CPUT’s Cape Speed team returned from the finals at the International Formula Student (FS) motorsport today.

They are the first African team to ever qualify for the event which takes place at Silverstone in the UK and placed 65th out of 132 overall and came 27th out of 132 for the endurance stage of the event.

Isobel Pollock, President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the organisation which runs the competition, says that this is the first time in history that a team from Africa has made it through to the final dynamic tests. She also commented that never has a newcomer team presented a car with such immaculate finishing.

The Cape Speed team passed the ‘Static’ portion of the competition, where they were judged on business presentations skills, costing and sustainability, brake tests and design of the formula built car. They qualified and then moved onto the Dynamic phase, which took place on 14^th July. This involved the team pitting their cars against the other teams through acceleration, skid pad and speed tests on the track before completing the final endurance race on 15^th July.

Cape Speed team captain Kerwyn Lategan says he is proud of his team’s placing.

“We were proud to have completed the race. Our strategy involved the drivers being cautious, rather than being fast, which could have lead to our participation coming to a premature end,” says Kerwyn.

The team now embarked on a campaign to raise awareness amongst aspiring engineers both at school and college level about CapeSpeed’s accomplishments.

By LAUREN KANSLEY

Written by CPUT News
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The International Departures terminal of the Cape Town International Airport turned into a hive of excitement on Wednesday when relatives, friends, and colleagues of Team Cape Speed­, the engineering students and lecturers involved in the building of the formula racing car that will compete in Silverstone in the UK, gathered to give the team a warm send-off.

Clad in their blue CPUT blazers and matching scarves, the team had a busy afternoon shaking hands and taking hugs and kisses from well wishers for their three-week trip to the UK where they will be participating in the 2012 Formula Student competition in which 110 universities are participating.

“We wish you all the best. We are sure it is going to be good there and hope you are going to fare well,” said Severus Cerff of the Marketing and Communication Department. Speaking on behalf of Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, Mr Cerff thanked everybody who was involved from the conception until the building of Cape Speed.

Anar Daniels, co-host with Reddy D on Good Hope FM, also gave some words of motivation to the team: “Go to London and represent Cape Town and South Africa. It is a huge achievement to be the only university to represent South Africa at such an event. Even if you come back with nothing you are still our ambassadors,” he said amid cheers from the well wishers.

Chesire Adriaan, an engineering student and member of Team Cape Speed, said the few days before their departure was a big rush affair. “We had to get all things done in time for our trip. Our visas, team building exercises, presentations to prepare, and finally packing of the luggage,” he said. Adriaan said his excitement was slowly building up and hope it will reach its peak levels once he is on the plane. The team was destined to fly to Birmingham via a 10-hour connection flight to Dubai.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Written by CPUT News
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Engineering students and lecturers involved in the building of the Formula 1 racing car that will compete at Silverstone in the UK ­were given a warm send-off recently.

Relatives, friends, and colleagues of the Cape Speed­ Team descended on the International Departures section of the airport to wish the team well for their trip.

Clad in their blue CPUT blazers and matching scarves the team looked every inch the winners they are as they jet off for a three-week trip where they will be participating in the 2012 Formula Student competition in which 110 universities are participating.

“We wish you all the best. We are sure it is going to be good there and hope you are going to do well,” Severus Cerff of the Marketing and Communication Department says.

Speaking on behalf of Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, Cerff thanked everybody who was involved.

Anar Daniels, co-host with Reddy D on Good Hope FM, also gave some words of motivation to the team. “Go to London and represent Cape Town and South Africa. It is a huge achievement to be the only university to represent South Africa at such an event. Even if you come back with nothing you are still our ambassadors,” he says amid cheers from the well-wishers.

Chesire’ Adriaan, an engineering student and member of the Cape Speed team says the days before their departure was a big rush.

“We had to get all things done in time for our trip. Our visas, team building exercises, presentations to prepare, and finally packing of the luggage,” he says.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Written by CPUT News
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Support the Champions of Engineering team by entering the Cape Speed Digital competition.

Tweet your messages of support using the  #capespeed or like the Facebook page, and you’ll be entered into a draw to win great prizes.

CLOSER LOOK: Team member Fulufhelo Ndou with one of the racing cars.

Each tweet or like will power a model car around a racing track that has been set up at the CPUT Cape Town Library.

Alan Cronje from AtPlay, the digital division of agency Saatchi & Saatchi who devised the system, says with the help of the latest technology they are able to link up Twitter and Facebook to the racetrack and give the car instructions.

“Each tweet or like powers the model car for one lap around the track,” says Cronje.

The Champions of Engineering team will compete in the Formula Student Competition at Silverstone in the UK next month. This is the first time CPUT will take part in the race and is the only university in South Africa that clinched a spot in the competition.

Head of the Adaptronic Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory Prof Oscar Philander, under which this project falls, has encouraged the CPUT community and public to participate in the competition that runs up until 29 June.

Prizes up for grabs include an iPad and mobile phone starter packs.

For more information on the competition go to www.capespeed.co.za

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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The CPUT Formula One car was put through its final paces at the Killarney Race Track in preparation of being shipped off to Silverstone in the United Kingdom.

This is the first time CPUT will compete in the 2012 Formula Student competition, and the institution is the only South African university to secure a place in this year’s competition.

