Welcome to the LEJoG 2009 Caterham Challenge section of our website.
In a few weeks time Sarah Barber will be taking the Caterham Car built by HGEL and Airbus graduates across the country, starting in Lands End on the 25th July and ending up in John O Groats.
It’s being done in aid of the Airbus Charity Challenge, so raising funds for MCMillan and Welsh Air Ambulance Service whilst raising the profile of Hyde Group Engineering and our achievements.
I’d appreciate any sponsorship you can give me – You can download the form on the right or click the donate button to sponsor online through paypal.
Please give as little or as much as you can, every penny helps!
Also if you have anyone that can help us promote the journey or could help me along the way (eg. Accommodation, promotion etc) please do let them know.
Below is an overview of the original project...
The Initiative
Hyde and Airbus apprentices built a Caterham kit-car, then donated to Airbus Charity Challenge to raise funds for
Macmillan Cancer Support
Welsh Air Ambulance Service
Great Western Air Ambulance
Hyde Group Engineering are alos raising funds for a local charity
Willow Wood
The Purpose of the car
- To give apprentices practical manufacturing experience.
- Improve the car by designing in an Aircraft type configuration – i.e. composite panels, improved vehicle systems.
- Apprentices have learnt about advanced manufacturing techniques, including Quickstep, Microwave processing, 3D Weaving, metal additive production methods etc for the new parts and generally learn how complex assemblies go together
- The improvements presented back to Caterham for possible future inclusion in their product specification.
- Hyde Group have involved local universities and learning centres (Although the project was managed by Hyde Group Engineering we couldn’t have made it possible without the support of several partners and sponsors:
Airbus UK, Hyde Tooling and HAP Manufacturing, Sigmatex, Deeside College, Northwest composite centre (part of Manchester university), Royal Academy of Engineering) in the process who have access to some novel processes and techniques
The Future
- Hyde will try and undertake this challenge or something similar every year and are currently engaged in a range of Research and Technology Projects including
- The Caterham Challenge, following on from the previous year’s success this year the team are carrying out design and analysis to enable the manufacture and test of a composite drive shaft and the construction of the nose bodywork with imbedded damage detection technology.
- Next Generation Composite Wing, Providing specialist support and engineering for the design of complex composite parts and the evaluation of lightning protection networks
- The development and evaluation of damage repair solutions for composite aircraft structure
- A number of classified and commercially protected research programs in connection with the aircraft industry
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