Industrial - Bachelors

FORM2 Adaptive Race Seat

The FORM2 adaptive race seat is a specifically designed seat for the Formula SAE Industry, it combines the aspects of adjustability and comfortability whilst remaining ultra-lightweight.

Ryan Trout

The Formula SAE industry is a highly competitive, global motorsport competition where university teams design, build, and race small, formula-style cars. It emphasises engineering innovation, efficiency, and performance, with students applying their technical knowledge to real-world problems. Teams are judged on various aspects, including design, cost analysis, and dynamic performance events such as endurance, acceleration, and autocross, pushing them to create vehicles that are not only fast but also reliable and well-engineered.

What is it?

The FORM2 is an air-adaptive race seat for the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) industry. Constructed primarily from carbon fiber, it is extremely light and durable, weighing only 4 kg. Each side of the seat features three heat-sealed polyester cushions with internal open-cell foam, providing added structure and comfort. High-density polyethylene airlines run from each cushion support down to the front of the seat, converging at a single point between the legs, where the pressure inflation and release valve are located. This setup allows drivers to easily self-inflate or adjust the cushions at any time for a customized fit.
QUT Motorsport currently uses a straightforward carbon bucket seat designed to be as light as possible, with no padding or adjustability. However, this has led to issues when different drivers get in or out of the car, whether for practice or during the driver swap in the endurance race. Since not all drivers are the same size or build, smaller drivers often slide around in the seat, making it difficult to maintain the precision required in the Formula SAE competition. Conversely, larger-built drivers struggle to fit their shoulders between the supports, with one driver even reporting that he had to race with one hand because his shoulders did not fit properly. This is where the FORM-2 Race seat comes in. The FORM-2 bucket seat offers rapid adjustability while remaining extremely lightweight. Drivers of any size can jump in and easily inflate or deflate the side supports to their desired pressure, ensuring a snug and perfect fit.

Ryan Trout

Ryan Trout is a Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design student at QUT. With a passion for cars and a keen eye for design, Ryan thrives in creating solutions that balance complexity with simplicity, aiming for both intricate detail and effective functionality.