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Getting hired as an engineer back in the heyday of
America's motor vehicle industry was, for the most part,
ingenuous. Then Honda was known only for producing
50 cc motorcycles, Toyota was virtually an unknown and
Hyundai sounded like something you shouted as you tried to
karate-chop your way through some pine boards. A twoyear
degree from a trade or technical college was enough to
get your foot in the door of any manufacturer or supplier. Of
course, you had to walk in that door wearing a short-sleeved
white shirt and narrow black tie with the omnipresent pocket
protector chock-full of mechanical pencils and – most
impressive of all – a slide rule.
My, how times have changed. Today there are no certain
criteria for landing an engineering position, but there are
some basic prerequisites; a bachelor's degree, proven
demonstration of time management skills and documented
exposure to project management are beginnings. But,
psssst…here's an industry trade secret. Attendance at a
college or university engineering school and getting
involved in its Formula SAE (fSAE) program will enhance
the chances for subsequently getting hired into a real-world
engineering position.
Formula SAE challenges teams of students to conceive,
design, and fabricate small open-wheel formula-style spec
racing cars and then compete against the cars of teams from
other schools. A team typically spends up to twelve months
going through design iterations, then the construction, testing
and competition prepping of their car. FSAE consists of
multiple phases of controlled contests during which team
members gain experience as they demonstrate their capabilities,
and those of their vehicles, against teams and cars that
come from around the world.
Currently there are eight fSAE competitions held annually
(refer to sidebar for 2007 dates and locations). As an
example, last year's Michigan fSAE event had 140 teams
from eleven different countries, including the US and
Canada, vying with one another. Events are always “over
subscribed” with online registrations that often close within
minutes of opening because the capacity has been meet.
Formula SAE began in 1981, evolving from a program
called Mini-Indy that had itself begun as a collaboration
between SAE and the University of Houston, held on
campus in Texas. Rules for Mini-Indy specified 5 hp Briggs
and Stratton engines on basic go-kart frames. Over the
years, the rules have matured permitting more engineering
creativity and sophisticated powertrains. These days maximum
power for an fSAE car is specified as 610 cc motorcycle
engine; the students display their engineering creativity
in the vehicle systems and chassis designs.
The competition is designed to resemble the challenges
of new model creation within a major automotive manufacturer.
Except that for fSAE the student teams are directed to
assume that they have been “hired” to produce a prototype
car for evaluation for eventual production. Their intended
sales market is the nonprofessional weekend autocross
enthusiast. Accordingly, the car they develop and build must
have high performance attributes in areas like handling,
braking and acceleration but be low in initial cost, yet reliable
and easy to maintain. Students must develop not only
the car but also the corollary manufacturing and marketing
programs. Marketing features, such as esthetics, comfort,
use of common parts and recyclability, must be addressed.
The manufacturing plan must provide for production of four
cars per day with target maximum retail selling price of
$25,000 each.
Each phase and aspect is critically evaluated and judged
during the course of the three day competition. Over the
thirteen years that I've been involved with fSAE, I've done
everything from setting cones and bucking hay bales, to
working as track flagman, weighing and measuring or operating
the tilt-table, to team steward. Let me walk you
through a typical fSAE competition.
Unofficially it begins Wednesday when teams arrive in
all manner of truck and trailer combinations to sign-in,
hopeful of a good pit stall assignment. Thursday is the official
start, looking and feeling much like the controlled chaos
that it is. From first light, these adrenalin-hyped college students
must manage their time in order to accomplish all of the tasks before them. They will have to explain their car in
detail, justifying their selection of each component before
one panel of judges. They will make a marketing and production
presentation before another constructively critical
panel. They must successfully get their car through safety
and tech-inspections, pass a required braking test, demonstrate
that the car is within exhaust noise levels when running
at full chat, before being permited to move on to the
on-track exercises. Just as in the real-world of engineering,
deadlines are sacred.
Friday the teams which successfully accomplished the
prerequisites on Thursday will begin on-track exercises.
Other teams will still be working their way through the various
inspections before being permitted to move along to the
on-track acceleration run or the maximum lateral “g” test
(more commonly known as the skid pad). Acceleration is a
timed wide-open, pedal-to-the-metal 75 meter (246 feet)
straight line drag-style run. The skid pad is timed twice,
once clockwise and the other counterclockwise, with the
laps each way negotiated within the 15.25 meter (50.03 feet)
diameter circle, where the driving path is only 3 meters
(9.84 feet) wide. Just as in the “real world” there are strategies
to consider – coping with the prevailing weather, getting
tires properly warmed, being in the proper order in the
line so there's some rubber already on the track, watching
the lines other drivers are taking – because when the event
clock expires at the end of the two-hour window, the opportunity
to score expires too.
For more on this article and much more grab a copy of Auto Aficionado Magazine on newsstands nationwide!
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