CHECKS: The team of students and lecturers do some checks on the car.

Mechanical Engineering Lecturer Eugene Erfort says students will have to compete in a number of events, including a 22km endurance race.

He says the car passed the test at Killarney with flying colours.

One of the tests focused on how the car would perform during this endurance race as well as its fuel consumption.

“We are very pleased with the results,” he says.

And with the car meeting all requirements, lecturer Felicity Harris says the team will spend the next few days preparing it for freighting.

And while the car makes its way across the Atlantic Ocean, the Engineering Faculty together with the Adaptronic Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory and Public Relations Department will host the “Cape Speed, Show and Shine” car show on 2 June 2012.

This family-friendly car show, which will take place at the Bellville Campus, is a fundraising event for the students who will travel to the UK in July.

Organiser of the event Dean Jacobs says the show will give car enthusiasts an opportunity to show off their vintage and show cars.

For more information on the event contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 072 664 1886

By Candes Keating

Photographs by Mpho Ndou

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CPUT’s 2014 Cape Speed team will take to the tracks at the Century City Karting Arena on Saturday, 6 December 2014.

The event is part of fundraising initiatives for the 2016 team who will compete in the International Formula Student event at Silverstone in the United Kingdom.

Event organiser, Dean Jacobs, says the public along with the CPUT community is invited to join the team on the race track.

The event starts at 4 pm.

• Pre-sale tickets are R90 (10 laps)
• Tickets at the door are R100 (10 laps)

For more information and ticket sales please contact the Cape Speed via Facebook or Dean Jacobs at 076 360 7263

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT’s formula-one racing car is set to be showcased at CPUT campuses and schools during the next few weeks.

The Formula Student Roadshow, which kicks off on the Bellville Campus on 4 September 2014, is aimed at recruiting students from across faculties who will start work on CPUT’s third racing car.

The Formula Student project was established in 2011 under the mentorship of staff in the TIA Adaptronics AMTL, with the aim of developing automotive and motorsport engineers in South Africa.

In 2012 CPUT made their debut in the Formula Student competition in the UK, an international event that tasks students to design and build a Formula One race car.

This year the team returned to Silverstone with a new formula-one racing car, named Prins.

The team, known as CAPESPEED, is not only limited to engineering students, but students from all disciplines are welcome to be part of the next team who will compete in the 2016 Formula Student competition.

This year the team included students from Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Public Relations, Film and Video, Hospitality, Internal Auditing and Marketing.

To catch a glimpse of Prins visit the Roadshow at the following venues:

• 4 September 2014:Bellville Campus – Walkway at the Major Sports Hall and Auditorium from 10am
• 29 September: Cape Town Campus –Piazza from 11am

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT students are gearing up to take to the race track this July at the iconic home of motorsport, Silverstone in Britain.

On Tuesday, 27 May 2014, CPUT together with its TIA-Adaptronics AMTL research unit is gearing up to unveil their formula racing car.

The racing car was designed and manufactured by a multi-disciplinary group of students, led by Mechanical Engineering students, who will compete in Formula Student, Europe’s biggest student motorsport event.

The CPUT team, CAPE SPEED, will be the only team from South Africa to compete in this year’s event, which has attracted teams from 100 universities across the globe.

The teams will be competing in 600cc racing cars, which are designed and built from scratch and are capable of travelling from 0 to 90kph in only a few seconds. The racing cars will be put through a series of rigorous tests, including acceleration, sprint, endurance races, and skid pads.

This will be the second time that the CPUT team has participated in this event. In July 2012 CAPE SPEED, as a first entrant of this competition, surprised many by placing number 65 out of 132 entrants. The team also made history by being the first team from Africa to complete all race stages.

But this year’s team is hoping to improve on the current ranking says CAPE SPEED captain, Cyprian Onochie.

This year’s racing car was designed using the latest materials and techniques available, which included technology from CPUT’s Product Lifecycle Management Competency Centre.

“It was hard work and long hours, but we managed,” says Cyprian.

This year’s team also consists of students from the Faculties of Informatics and Design and Business, who are working on other aspects of the competition.

*The project is a recognized WDC2014 Project. Follow all CPUT’s WDC2014 projects at www.imaginethat.org.za

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

This July, a group of BTech and MTech Mechanical Engineering students will compete in the Student Formula event at Silverstone in the UK.

The event is one of the world’s premier inter-university challenges and annually attracts thousands of students from across the globe.

Students from various disciplines are charged with designing and building a formula racing car from scratch and at Silverstone their design skills and technical know-how is put to the test as they battle it out for first place.

In 2012 our students participated in the Formula Student for the first time and went on to be the first African team to complete all race stages. The team was ranked 65th out of 132 overall and came 27th out of 132 for the endurance stage of the event.

This year’s team is made up of Mechanical postgraduate students who are already hard at work on the formula racing car.

Work began last year when students conceptualised their design using state-of-the-art 3D-design programmes at the university’s Product Lifecycle Management Competency Centre.

With the designed passed by lecturers at the TIA Adaptronics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Laboratory (AMTL), students started work on the car and already have completed the outer shell and are working on other elements, including the engine.

*This is a recognised World Design Capital 2014 project. For more information about CPUT's efforts for WDC2014 visit the imaginethat* website.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.