The International Departures terminal of the Cape Town International Airport turned into a hive of excitement on Wednesday when relatives, friends, and colleagues of Team Cape Speed­, the engineering students and lecturers involved in the building of the formula racing car that will compete in Silverstone in the UK, gathered to give the team a warm send-off.

Clad in their blue CPUT blazers and matching scarves, the team had a busy afternoon shaking hands and taking hugs and kisses from well wishers for their three-week trip to the UK where they will be participating in the 2012 Formula Student competition in which 110 universities are participating.

“We wish you all the best. We are sure it is going to be good there and hope you are going to fare well,” said Severus Cerff of the Marketing and Communication Department. Speaking on behalf of Vice-Chancellor Prof Vuyisa Mazwi-Tanga, Mr Cerff thanked everybody who was involved from the conception until the building of Cape Speed.

Anar Daniels, co-host with Reddy D on Good Hope FM, also gave some words of motivation to the team: “Go to London and represent Cape Town and South Africa. It is a huge achievement to be the only university to represent South Africa at such an event. Even if you come back with nothing you are still our ambassadors,” he said amid cheers from the well wishers.

Chesire Adriaan, an engineering student and member of Team Cape Speed, said the few days before their departure was a big rush affair. “We had to get all things done in time for our trip. Our visas, team building exercises, presentations to prepare, and finally packing of the luggage,” he said. Adriaan said his excitement was slowly building up and hope it will reach its peak levels once he is on the plane. The team was destined to fly to Birmingham via a 10-hour connection flight to Dubai.

By Thami Nkwanyane

Written by CPUT News
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CPUT’s 2014 Cape Speed team will take to the tracks at the Century City Karting Arena on Saturday, 6 December 2014.

The event is part of fundraising initiatives for the 2016 team who will compete in the International Formula Student event at Silverstone in the United Kingdom.

Event organiser, Dean Jacobs, says the public along with the CPUT community is invited to join the team on the race track.

The event starts at 4 pm.

• Pre-sale tickets are R90 (10 laps)
• Tickets at the door are R100 (10 laps)

For more information and ticket sales please contact the Cape Speed via Facebook or Dean Jacobs at 076 360 7263

Written by Candes Keating
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

The hard work put into some of CPUT’s biggest campaigns, events and adverts was recognised recently.

Members of the Marketing and Communications Department and Web Office received four awards at the recent Marketing, Advancement and Communications in Education (MACE) awards.

CPUT clinched prizes for the excellent live streaming of the 2014 Graduation series, the Marine Sciences campaign as well as for the integrated marketing campaign for the launch of the CAPE SPEED formula racing car.

But judges seemed most impressed by the efforts put into the TshepisoSat launch and CPUT clinched the very first Skill award.

Marketing and Communications Director Norman Jacobs commended his department on their excellent work and praised their ability to pull together as a team.

Written by Lauren Kansley
Tel: +27 21 953 8646
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

CPUT’s Formula One racers have made their mark at the international Formula Student event held at the Silverstone Race Circuit in the UK.

CAPE SPEED, together with their single-seater race car, Prins, competed against 114 universities across the globe and managed to clinch the 59th spot.

The teams competed in 600cc racing cars, which are designed and built from scratch and are capable of travelling from 0 to 90kph in only a few seconds.

At Silverstone, Prins was put through a series of rigorous tests, including acceleration, sprint, endurance races, and skid pads.

The team and car faced both highs and lows during the competition but was able to push through together to secure a coveted spot in the final endurance event.

The endurance event is the highlight of the competition and only teams that successfully pass several other tests get a chance to compete in this final event, which requires racers to complete 23 laps.

This is a huge feat for the group of students from the Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics Departments who designed and built the car from scratch.

The students were also supported by Public Relations Management, Internal Auditing, Marketing, Hospitality Management and Film and Video Technology students, who all contributed in their own way to ensure things ran smoothly during the competition.

In July 2012 CAPE SPEED, as a first entrant of this competition, surprised many by placing number 65 out of 132 entrants. The team also made history by being the first team from Sub-Saharan Africa to complete all race stages.

By Alice Scott

*The project is a recognized WDC2014 Project. Follow all CPUT’s WDC2014 projects at www.imaginethat.org.za

Written by CPUT News
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A carbon fibre chassis, smarter materials and a fuel-efficient engine are just some of the innovative features of CPUT’s 2014 Formula racing car.

The racing car was designed and manufactured by students based at the university’s TIA Adaptronics AMTL research unit and was launched last night at the Granger Bay Campus.

The team of students, known as Cape Speed, were lauded for their innovative design, which has earned them a coveted spot in the international Formula Student event set to take place in Silverstone, UK in July.

Business Development Manager of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) for the Western Cape and Northern Cape, Saberi Marais, says he is proud of the work accomplished by the students.

“What you have already accomplished thus far is amazing,” says Marais.

RACING SKILLS: Neeta Makan is one of the drivers who will compete in the final endurance event in Silverstone in the UK

The project has also been recognised as a World Design Capital (WDC) 2014 project and has also received a stamp of approval from South African rally champion drive Pierre Arries.

Arries says says there are many opportunities in the racing industry and that such projects are moulding the next generation of engineers and others professionals needed for the industry.

The car has been named Prins, after CPUT Vice-Chancellor, Dr Prins Nevhutalu and is representative of the university’s current journey of becoming a great institution.

Nevhutalu is honoured to be part of this innovative project and says the university can only talk about being great if students are doing great things.

*The project is a recognized WDC2014 Project. Follow all CPUT’s WDC2014 projects at www.imaginethat.org.za

Written by Candes Keating
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

CPUT students are gearing up to take to the race track this July at the iconic home of motorsport, Silverstone in Britain.

On Tuesday, 27 May 2014, CPUT together with its TIA-Adaptronics AMTL research unit is gearing up to unveil their formula racing car.

The racing car was designed and manufactured by a multi-disciplinary group of students, led by Mechanical Engineering students, who will compete in Formula Student, Europe’s biggest student motorsport event.

The CPUT team, CAPE SPEED, will be the only team from South Africa to compete in this year’s event, which has attracted teams from 100 universities across the globe.

The teams will be competing in 600cc racing cars, which are designed and built from scratch and are capable of travelling from 0 to 90kph in only a few seconds. The racing cars will be put through a series of rigorous tests, including acceleration, sprint, endurance races, and skid pads.

This will be the second time that the CPUT team has participated in this event. In July 2012 CAPE SPEED, as a first entrant of this competition, surprised many by placing number 65 out of 132 entrants. The team also made history by being the first team from Africa to complete all race stages.

But this year’s team is hoping to improve on the current ranking says CAPE SPEED captain, Cyprian Onochie.

This year’s racing car was designed using the latest materials and techniques available, which included technology from CPUT’s Product Lifecycle Management Competency Centre.

“It was hard work and long hours, but we managed,” says Cyprian.

This year’s team also consists of students from the Faculties of Informatics and Design and Business, who are working on other aspects of the competition.

*The project is a recognized WDC2014 Project. Follow all CPUT’s WDC2014 projects at www.imaginethat.org.za

Written by Candes Keating
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.