Shell Eco-Marathon aims to promote fuel's efficiency. They help the students be aware of the current environmental issues we are facing. It encourages students to build a car which can reach far places with less fuel consumption. Shell decided to have the event proper here in the Philippines due to the 100th year celebration of Shell Philippines.
For this year competition, our school Don Bosco Technical College decuded to make two different vehicle. First, the Hybrid Electric Vehicle or the HEV. And the other one is the Battery Electric Vehicle or BEV. These two cars has its environmental friendly purposes other than of being fuel efficient vehicles. In the Battery Electric Vehicle, one of the part of it is made up of water hyacinth. This plant is very abundant in our country. As the name implies, it grows in the water which could cause flood because of canal blocking. The students decided to use the made fabric matte out of water hyacinth. With this, it could help reduce the water waste. On the other hand, the Hybrid Prototype Vehicle is a retractable car. This vehicle aims to lessen the space being consumed. We all know that there are lots of vehicles in the world and every day manufacturers continue to make cars. And if vehicles will be retractable then it would consume lesser space not only in the road but also in their parking areas.
I am a cadet for the Hybrid Electric Vehicle, yet I also helped the Battery Electric Vehicle. I together with my co-cadets focused in the making of the vehicle's shell. And here is the step-by-step procedure we made.
Pattern Making:
-At first we printed out the design where the scale is 1:1.
-We connect the papers like a jigsaw puzzle.
-We put it in the plywood and cut it with a jigsaw cutter.
-We make it stand and fill the lacks with the paper we used.
-We made use of the used Styrofoams to form the pattern.
-Make the surface flat with the use of sandpaper.
-With the use of Glasurit Patty with Hardener, we get the pattern and make it smooth.
-Apply Blue gel coating.
-Put the fiber matte (Grade 450)
-Apply again Blue gel coating.
-Let it cure for a day and add Glasurit Patty with Hardener and make it smooth.
-Add Acrylic Patty and Primer.
-Lastly, make the surface smooth with sandpaper.
Molder Making:
-Cut strips of illustration board. Approximately 1-1.5 in.
-Put the strips in the middle, make it stand with masking tape.
-Put more strips in the flooring. This will help the mold to be remove easily.
-Apply releasing wax 10-15 times.
-Apply Blue gel coating once.
-Put the fiber matte (Grade 600)
-Apply Clear coating.
-With the use of aluminum roller make the fiber matte flat to the surface of the pattern.
-Apply more fiber matte in the corners and curves and add more clear coating.
-Make sure all matte are flat to the surface of the pattern.
-Let it cure for a day.
-Remove the illustration board in the middle.
-Put some modeling clay or simply put masking tape in the middle.
-Repeat the steps from applying wax up to curing.
-Cut pipes into two and make it pointed.
-Drill the middle, where the two mold will connect.
-With the use of a Rubber mallet and the pipes, carefully remove the mold to the pattern.
-With bold and nut connect the two pieces of mold.
-Add masking tape in the middle.
-Put masking tape in the bottom and cut it with a grinder.
Vehicle's Shell with lamination
-Apply clear releasing wax.
-Add more releasing wax 15 times.
-Apply again clear releasing wax.
-Apply clear coating twice. Make sure to apply it very thin.
-Let it cure for a day.
-Carefully place the carbon fiber.
-Add clear coating and make it flat with aluminum roller.
-To make it stiff put Black gel coating.
-Put the fiber matter (Grade 300)
-Put clear coating once and make sure to make it flat with aluminum roller.
-Let it cure for a day.
-Remove it from the mold.
-Make the surface smooth and cut the hallow part of the shell.
Vehicle's Shell through lamination
-Apply clear releasing wax.
-Add more releasing wax 15 times.
-Apply again clear releasing wax.
-Apply Black gel coating.
-Put the fiber matter (Grade 300)
-Put clear coating once and make sure to make it flat with aluminum roller.
-Let it cure for a day.
-Remove it from the mold.
-Make it smooth with sandpaper.
-Clean it with Lacquer Thinner.
-Apply clear coating twice. Make sure to apply it very thin.
-Let it cure for a day.
-Carefully place the carbon fiber.
-Add clear coating and make it flat with aluminum roller.
-Apply clear coating around 10-15 times.
-Make the surface smooth and cut the hallow part of the shell.
Vehicle's Shell finishing
-Make it very smooth with sand paper from grade 120-2000.
-Clean it with dish washing liquid and make it dry.
-Add rubbing compound.
-Add clear releasing wax.
-Add turtle wax.
-Rub the whole surface with a clean cloth until it shines.
The shell making took us around 2 months in making. In the process, we are asked to wear face mask, long sleeves, pants, and shoes. This is for safety reasons. The components of the chemicals we are using are the following.
Blue Gel Coat
-1 liter Polymer 31-006
-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer
-3 tablespoon Blue Toner
-hardener (when applying)
Clear Gel Coat (Mold)
-1 liter Polymer 31-006
-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer
-4 tablespoon Cobalt
-hardener (when applying)
Black Gel Coat
-1 liter Polymer 31-006
-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer
-3 tablespoon Black Toner
-hardener (when applying)
Clear Gel Coat (Shell)
-1 liter Polymer 31-200
-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer
-4 tablespoon Cobalt
-hardener (when applying)
Base from our professor, these chemical are extremely dangerous to our health. That is why, we are required to drink about a liter of water after a work. We were also advised to intake vitamin C to prevent sick. We were also advise to wear gloves because cobalt mixed with hardener is extremely dangerous. It is flammable and could burn the skin.
These are the steps we took in making our vehicles' shell. We had protective gears in the making and now, we are living safely. And we are looking forward for a better making in the better place for the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2015.
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