Winter Workshop

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Welcome to the 2012 Winter Workshop

February 2, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

It was a beautiful 77 degrees and sunny in Texas as students, sponsors, and organizers arrived at Freescale’s headquarters in Austin for the 2012 Winter Workshop!

Co-sponsored by Freescale and dSPACE, Inc. and hosted at Freescale’s Oak Hill campus, EcoCAR 2 teams are participating in detailed sessions from competition organizers from General Motors, the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Teams are also taking part in detailed training of sponsor-donated components and software tools from dSPACE, A123 Systems, Freescale, AVL Powertrain Engineering, CD-adapco, Siemens, and Vector.

Over the next few days, EcoCAR 2 teams will be put to the test as they prepare for their first in-person scored presentations, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Outreach, and Business.

Teams had the opportunity to set up their HILs on Wednesday afternoon.

“It was nice to see all of the different HIL set-ups for the teams,” said Whitney Belt, Mechanical Team Member for Purdue University. “We all have the same objective with HIL but each team took it their own unique way.

After a long day of travel, registration, and workshop set-up, teams and sponsors enjoyed a southern feast at Thurman Mansion catered by Salt Lick! As if devouring brisket, BBQ ribs, and southern side dishes weren’t enough, EcoCAR 2 teams heard remarks from co-hosts Freescale and dSPACE, Inc., as well as General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy.

EcoCAR 2 organizers hope teams and sponsors enjoyed the Welcome Dinner and are excited for the rest of the Winter Workshop in Austin, Texas!

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dSPACE Opportunities at the Winter Workshop

January 30, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Sponsor Post by ggguestuser | No comments

During the 2012 Winter Workshop, students and advisors will have the opportunity to take part in specialized training by Platinum-level competition sponsor and Winter Workshop co-host dSPACE, Inc.

On Saturday, Tobias Eifler of dSPACE will teach teams how to model a parallel hybrid vehicle with dSPACE’s ASM software. Using a demo application and hands-on exercises, EcoCAR 2 teams will use the software for drivetrain modification and battery and E-Drive integration.

During Sunday’s training sessions, teams will be given an introductory workshop on HIL Test Automation with dSPACE’s AutomationDesk from Joe Cassar of dSPACE. This training session will focus on fundamental concepts of test automation projects and how to use AutomationDesk via hands-on exercises and web-based training.

dSPACE, Inc. is just one of many competition-level sponsors that will be providing education presentations and training sessions for students at the Winter Workshop in Austin. Other sponsors offering sessions include General Motors, Freescale, A123 Systems, AVL,  Siemens, CD-adapco, Vector.

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Former Austin Mayor William Wynn to Speak at Winter Workshop

January 26, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

EcoCAR 2 is proud to announce that former Austin Mayor, William Wynn, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Winter Workshop Sponsor Social on February 3, 2012 at the Driskill Hotel.

William Wynn served as Austin’s Mayor from 2003-2009. Wynn also served on the Board of Director of Austin Energy, the ninth largest public power utility in the United States, for nine years. During his tenure as Mayor, Wynn oversaw the execution of two major power agreements, including the construction of a solar field in December 2011 and a biomass plant set to open in June 2012.

Under Wynn’s leadership as Mayor, Austin dramatically expanded both the requirements and market penetration of its green building program, nationally promoted plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, created the country’s most aggressive solar rebate program and dramatically increased its renewable energy portfolio and smart-grid initiative.

Wynn’s leadership in Austin did not go unnoticed. Throughout his tenure and beyond, Wynn received the Alliance to Save Energy’s prestigious Charles H. Percy Public Service Award; was named Austinite of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce; was named Energy Executive of the Year by the 9,000-member Association of Energy Engineers; was awarded Scenic Austin’s first annual Scenic Hero Award; was honored for Outstanding Achievement at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 2007 Climate Protection Awards; and following Austin’s response to Hurricane Katrina, was named Local Public Official of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers.

To learn more about our special guest speaker at the 2012 Winter Workshop Sponsor Social, visit http://www.willwynn.com/

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Winter Workshop Training Preview: CD-adapco and A123 Systems

January 19, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Sponsor Post by ggguestuser | No comments

At this year’s Winter Workshop co-hosted by dSPACE, Inc. and Freescale in Austin, Texas, EcoCAR students and faculty advisors will get the chance to attend several days of software and hardware training sessions, including those led by competition-level sponsors CD-adapco and A123 Systems.

