Outback in this innovative platform for the next generation of technology. Collaboration of Creative Efforts Arguably, the success of the team comes from teamwork, and as Helen Keller once said, `Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.' Personal enrichment is a bonus, as the project further develops the skills of each team member, who is individually responsible for their position while often working outside of their educational field of study. The experience offers more than traditional studies, as Tim Plattel, a UT student and the team's manager, explained, `This project is an enormous learning process, where I can develop my technical skills and management qualities.'

Enthusiasm is also an important element, as team marketing manager and UT Industrial Design student, Marit Lintsen, shared: `When I heard about the Challenge, I didn't hesitate to take on the opportunity. It has been a unique and unforgettable experience setting up the project from beginning to end through marketing, technical design and actually building the car.'

Sharing ones experience is important in the teams overall success, as Rob Reilink, a PhD candidate and 2005 team member for `SolUTra' experienced in his role testing and designing the electronics and telemetry. In addition to his work four years ago, he contributed by testing and designing the electronic and telemetry, and he also conducted further test on the battery balancing system on the `Twente One' project two years ago. Reilink has helped this year as a design consultant, offering his expertise on the construction phase with hands-on work, sharing his knowledge from previous experiences. Soon he will be in Australia to assist the team. `I feel the input from former team members can be valuable since the problems which they encounter may have already been solved by the previous teams,' said Reilink.

Selection for the solar team is a strict procedure, and Reilink revealed what type of experts are sought after, `A good team is made up of people who are technical and non-technical, theoretical and practical, experts in their fields and those who excel well in interdisciplinary work. Most important of all, you need team players. Success doesn't just depend on the skills of the team members; it depends on how well they work together.'

In a profound sense, the nature of the project requires solid teamwork to represent the Twente region. When asked about the devotion and support received from the local community, Reilink responded, `It is very good to see how many people support the team. Solar Team Twente is a team from and for Twente.'

For further reading about Solar Team Twente: www.solarteam.nl.

Solar Team Twente is a collaboration of 18 students, ten of them students from the University of Twente, seven from Saxion College and one from the Hogeschool Windesheim. With the support of advisors, former team members and local students participating in the experience, they have been working together in the design, building and testing of the 21Revolution since September 2008.
Solar Team Twente is a collaboration of 18 students, ten of them students from the University of Twente, seven from Saxion College and one from the Hogeschool Windesheim. With the support of advisors, former team members and local students participating in the experience, they have been working together in the design, building and testing of the 21Revolution since September 2008.
(Foto: Gijs van Ouwerkerk)


21Revolution: built for speed
This year’s solar car greatly improves on the concepts of the Solar Team Twente’s last two cars, boasting its success with the Twente steed emblem on its red exterior. The 2007 Fresnel lenses enable the concentration of sunlight onto the solar cells, allowing for the maximum capacity of a six m² surface. The team has redesigned the tilting wing from the last car, which tilts towards the sun to increase production of the patented Fresnel lenses. Ultimately, by using lightweight materials in the aerodynamic design, the car will be able to travel at 90 km/h. The goal is based on the winner two years ago, TU Delft’s ‘Nuna4,’ whose average speed was 90.87 km/h.

Adopt a Cell
With the Adopt a Cell donation program everyone can become a supporter of the Solar Team Twente by adopting a solar cell, starting at 25 euros per cell or by becoming a member of Club of 1,000. The solar array is the single most expensive part of the solar car, and with 2,258 cells the financial support will certainly help. Your name and message will be mentioned so everyone can see that you have helped support this project. For more information: tinyurl.com/adoptacell.

Swedish vision
The World Solar Challenge, also called this year the Global Green Challenge, is not only a biennial race, but also a platform for innovation and technology. The biennial race was founded in 1982 by Swedish pioneer Hans Tholstrup when he drove his home built solar car, ‘Quiet Achiever,’ across Australia from the west to the east coast. Since 1987, the event has helped promote alternatives using solar and other green technologies, drawing the attention of the best engineering schools worldwide and showcases the development of innovative automotive technology. For further information: www.wsc.org.au

Teamwork in sportsmanship
Representing the Netherlands is the Nuon Solar Team from TU Delft with their solar car, ‘Nuna5.’ Remarkably, though the two teams must soon compete, they have proven true sportsmanship when recently Nuna5 had an accident during testing near Darwin. Twente’s team was the first called for help, and as reported on the team’s website, team leader Tim Plattel stated, ‘We definitely can give support with materials such as carbon.’ In support of teamwork and innovation, he continued, ‘Even though the competition is intense, we are here together to keep the Dutch pride high.’

Recommended

Actieplan in de maak voor Fraunhofer-samenwerking

De faculteit ET en het Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Advanced Manufacturing werken aan een actieplan en hernieuwde business case, die voor de zomer gereed moeten zijn. Aanleiding is het financieel uit de pas lopen van het projectcentrum.

Studenten in de rats als energierekening oploopt

Er komt een energiecrisis aan. Komende winter zien ook studenten de rekening oplopen. Wat hebben zij aan de steunmaatregelen van het kabinet? En hoe ging het in de vorige crisis?

Letschert zet de koers uit: honderden miljoenen erbij voor hoger onderwijs

Universiteiten en hogescholen krijgen er honderden miljoenen euro’s bij voor onderzoek, innovatie en het werven van internationale studenten. De basisbeurs voor uitwonende studenten gaat met 50 euro omhoog. Tenminste, als het kabinet zijn zin krijgt.

Koninklijke onderscheiding voor Maroeska Rovers

Maroeska Rovers, wetenschappelijk directeur van het TechMed Centre, ontving vrijdag een koninklijke onderscheiding. In de gemeente Berg en Dal werd ze benoemd tot Officier in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau.

Stay tuned

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.