Engineering students target perfect formula for success

Engineering students at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor have been preparing for the 2024 Formula One in Schools competition.

Emlyn Evans, engineering lecturer at the Pwllheli and Dolgellau campuses, is preparing the seven teams for this year’s event, which will take place in Denbigh on February 1.

He said: “This is a great opportunity for our students to use the skills they have learnt since September. It involves teamwork, business acumen, marketing, design and engineering as key elements of the competition, in preparation for the race day.

“We have a total of four teams from Pwllheli and Dolgellau who are studying the first year of a two-year BTEC Level 3 Enhanced General Engineering course. They have already set up their teams, created logos and have each taken up the key roles within the team covering design, marketing, finance, manufacturing, sponsorship and project management.”

In December, the design engineers and manufacturing engineers visited the engineering centre at Coleg Menai in Llangefni to machine their initial designs for testing.

Using Fusion 360, a 3D design package, the students converted their 3D model into G-codes, which were then used as the base program to machine the race cars.

Emlyn said: “We would like to thank Bryn Jones from Coleg Menai for his time and sharing his experience with our students to enable them to convert their designs into a machined race car for pre-testing.”

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor teams entering this year’s competition are:

• Mach-7
• Meirionnydd Masters
• Come and Go
• Hafan Hamsters
• Yellow Perils

For the first time this year, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor is also supporting three local schools with two teams in this year's event.

This is part of a new Computer Aided Engineering module being delivered as part of the college’s continued engaging 14-16 engineering provision.

The learners are studying towards their GCSEs at Ysgol Glan y Môr in Pwllheli, Ysgol Botwnnog and Ysgol Eifionydd in Porthmadog, and study with Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor at the Hafan engineering campus in Pwllheli one afternoon per week.

Team Hadron comprises learners from Ysgol Botwnnog and Ysgol Eifionydd, while Team Pwllheli Panthers is made up of learners from Ysgol Glan y Môr.

Emlyn said: “We have some sponsorship opportunities available. If you are interested in sponsoring any of our teams you will be rewarded with your company logo on team clothing and on the race car.

“Look out for further updates as we prepare to race at the F1 in schools event on the 1st February 2024.”

If anyone would like to sponsor one of Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s teams in the F1 in Schools competition, email ev.evans@gllm.ac.uk

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