Vehicle Status 2013

[wagemd]

Well, its that time of year again, how are your vehicles coming along?

[Dash]

Mississippi State University reporting here. We finalized chassis design on Sunday. Working to finish the rest of our design in the next 2 weeks. Will send out for laser cutting tubes as soon as the rules come out!

Unfortunately we are battling with the university on workspace at the moment. We got thrown out of a large room we were using last year for keeping our cars and working in on the weekend due to the ME department needing lab space. Working on securing a workspace at the moment!

[jlangholzj]

Originally posted by Dash:
Mississippi State University reporting here. We finalized chassis design on Sunday. Working to finish the rest of our design in the next 2 weeks. Will send out for laser cutting tubes as soon as the rules come out!

Unfortunately we are battling with the university on workspace at the moment. We got thrown out of a large room we were using last year for keeping our cars and working in on the weekend due to the ME department needing lab space. Working on securing a workspace at the moment!

that blows...seems like half the hurdle at times are getting around all the red tape.

We're right up there as well, working on frame finalization and suspension mods within the next couple weeks. Still doing some testing and driver training currently. I'd like to see some parts in another month but we're gonna hash out the final gantt chart thursday. Anyone doing anything awesome/new? I finally picked up another couple EE's for the team so I don't have to do EVERYTHING http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I'm hoping my other SR member can help get telemetry on the car this year and/or custom CAN sensors.

[Charles Kaneb]

Texas A&M hasn't ruled out building a car out of scrap tubes from previous years with an engine from Harbor Freight. We've got about 78 cents in the kitty and everyone either graduated or is going to this winter.

[AxelRipper]

We're getting tubes in tomorrow, with chassis build to start immediately following.

[Cardriverx]

We are working on finishing suspension design, with the chassis closely following. Aiming for a rolling car by Christmas break.

[,4lex S.]

Texas A&M hasn't ruled out building a car out of scrap tubes from previous years with an engine from Harbor Freight.

That might actually be a pretty good design strategy. If you have some enthusiasm and a good direction for your team.

We are currently still in our design phase, although we should have our frame design figured in a couple days, and also the suspension geometry/designs for the most part ready to make. It is kind of hard to put everything into 2013 when there are still off-season events to come.

[Max Trenkle]

At the end of the summer we had 3 members, and after these first 2 weeks of recruitment, we have managed to gain around 30 regulars! If we could even keep 10 of these guys, we would be set, and 6 of them have already stepped up as design leads to finish what the Lead Engineer and I have been working on alone for the past year:

<LI> Suspension design is final.
<LI> Frame is final.
<LI> Brakes, Aero, Centerlock wheels, and Special CF+core sandwich material are all a go, still in development.

I'm so excited. A few months ago I never thought that things were really going to turn around, but I thought I knew what needed to happen to turn it around and it worked. My face hurts from smiling, and I'm still getting used to guys walking up to me on campus and telling me they finished what we assigned them. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Roundabout136]

Frame and suspension design finalized. Building frame currently. The rest of the components are still in design phase.

ODU FSAE
Team Lead

[Yannick]

AMZ Racing (ETH Zürich) will have the kick-off meeting for the new car with the new team members this Sunday (September 16).

Bye
Yannick

[RobbyObby]

We're currently coming off our best recruitment we've ever had. We now have over 20 solid contributing members and almost 30 that consistently show up to meetings. And even more exciting (for me anyway!) is that we actually have enough new members for an actual chassis TEAM, and not just me doing everything. So I expect a lot of new developments to come out of this year in driver ergo and controls.

We'll be getting our frame tubing in a few weeks, and that'll go out shortly after for laser cutting. We're also currently tearing down and cleaning up our race engine in preparation for our new ECU which was just ordered yesterday from the UK.

[Cardriverx]

Out of curiosity, what ecu are you guys going to be running?




Originally posted by RobbyObby:
We're currently coming off our best recruitment we've ever had. We now have over 20 solid contributing members and almost 30 that consistently show up to meetings. And even more exciting (for me anyway!) is that we actually have enough new members for an actual chassis TEAM, and not just me doing everything. So I expect a lot of new developments to come out of this year in driver ergo and controls.

