Design Reports

[Nigel Lavers]

I suppose that not too many teams have started on their design reports, which are due in 1 month. However, I'm wondering if any of you could give me a hint regarding the "top, front and right" drawings that are requested from the rules.

How detailed have you made these drawings in the past? Seriously, we have umpteen million drawings for components on the vehicle with dimensions, tolerances, functional details, notes, etc... what are the judges looking for on these drawings?

We were planning on submitting a full vehicle drawing from Pro/Engineer with a few important dimensions on it with some important notes and some detailed views.

What about everyone else?

The reason I ask is because the rules don't really give much structure to the report... has anyone gotten any feedback from judges regarding this issue?

Nigel Lavers
FSAE, U of Alberta

[Nigel Lavers]

I suppose that not too many teams have started on their design reports, which are due in 1 month. However, I'm wondering if any of you could give me a hint regarding the "top, front and right" drawings that are requested from the rules.

How detailed have you made these drawings in the past? Seriously, we have umpteen million drawings for components on the vehicle with dimensions, tolerances, functional details, notes, etc... what are the judges looking for on these drawings?

We were planning on submitting a full vehicle drawing from Pro/Engineer with a few important dimensions on it with some important notes and some detailed views.

What about everyone else?

The reason I ask is because the rules don't really give much structure to the report... has anyone gotten any feedback from judges regarding this issue?

Nigel Lavers
FSAE, U of Alberta

[Charlie]

If you listen to Carrol Smith's design finals talk from last year he talks about the report quite a bit. It is around the net in .mp3 format.

-Charlie Ping
Auburn University FSAE 1999-present

[Alan]

From that document that SAE sent out from Carroll Smith-

"We ask for three view drawings. We expect to see proper detailed engineering drawings – not a crude sketch or a solid works rendering."

Not sure if that really clarifies anything, but its something to go off of.

Kettering University FSAE

[Michael Jones]

As you suggest, a Pro-E scaled model of the car and its parts in three views is the right idea. Dimensions and tolerances should probably be kept at a minimum - if you outlined each and every possible dimension, it'd be a jumble of numbers, and wouldn't make sense as an overview at all. A simple scale (e.g., a one-inch line) would give them the basics on which to go forward.

What Carroll Smith did not want is sketchy diagrams or photographs in lieu of proper engineering drawings. Photographs are still essential of course for consideration in secondary, as noted in the rules.

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Cornell Racing
http://fsae.mae.cornell.edu

[Richard Lewis]

I think they are looking for the more critical dimentions in those drawings. Wheel base, track width, frame width, etc. At least my own common sense tells me that, who knows if they want more than that.

-------------------------
UVIC Formula SAE Team
http://members.shaw.ca/drax77/UVICFSAEcar.jpg
http://fsae.uvic.ca

[Michael Jones]

Sure would make sense to stick basic information in the drawings, although a lot of the dimensions of interest will also be featured in the writeup as well of course. Just depends how you'd ilke to pitch it, I suppose - my point was more against throwing every possible dimension available at them. That's just confusing.

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Cornell Racing
http://fsae.mae.cornell.edu

[ODUformulaRacer]

Where can I find a listing of all the due dates?

2003 Project Manager
ODU Formula SAE

[Michael Jones]

It's in one of the appendices in the 2003 rules. Here's hoping you didn't need to file a safety equivalency form, that's past already. ;-)

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Cornell Racing
http://fsae.mae.cornell.edu

[ODUformulaRacer]

no i'm fine on that knew i had some due dates approaching.
thanks
nick

2003 Project Manager
ODU Formula SAE