"What's important is not what is between the wheels, but what is between your ears."
Dr. David Redzsus, President of Precision Auto Research and SAE Judge
A question posed to the team by Dr. Redzsus was "why are you here?" I joined the Formula SAE team not only for the adrenaline and fun, but because I wanted to be involved in automotive engineering. Everything from the tires to the data loggers intrigues me because of the vital role each system plays in order to integrate to become the ultimate performance package. The Formula SAE competition stresses the key aspects of what it takes to be an effective engineer, and I sought to develop the skills to attain these aspects. Consideration of packaging, design for manufacturing, and data validation, are few of the many things I have learned from my time with the team. I have been able to learn and apply knowledge from the classroom, but also learn skills outside of the scope of the engineering curriculum. Aside from the technical details, there are other aspects of engineering commonly overlooked: business plans and communication, something Formula SAE integrates into the competition and something I always keep in mind.
5
|
6
|
8
|
Engine Internals DesignIn 2014, I stepped up to be the first engine internals design lead the year it was first implemented. The first year was spent doing research on our engine for possible modifications and rebuilding the engines we purchased to ensure the internals were in good condition and within specifications. In 2015, I focused on a transmission modifications that would lighten the gearbox and improve shifting for our drivers.
|
Cooling DesignIn 2017, I was chosen to undertake the role of Cooling Design Lead. In light of a new sponsorship with a high performance heat exchanger company, we worked on implementing their patented technology to put our car above the competition. The goal is to reduce weight and improve the cooling efficiency of the system.
|
Suspension Components DesignIn 2018, I decided to design the suspension components of the Formula SAE car. As the Suspension Components Design Lead, I was responsible for engineering the uprights, hubs, and wheel centers. It involved lots of collaboration with the kinematics leads and was certainly a different pace from what I was used to in the powertrain system.
|