Competitors from around the world gathered in Australia for the 15th Bridgestone World Solar Challenge earlier this month and Armstrong’s RhinoKore Composite Solutions were a key component in team India’s vehicle.
The competition challenges students to build the ultimate solar-powered endurance race car that can travel for 3,000 km in five days from Darwin to Adelaide.
Team RVCE from Rashtreeya Vidyalaya College of Engineering in Bengaluru, India and their solar car, reinforced with Armstrong company RhinoKore Composite Solution’s P100 honeycomb core, competed in the grueling race.
Tasked with the challenge to build the most efficient solar car in India—and the world—Armstrong-based company, RhinoKore, caught Team RVCE’s attention.
RhinoKore Composite Solutions was approached back in 2016 by Team RVCE via LinkedIn with a special collaboration request: help provide the lightest, thinnest honeycomb core material possible for the body of their car.
In April 2017, RhinoKore sent Team RVCE their foam-injected panels, including a special extra thin 3-millimeter version so it would be as lightweight as possible.
“RhinoKore is always looking for unique opportunities that can highlight the benefits of its cores and what better way than in a solar car race where the combination of light weight and strength are most important,” said Greg Ringness, marketing manager at RhinoKore Composite Solutions. “From Canada to India to Australia, it feels like the world is connected.”
Established in 2007, RhinoKore Composite Solutions serves customers in the construction, marine, transportation, and sports equipment industries from a 90,000 square foot facility in Armstrong.
They are a leading manufacturer of lightweight and ultra-strong honeycomb cores available in a range of thicknesses and sizes, offering customization for specific requirements.
RhinoKore have continued to advance honeycomb core panel technology through the development of a patented manufacturing process and key partnerships with industry leading manufacturers.