KUET students design racing car with jute fiber

The Kilo Flight team, a group of students from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), participated virtually in the UK Formula Student (FS) this year. This is an annual engineering competition where participants are required to design small-scale formula-style racing cars. The event is organized by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. It is considered the most established educational engineering competition in Europe and is supported by industrial and top engineers.

It gives students a taste of the real world experience, combining practical engineering with the necessary soft skills, such as business planning and project management.

The Kilo Flight team built a model Formula 1 racing car out of jute fiber. Their eco-friendly car, Kilo Flight Alpha, is a milestone for Bangladesh’s automotive industry. The vehicle is capable of traveling at 162 km / h. Its body, aerodynamics, air intake system and driver’s seat are all made of jute composite.

The Kilo Flight team worked on the car for about three years before presenting it at the event. They were the only Bangladeshi team among participants from 64 other countries. “It took us four months to build the vehicle while the design and other procedures took another two and a half years,” said Arfan Islam, the team captain.

“Initially, we couldn’t manage enough funds for this project. We also lacked the technological support needed to build and test our automobile, ”explained Md Mohiuddin, one of their deputy captains.

As FS is a year round competition, the team submitted several specifications and design reports throughout the year. “On the last day, we presented through Microsoft Teams and provided insight into our design, while also sharing our reasoning, cost reporting, management and validation,” said Sagor Mozumder, another captain. team assistant.

The Kilo Flight team was formed in 2018. It currently has 145 members and intends to inspire students from different fields such as textile engineering, mechanical engineering, as well as business studies, to develop their skills for the automotive sector.

In the future, they plan to use their knowledge and ideas to build commercial vehicles.

The author is a medical student and freelance journalist who enjoys reading, doodling, and blogging. Email: mislammonamee@gmail.com.