At the end of October 2020, GWJ Technology GmbH, calculation specialist from Braunschweig, Germany, held once again the workshop "Gear Calculation, Dimensioning and Optimization - System Calculation" for Formula Student Teams." Due to the current pandemic situation, the workshop was held in a virtual format for the first time.

The 4-day virtual training course for over 70 participants from different racing teams was very diverse: The first day started with the basics of the geometry and load capacity of gears – especially cylindrical gear pairs and planetary geartrains. Terms and principles were discussed that are essential for the calculation of gears. The attendees got the chance to use the web-based calculation software eAssistant, making it an ideal tool to form the

basis for the following days of hands-on exercises.

By using the live chat function, the attendees were able to interact and to ask questions. On the second day of the workshop, the participants were given insights into the dimensioning and optimization of gears and took a deeper dive into the basics. Many tips and tricks and optimization strategies were shared during the workshop. Then the focus turned to the eAssistant 3D CAD plugins in order to create 3D models with just a few clicks. The third day of the seminar was devoted entirely to the SystemManager, a software extention for the configuration and calculation of entire systems of machine elements, e.g. multistage gearboxes, shift gear transmissions or different types of planetary geartrains.

From the first steps in dealing with the software to expert knowledge – the participants got an in-depth look at the basic functions and how the software works. The SystemManager software offers many possibilities – from the fast and easy design and calculation of complete systems to the automatic meshing of housings and planet carriers. It gives the Formula Student Teams the ability to efficiently integrate the eAssistant SystemManager into their projects and to gain the full value of the software.

On the fourth and final day of the workshop, a Q&A session was held to answer all questions from participants and to clarify any subjects that were covered over the four days. That led to a rich discussion and a lively exchange among the participants. The last day ended with tons of new ideas and fresh input and most of all inspiration and drive for future projects.