Case Study: University of New Hampshire achieves best season in team history with SOLIDWORKS Education Edition

Improving Sae Formula One Racing Team Performance With SolidWorks Education Edition

The University of New Hampshire’s SAE Formula One team, UNH Precision Racing, faced a steep CAD learning curve and needed integrated simulation and visualization tools to improve car design and interdisciplinary collaboration. In 2009 the university adopted SolidWorks Education Edition (purchasing 500 licenses) to replace a difficult-to-use 3D CAD package and give students easier access to FEA, rendering, and design-communication tools.

SolidWorks enabled the team to run flow, frequency, and structural analyses, optimize parts for weight and safety, and use photorealistic renders and collision detection to improve communication and manufacturing documentation. As a result UNH Precision Racing validated designs before cutting metal, increased student participation, and achieved its best season in 2013–2014—placing 26th overall—demonstrating measurable performance gains attributable to SolidWorks.

University of New Hampshire

Brad Kinsey

Chairman