INTAMSYS Continues to Sponsor Rennteam from University of Stuttgart in 2024

Rennteam University of Stuttgart e.V. is a student organization at the University of Stuttgart, specializing in designing, building, and racing Formula Student cars, both electric and driverless. Comprised of passionate students from diverse engineering and business backgrounds, the team competes internationally, showing their expertise in automotive technology.

Since 2009, the University of Stuttgart had hosted two Formula Student teams: GreenTeam and Rennteam. While GreenTeam focused on electric cars, Rennteam specialized in combustion engine vehicles. Starting from the 2024 season, these teams merged into a single team, now known as Rennteam Uni Stuttgart, and they focus on electric and autonomous vehicles.

INTAMSYS has been sponsoring GreenTeam over the last couple of years with its FFF 3D printing technologies and is proud to announce that its sponsorship will continue for Rennteam in the 2024 season.

Reveal of the new racing car of this season, the X0711-1, at University of Stuttgart

The new racing car of this season, the X0711-1, has been recently revealed. The name “X” signifies the merging of GreenTeam and Rennteam into one team this year, symbolizing the crossing of their paths. The team has been using 3D printing in various areas inside the car from the accumulator to the power electronics. The electric & driverless car of this season consists of more than 160 parts printed with INTAMSYS 3D printers.

Using 3D printing offers numerous advantages for formula cars and the automotive sector. To compete at Formula Student, the team must comply with the rules while minimizing the car’s weight, such as ensuring fire retardancy in accumulator parts and creating barriers between components with different voltages, as required by the competition committee.

Additionally, many of the parts used inside the car require frequent design iterations and are produced in small quantities. Therefore, 3D printing technology provides design flexibility for customized solutions, enabling the team to achieve the desired results.

Rennteam utilizes the INTAMSYS FUNMAT HT, a desktop 3D printer, in their workshop for developing the racing car. Each year, new team members receive a comprehensive training on using the printer and INTAMSUITETM NEO, the INTAMSYS slicing software, effectively. Rennteam has self-developed the designs for all 160 parts, and approximately 150 parts have been printed using the INTAMSYS FUNMAT HT.

Small parts for different applications printed with FUNMAT HT (photo credit: Rennteam)

Their in-house INTAMSYS Printers 3D printed parts have a unique application in carbon-fiber structures. To shape the carbon-fiber structures and prevent them from melting at high temperatures during the process, the team uses 3D printed parts made from PEI material. The high strength and heat resistance of PEI, make it suitable for the hot and pressurized environment inside an autoclave.

After achieving the desired shape with the help of PEI, the 3D printed parts are laminated with carbon fiber and used inside the car. Using the PEI as a core material for carbon-fiber parts enables the shapes that would not be possible otherwise.

Air Geo

The team also uses PEI a lot inside of their high voltage accumulator. With its fire resistance and high strength abilities, PEI is again the perfect choice for many parts inside the accumulator.

One of these parts is Air Geo, which is located inside the accumulator in the backside of the car. This component serves as a housing for cables, relays, fuses, and numerous PCBs, ranging from light indicators for the accumulator to the accumulator management system.

The part is fully designed by Rennteam according to their needs, and in 2024 season, they have made some changes. They aimed to increase the aerodynamic downforce by making the chassis slimmer in the rear. This meant that also the high voltage accumulator had to get slimmer. As the Air Geo is an essential part inside the accumulator, the team also reduced the size of the part.

For the part, the FUNMAT PRO 610HT was used thanks to its large build volume (610 x 508 x 508 mm). The material choice was PEI 1010, which offers high-heat resistance, chemical resistance, and tensile strength.

Air Geo in 2024 Season

Flap Ribs

Other 3D printed parts, using the FUNMAT PRO 610HT and PC material, are the flap ribs that play a crucial role in the construction of the car’s side wing. These ribs are glued into the carbon-fiber shells and incorporate threaded inserts for attaching the wing to the chassis.

While the team has used these ribs for years, they have redesigned for this season to accommodate changes in aerodynamic shape of the wings. Using INTAMSUITETM NEO and the 3D Printing technology, they conducted topology optimization to achieve the lightest possible geometry, resulting in an organic shape that would not be possible to manufacture by milling.

Tank Holder

The tank holder is a new part in this year´s racing car. The part is printed on the FUNMAT PRO 610HT with the material choice of ABS. For the driverless disciplines, the team uses pressurized air to activate the brakes in an emergency. This year, they changed the concept of how pressurized air is stored, which required a new mounting solution. The tank holder is designed to solve this challenge.

Over the past few years, Rennteam have achieved remarkable things by developing their own vehicles, and INTAMSYS, as a proud sponsor, is excited to see how they will continue to excel and integrate 3D Printing into the racing world.

INTAMSYS extends its best wishes to Rennteam Uni Stuttgart for a successful and outstanding performance in this year’s competitions!

The new racing car of this season, the X0711-1

Related Articles

INTAMSYS Renews Sponsorship for GreenTeam from University of Stuttgart in 2023

Lots of Ambition of the GreenTeam´s New Race Car

About Rennteam

The Rennteam Uni Stuttgart is a student association that has been successfully participating in Formula Student, the world’s largest engineering competition, with its self-developed, innovative racing cars since 2006.

INTAMSYS is a global leader in industrial 3D printing, offering comprehensive additive manufacturing solutions and services. Established in 2016 by a team of experienced engineers, INTAMSYS has earned the trust of customers across various industries. The company specializes in FFF technology, delivering state-of-the-art FUNMA 3D printers that can handle a wide range of engineering materials, alongside its own line of high-performance materials. With offices in Germany, the United States, and China, INTAMSYS boasts a global network of partners, ensuring seamless service delivery worldwide.

For more information about INTAMSYS, please visit: www.intamsys.com

Email: info@intamsys.com