Formula Student
Arun Rajkumar is a Mechanical Engineer placement student at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP). Arun is currently studying at the University of Birmingham, and is completing his placement year at HPP in-between his third and fourth year of study.
Tell us about your experience on the Placement Scheme at Mercedes AMG HPP?
Since starting my placement in September 2016, I have had the chance to work in both Product Engineering and Test Engineering. I spent my first 6 months in Product Engineering, designing parts and trying to improve the reliability of the internal combustion engine. The Product Engineering team is responsible for design of the power unit, coordinating the investigation of any mechanical failures and, when a root cause is identified, producing engineering solutions in one of the most fast paced industry’s in the world. I was given real work to do from day one, working in the build up to the 2017 season to ensure that every Silver Arrow, and customer team, lasted the distance for the season opener in Melbourne, and for the following races until the next upgrade was introduced.
My second rotation has been in Test Engineering, showing me a different side to the company. Test Engineering look’s after all of HPP’s testing facilities and test hardware. This could involve anything from maintenance and redesign of current equipment to make it last longer or easier to use, to designing rigs and fixtures to test performance ideas which might give you the edge to take pole position. I found test a lot more of a hands on experience, assembling components I designed myself and installing them onto dynos with the help of highly experienced technicians who can teach you a lot about designing for ease of assembly, something which is easy to forget about when working predominantly with computers.
What have you learned so far during your time at Mercedes AMG HPP?
I have gained a lot of experience in the Internal Combustion Engine team, from working on top end components like the fuel system and the cylinder head, to the oil system and crankshaft bearings in the bottom end, giving me a well-rounded overview of the technologies used around the power unit. I also learned about structural analysis of components and how to spot certain events which could cause failures by looking at telemetry as part of any failure investigations I worked on.
What have you enjoyed most from your time at Mercedes AMG HPP?
From the time spent across both departments I’ve had the chance to learn from some of the most talented engineers in the world, and from the beginning of my placement year, I have felt like a real part of the team.
The responsibility that you are given really accelerates your learning, and I feel much more confident in my engineering ability as a result. As a huge F1 fan, there is little more rewarding than watching a race, knowing that your work has helped a Mercedes driver or partner team achieve a top spot on the podium.
What advice would you give to this year’s FS Students?
With Formula Student you really get out what you put in. I dedicated a lot of time in my third year to UBRacing, the University of Birmingham’s team, and can definitely say my experiences throughout the year, as well as at competition, have helped me in my placement at HPP and in my degree. So my advice would be to throw yourself in at the deep end and learn on the go, you won’t get the chance to do something like this again after you’ve left university.
Organisation is also key to getting through the scrutineering stage swiftly. You’ll enjoy the competition a lot more if you do!
Once again, Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains are excited to be partners of this year's Formula Student event.
If you are attending, and would like to find out more about their Graduate or Placement opportunities for 2018, please visit them at Formula Student. Alternatively, to pre-arrange a time please contact Careers@mercedes-amg-hpp.com