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SAE Competition Background

  Formula Series

Students design, manufacture, and compete with small formula-style racecars.  Restrictions are placed on the car frame and engine so the students are challenged on their knowledge, creativity, and imagination.  Four-cycle engines up to 610cc can be used with the optional addition of a turbocharger or supercharger to add a new dimension to the challenge of engine design.

 

       

 Figure 1: Current SAE Formula car

 

The vehicles are judged in three different categories: static inspection and engineering design, solo performance trails, and high-performance track endurance.

 

Baja Series:

            Mini Baja series consists of three regional competitions that simulate real-world engineering design projects and challenges.  Engineering students are challenged to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain and in the East competition; some water is added to the terrain.

Figure 2: Current SAE Baja Car

The object of the competition is to provide SAE student members with a challenging project that involves the planning and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market.  Teams compete against one another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm.  Students must function as a team in order to design, build, test, promote, and race their vehicle within the limits of the rules.  Students are also forced to generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities.

        All vehicles are powered by a ten-horsepower, Intek Model 20, engine donated by the Briggs & Stratton Corporation.  For over twenty-five years, the generosity of Briggs & Stratton has enabled SAE to provide each team with a dependable engine free of charge.  Use of the same engine by all the teams creates a more challenging engineering design challenge.