Other Event Ideas...

[JConway-UofManitoba]

I was going to post this when we got back from the competition this year, but I totally forgot until tonight.

The one event I would really like to see at the FSAE competition is a "show and shine". I know that isn't the real point of the competition but it would have been really nice to see everyone's cars out in a common area instead of having to either sneak into people's tents or take spy photos while they are waiting for the dyno. Obviously, the last day of competition is probably the best because then everyone's "secrets" are out in the open. I think the main reason I thought of this is because little to none of us from U of M had time to go look around at other cars because we were frantically trying to get our car ready for competition or catching up on sleep. (whoops)

The other competition would be drifting. I'm not really into it and don't really know a lot about it, but at least this would be a chance to "show off" rather than having a strict competition like autoX or the endurance race. Maybe FSAE isn't the place to do it, but its just an idea.

Jared Conway

[JConway-UofManitoba]

I was going to post this when we got back from the competition this year, but I totally forgot until tonight.

The one event I would really like to see at the FSAE competition is a "show and shine". I know that isn't the real point of the competition but it would have been really nice to see everyone's cars out in a common area instead of having to either sneak into people's tents or take spy photos while they are waiting for the dyno. Obviously, the last day of competition is probably the best because then everyone's "secrets" are out in the open. I think the main reason I thought of this is because little to none of us from U of M had time to go look around at other cars because we were frantically trying to get our car ready for competition or catching up on sleep. (whoops)

The other competition would be drifting. I'm not really into it and don't really know a lot about it, but at least this would be a chance to "show off" rather than having a strict competition like autoX or the endurance race. Maybe FSAE isn't the place to do it, but its just an idea.

Jared Conway

[Charlie]

Hey, its like a FSAE Nopi! http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

hehe, yeah what you are saying doesn't fall within the purpose of the competition, but I share your frustration in not being able to take time to look at all the great cars out there.

And I would be the first to participate in a drfting or donut contest http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE (http://eng.auburn.edu/organizations/SAE/AUFSAE)
5th Overall Detroit 2003
? Overall Aussie 2003. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[RiNaZ]

i guess that's why they're having those private competition like the UTA texas autocross competition so that everybody could show off their cars.

All we need now is participation from other schools.

RiNaZ

[Alan]

I've always wanted to see an actual manufacturing event. Have members from each team weld some tubes, machine some parts, do some sheetmetal work, etc... It amazes me when I meet someone who is a good engineer and a highly skilled welder, machinist, pattern maker, or whatever. I think part of the spirit of the competition is to manufacture as many of the parts yourself. The teams that maintain that spirit should be recognized sowehow. Of course the logistics of adding another event would probably tax the organizers even more, which isn't a good thing. But maybe it could be similar to the Bosch, Altair, etc. awards where you only enter the event if you want to.

Kettering University FSAE

[mtg]

It'd be nice to have the autocross event actually somewhat resemble an autocross. The "autocross" event at competition was retarded. I didn't shift gears so much as once during autocross. I talked to several other autocross drivers from teams that placed very high, and they didn't shift either.

www.umr.edu/~formula (http://www.umr.edu/~formula)

[Sam Zimmerman]

Or maybe an event where they judge your design and if you design a car that cannot pass tech inspection, you won't score well on that event. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Oh, wait. They have that, kinda. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

Sam Zimmerman
Vandals Racing (http://www.uidaho.edu/~racing)

[gug]

i want to see an on the roof race for those of us with the big wings. imagine this upside down:
http://www-personal.monash.edu.au/~fsae/509.jpg

or imagine something like uta, using ground effects to stick to the roof!
may be dangerous, stupid and very risky to the cars, but it sure would attract attention!

actually, a bit of bungee cord, big steel shed, some sort of runner system in the roof that the bugee cord ties to, hmmmmmm. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

- if it isnt coming, you need a bigger tool.