Attendees of CD-adapco’s training session will participate in hands-on STAR-CCM+ exercises for external aerodynamics and battery cooling.  For external aerodynamics, STAR-CCM+’s analysis capabilities – including best practices for models and mesh design, boundary conditions and solution control settings – will be presented.  For battery cooling, an introduction to conjugate heat transfer problems and an overview of STAR-CCM+’s Battery Simulation Module (BSM) will be discussed.

Teams will also hear presentations from Joe Salani and Brian Large of A123 Systems, including a brief course on Ground Fault Detection (GFD) that reviews why GFD is important, methods for GFDs and advice for troubleshooting Ground Faults. Teams will also learn about the Energy Storage System (ESS) deliverable for EcoCAR 2 and the process and outlines for design reviews.

CD-adapco and A123 Systems are just a few of the many competition-level sponsors that will be providing educational presentations and training for EcoCAR students at the  Winter Workshop in Austin, which runs from February 1-5, 2012. Other sponsors offering sessions include General Motors, dSPACE, Inc., Freescale, AVL, Siemens and Vector.

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New Sponsor FleetCarma Helps Design UWAFT’s Powertrain

January 13, 2012 in EcoCAR 2 News, Team Posts by ggguestuser | No comments

When the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) began to select its powertrain for EcoCAR2, they turned to FleetCarma to develop a data-driven selection process. FleetCarma, EcoCAR 2′s newest Silver Sponsor, offers tools designed to help fleet managers select the right vehicle for any fleet application.  They work with fleet managers to analyze the cost effectiveness of potential replacement vehicles over their entire service lives.

Fleet managers who want to go green understand that they need to consider the Total Cost of Ownership to make decisions regarding vehicle purchases. For example, they weigh the higher initial cost of an electric vehicle (EV) versus its operational savings down the road.  They also want to know whether an EV will be capable of doing the job with enough range and charge capabilities.

The FleetCarma system is a unique way to determine the right vehicle for a job because it uses a simple-to-install OBD data logger to capture duty cycle and operational needs. That usage pattern is then fed to FleetCarma’s backend system, where it is run through a number of simulations depending on which vehicles are being considered for purchase. The results include the vehicle’s real-world fuel consumption and provide detailed analysis of potential replacement vehicles. In a nutshell, the system determines whether any electric vehicle will (a) do the job that is required and (b) offer worthwhile cost saving and emission reduction benefits.

FleetCarma’s head office is located in Waterloo, Ontario and the company employs several UWAFT alumni. UWAFT maintains an active relationship with the company, so the team was excited to use FleetCarma’s system to help select and test powertrain configurations and components for its EcoCAR 2 vehicle. UWAFT deployed FleetCarma’s data loggers on various vehicles to capture real-world drive cycles. These cycles were then reviewed for statistics such as daily driving distance, duration and driver aggressiveness. In total over 171,000 km of driving distance was captured, which resulted in 4,900 hours’ worth of driving data. These cycles were also fed into more than 20 vehicle models, where the projected real-world fuel consumption was measured and compared. For UWAFT, this helped design a vehicle that would achieve the best possible real-world fuel consumption and energy and emissions reductions

Stay tuned as UWAFT and the rest of the EcoCAR 2 teams announce their chosen vehicle architectures during the Winter Workshop in just three weeks!

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EcoCAR 2 Launches Winter Workshop Registration

December 14, 2011 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

Just in time for the holidays, EcoCAR 2 is proud to launch the registration for the Year One Winter Workshop!

Held during February 1-5, 2012 in Austin, Texas, the Winter Workshop will be the first EcoCAR 2 workshop that will feature judged presentations, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), a Business Plan Update, and Youth Education presentations.

Co-hosted by Freescale and dSPACE, Inc., teams will participate in detailed sessions from competition organizers General Motors, the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory. Teams will also take part in in-depth training of sponsor-donated components and software tools from dSPACE, A123 Systems, Freescale, AVL Powertrain Engineering, CD-Adapco, Siemens, and Vector.

Throughout the workshop, student and advisors will have the opportunity to attend a Welcome Night dinner at Thurman Mansion catered by Salt Lick, an evening event at Maggie Mae’s, and the Sponsor Social Networking and Recruiting event at the historic Driskill Hotel.

So grab your cowboy hat and register for the Year One Winter Workshop! To register, talk to your faculty advisor or team leader for registration details.

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Winter Workshop Fun Night at Maggie Mae’s Sixth Street

December 8, 2011 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

Austin is known as the ‘Live Musical Capital of the World’ and what better way to explore the great music city than with a fun night at Maggie Mae’s on Sixth Street!

For 33 years, Maggie Mae’s has been committed to offering Austin musicians a venue for their music. The large entertainment venue is home to a sports bar, an authentic English pub, three different stages for live music, and a New Orleans-style courtyard!

