Renishaw
Renishaw Greenpower team in Barcelona
To encourage young people to consider a career in engineering, Renishaw’s UK Greenpower team partnered with the company’s Spanish subsidiary to race at the RFEDA Racing weekend in Barcelona.
On November 12 and 13, the racing team of ten Renishaw employees showcased two scratch-built electric vehicles alongside championship touring cars and F4 racing teams.
Attempting to improve aerodynamics and the weight of the cars, Renishaw team members trialled additively manufactured products such as mirror farings, which were produced in-house at Renishaw’s UK HQ site. In order to participate in the event, held at the Montmeló circuit, the cars had to pass scrutineering, following which they were awarded best engineered car and best bodywork.
The Spanish Greenpower community invited the Renishaw team to take part in the racing weekend following its participation in the UK Greenpower F24+ finals. The team, primarily comprised of current or recent apprentices and graduates, worked closely with Greenpower Iberica and Renishaw’s Spanish subsidiary.
During the weekend, the team of drivers and engineers took part in a friendly race against other Greenpower teams on the track, to showcase the vehicles. The Renishaw Greenpower electric cars are designed and manufactured from scratch by employees in the early stages of their career. The team uses its individual skill sets and a range of manufacturing techniques to develop the car, such as cycling gears to enable nine-speed gearing ratios, as well as electronics and communications systems.
“Our team consists of people from a range of backgrounds, both in and outside of engineering,” said April Joynson, Commercial Graduate at Renishaw and a driver on the team. “These types of projects bring our skills together, breaking the bias that careers in engineering are only for men or those with STEM backgrounds.”
Renishaw recently produced 3D printed parts for the British Cycling Team at the Commonwealth Games.