[Denny Trimble]

I just ran a quick check in my favorite CFD/FEA program, "Photoshop", and it appears it will work:

http://students.washington.edu/dennyt/inverted.jpg

University of Washington Formula SAE ('98, '99, '03)

[MikeWaggoner at UW]

I'd like to see them crush the frontal impact structure (including footbox in front of suspension) and monitor ride-down. Maybe not the one on the car, but at least a replica of it. At WWU they use aluminum honeycomb (for linear ride-down) and a footbox that will actually support the weight, but I've seen other teams using foam, 6 packs, steel tubes etc. that have no chance of either providing ride-down for the driver, and often failing to even protect the driver's feet during the specified impact. It seems weird that they're not enforcing this safety rule at all.

[Sam Zimmerman]

As I read it, the rule itself is unenforceable. The only real way to enforce the rule is to change it first. I like the idea of taking an additional crush zone to the competition and having it meet specific criteria. As an alternative, they could crush each one and the results go to the design judges, affecting your design score.

Sam Zimmerman
Vandals Racing (http://www.uidaho.edu/~racing)

[DoItDoug]

How about having the dynamic events before the judging for design semi's, so that the judges can actually appreciate the cars that do well on the track. Some of the designs I saw during the first couple of days sure were innovative and probably took a lot of thought, but when it came to actually performing in a race...please...
I say do the safety stuff, run the cars, then judge the best...

Doug Temple
'02 VT FSAE
www.vtmotorsports.com (http://www.vtmotorsports.com)

[Charlie]

Surely semi-finals judging would have helped our team if it was after the dynamic events. But I think having the finals after the dynamic events is good enough. You can have a good design, and have problems with it performing. You should not be able to win design if that happens, but I think you should still be able to go far.

As for the crush zone, I think the whole crush zone idea is a bit of wishful thinking anyway. If you crashed one of these cars, would it be head on into a wall? I think not. In fact, I think it's pretty easiy to partially avoid something, and if you couldn't, most cars would go under what they hit (like a car). Anti-intrusion bars & wheel tethers would be much more practical ideas IMO. You are ging to try to avoid what you are about to hit; it will be an angle blow, or probably a 1 wheel hit.

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE (http://eng.auburn.edu/organizations/SAE/AUFSAE)
5th Overall Detroit 2003
? Overall Aussie 2003. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Brent Howard]

Our team has used the crush zone fairly often...most tested design on the car! I agree that if you hit anyting at speed your probably going to be calling the fire department to come cut you out with teh jaws of life. The one great thing about the crush zone is that it stops you from denting, bending, other sorts of damage to your chassis in lower speed crahes into things like parking lot curbs (this has never NEVER happened to us).

About the wheel tethers I completly agree. UVic's rear wheel this year is proof that they are needed. We nearly had the same thing happen too, but our caliper stopped the wheel from flying off and we ran a lap or 2 with the rim rolling on the rotor.

Brent

www.ucalgary.ca/fsae (http://www.ucalgary.ca/fsae)

[Denny Trimble]

Wheel tethers wouldn't have stopped UVIC's wheel from flying off, the hub flange separated from the axle.

I thought the crush zone intent was in case two cars were running close in endurance, the front one spun, and the rear one t-boned it. That would be a good reason to have a crush zone, but the rules are way too loose here to guarantee that everyone's crush zone is safe.

Totally off topic, I got my first drive in an oval car last night. Managed to pass someone in practice, then spin in front of them, thank god they didn't hit me because full tube-frame cars hit pretty hard http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

University of Washington Formula SAE ('98, '99, '03)

[GIJoeCam]

LTU totaled the '03 car this summer. I am trying to get a copy of the pics to post. Suffice it to say, it's not a pretty sight. The only thing that saved the driver's legs is the fact that he was only about 5 feet tall. Everything from the rear a-arm mount forward was crushed back.

Oh, and I would have LOVED to see a show-n-shine. We would have blown the competition away in '02.... with OR without a muffler LOL!

-Joe

2002 LTU FSAE Co-Leader
2002 LTU FSAE Brake System Engineer
Inaugural 2002 Road and Track FSAE Triathalon Champions!

[mx6_shifty]

I have two ideas,

1. 1/4 mile

2. Destruction Derby - Once the comp is over, all teams compete on a speedway track. Whichever team is the last running, they keep not only their car but all the wrecks too.

I don't know about anyone else but I like number 2.

Matt