Boasting the largest rooftop in Austin, Maggie Mae’s has one of the best views of the city! Austin’s Sixth Street, formerly known as Pecan Street, is lined with many historical buildings and has been Austin’s principal business street for nearly 150 years! From the Driskill Hotel to countless art galleries, cafes, restaurants, and nightlife, there is something for everyone. So enjoy the last night of the Year One Winter Workshop with Freescale and dSPACE, Inc. as they host an evening event at Maggie Mae’s on Saturday, February 4, 2012!

The view from Maggie Mae's rooftop!

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Winter Workshop Sponsor Social Goes Historic

December 6, 2011 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

The Year One Winter Workshop will definitely be one for the AVTC history books. With a Welcome Dinner at Thurman Mansion and a special evening event in downtown Austin, the Workshop would not be complete without the Sponsor Social Networking & Recruiting Event. This Sponsor Social will be held at none other than the historic Driskill Hotel!

Built in 1886, the Driskill Hotel is a historic landmark on the famous Sixth Street in downtown Austin. Winner of numerous hotel awards throughout the world, this remarkable hotel sets the standard for elegance with its marble floors, elaborate woodwork, and stained-glass domes. You’ll also find unique Texas features throughout the hotel that are a tribute to the hotel’s original owner, Jesse Driskill, a Colonel  from Missouri who came to Texas to become a wealthy cattle baron.

The Driskill has served as a meeting place for legislators, politicians and even U.S. Presidents, including Lyndon Baines Johnson and George W. Bush and provided accommodations for President Bill Clinton.

Students, faculty advisors, and sponsors will enjoy an evening reception with a sponsor trade show on the spacious Mezzanine level of the Driskill. The Mezzanine was fully restored in 1996 to its original grandeur, including painting and marbleizing using turkey feathers as paintbrushes in the style of the 1880s. After the reception, attendees will venture to the Driskill Ballroom for dinner and presentations.

The Driskill Hotel when it was first built (left) and today (right)

Join us at the Driskill Hotel for what will be a historic Sponsor Social Networking and Recruiting event on Friday, February 3, 2012!

 

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Winter Workshop To Welcome Students with a Texas BBQ Feast

December 1, 2011 in EcoCAR 2 News by ggguestuser | No comments

In just over two months, more than 150 students and faculty advisors will travel to Austin, Texas for the Year One Winter Workshop, co-hosted by Freescale and dSPACE, Inc. To kick things off in true Texas fashion, EcoCAR will host its welcome night dinner at none other than the Thurman Mansion catered by Salt Lick!

A rustic two-story native limestone building, the Thurman Mansion sits just outside of Austin in Driftwood, Texas. The dinner will be catered by the Mansion’s neighbor, the Salt Lick. Winner of TODAY’s 2009 BBQ Challenge and rated “Best BBQ Restaurant” every year from the Austin Chronicle since 2000, the Salt Lick represents true Texas barbecue. Students and faculty advisors can enjoy beef brisket, ribs, sausage, and all of the traditional southern side dishes that date back to the late 1800s!

Want to learn more on why the Salt Lick is one of the best barbecue restaurants in Texas? Check out this episode of Man vs. Food!

Registration will soon be open, but in the meantime, get your taste buds ready for some true Texas BBQ at the Winter Workshop Welcome Night on February 1, 2012!

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Team Highlights from the EcoCAR Winter Workshop

January 12, 2010 in EcoCAR News by ggguest | 2 comments

It is hard to believe that it snowed in Daytona Beach this weekend, but the Winter Workshop was a great success nonetheless.

Below, the teams shared a few highlights with the Inside the Green Garage blog:

Not only did the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) win first place for best technical poster, their most memorable moment came at the Daytona 500 Experience.  One of UWAFT’s outreach coordinators, Eric Mallia, managed to successfully operate the air wrench to execute a full-speed NASCAR pit-stop in 16 seconds!  

UWAFT's Eric Mallia at the NASCAR pit-stop

The Missouri S&T team was thrilled to be able to watch the Le Mans Racing Series time trails from the infield stands of the Daytona 500 race track. The team was excited to see and hear the race cars as they drove around the track and they were close enough to see the red light on the tachometer as the drivers were shifting!

The Ohio State team took home third place in the technical poster competition, ending their week on a high note!  The poster represented the vehicle architecture and simulations that were used to develop the team’s Hardware in the Loop (HIL) designs. Ohio State enjoyed taking a break from working on their car to spend time with the other teams and remember the work they’re doing to advance green technology.

The Texas Tech team on their way home from Daytona!

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