NUS KRUCE ranks top 5 in Shell Eco-marathon
ConvergenceAsia staff
01/10/2009

National University of Singapore (NUS), one of the leading global universities centred in Asia has achieved tremendous success in Eco-car innovation and competition using MSC.Software’s engineering analysis tool, MSC.Adams.

The NUS eco-car, KRUCE (Kent Ridge Urban Concept Eco-car), runs on hydrogen fuel cell and was ranked top 5 in the recent Shell Eco-marathon competition in Europe that saw 66 entries from 37 different countries. The Shell Eco-marathon is an educational platform that encourages innovation, reinforces conservation and fosters the development of leading technology for greater energy efficiency.

At the end of the competition, there were only 28 teams that managed to complete at least one of the three runs.

“MSC.Adams was used in the design of the mechanical steering system, where we needed to understand how various components would react to forces. Adams allowed us to determine the test in virtual environments that optimised the designs for performance, safety and comfort. Once the virtual prototype was completed, Adams checked the model and allowed us to determine the dimensions in terms of the turning circle, steering angle and other aspects of its structural design,” said Associate Professor Ian Gibson, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore.

The team, under the supervision of Associate Professor Lu Wen Feng and Associate Professor Ian Gibson, exceeded all expectations.

With this highly visible success, the NUS team has begun to fine-tune the vehicle for next year’s competition which will be held for the first time in Asia.

“MSC.Adams will be fully integrated into the engineering analysis process for the design of the next eco-car and based on this experience with Adams, we have plans to develop a city car that is capable of extreme long-distance travel,” added Associate Professor Gibson.

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