We'll be getting our frame tubing in a few weeks, and that'll go out shortly after for laser cutting. We're also currently tearing down and cleaning up our race engine in preparation for our new ECU which was just ordered yesterday from the UK.

[RobbyObby]

We'll be running the DTA S80 Pro.


Originally posted by Cardriverx:
Out of curiosity, what ecu are you guys going to be running?



<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RobbyObby:
We're currently coming off our best recruitment we've ever had. We now have over 20 solid contributing members and almost 30 that consistently show up to meetings. And even more exciting (for me anyway!) is that we actually have enough new members for an actual chassis TEAM, and not just me doing everything. So I expect a lot of new developments to come out of this year in driver ergo and controls.

We'll be getting our frame tubing in a few weeks, and that'll go out shortly after for laser cutting. We're also currently tearing down and cleaning up our race engine in preparation for our new ECU which was just ordered yesterday from the UK. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[wagemd]

Our quick update,

We have one of the latest start dates I know of, class doesn't start until the 24th. That said, our leads and returning members have been hard at work over the summer finishing all of the top level design, but many new members have yet to even meet the team...

I like the quarter system educationally, but it certainly doesn't lend itself to FSAE http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[SomeOldGuy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RobbyObby:
We'll be running the DTA S80 Pro.

I'm sure that you have looked into it, but if you are not going to use all the features that the S80 pro provides the S60 does the same thing with the same pinouts for the engine management at half the price.

[RobbyObby]

I'm not familiar with all the details since I'm just a lowly chassis guy... but I do know our Powertrain team did an extensive comparative case study before they decided on the S80. One big reason we're using the DTA is because it interfaces well with the AIM EVO IV data logger that we're running to make use of the logger's larger onboard data storage to log engine data (RPM and wheel speed mainly). I believe the S80 has more options for sending outputs from the ECU. The S60 also only has inputs for 1 wheel speed sensor, while the S80 can accomodate 4 (which me may or may not take advantage of...spoiler alert).

But again, I'm a chassis guy. Engines alone scare me, much less engine management and electronics, so take all this with a grain of salt.

On a side note, more akin to the original topic, we just booked our accommodations for Michigan! Yes, we are that prepared!

[EC]

Kansas State Design is Frozen. On to manufacturing.https://bfb1731a-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/newpowercatmotorsports/cars/Leopard%20Render.JPG?attachauth=ANoY7crUWRjab6urx5 OJDn-tzN0H1Iv8xDz1PGc1sIwjm21YhL7I_OuBNWVs03qyDJVPD-IC_onWrwnUiAQJ8QuPzRFyef-5_wXcLrWwCWLst64XyR8MDI6Dp53PHCUSGgH41aOP52gQZEEjE-qNF5Ljo0ScuCBIPF_XSFA5yi6q3YLJJAjBpB2Ier_rZKnYoIgJ LWrmMWwGlU2YyYEJQke370teya2iGUd5dwNn3kMAZVXyNbAqYP 4%3D&attredirects=0

[Rodiman]

University of Central Florida just entered manufacturing month. Chassis is being welded, were firing up the CNC, and design is 95% complete. We have been plagued with an onslaught of new members with very little to keep them occupied, and were reaching the size limits of our team now.

[BMH]

How's everyone coming along with their cars?

[acedeuce802]

We've had a succesful recruitment season (we have new members in July and October with our weird rotating co-op program), and recruited 4 freshman in July, and still have a good portion interested this term (though we'll see what happens when greek bids go out).

We have our MRH and FRH bent, and FBH ready to go. Pretty much all fixtures are good from the MRH forward. People have been sparatically showing up to the shop, so things have been moving kind of slowly. Hopefully we can get people down this weekend to knock out the front half of the frame.

[Freddie]

Our -12 car is in the shop, having some extra sensors fitted for information gathering, the -13 engine is slightly disassembled for measuring, the diff is on its way here and we have started to design stuff in CAD, as well as doing the all familiar sponsorship calls. Comparing to last year, when we only almost had an engine at this time, we have a somewhat better chance of actually finishing the car without having to work in the lorry outside Silverstone pits the final night before check-in ...

[Mazur]

Car is finished. Optimizing it for Michigan http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[DanielH]

After a few years of shaky team organisation and overly complicated systems, we decided to completely redesign the car and the team. We went from a cf monocoque with an Aprilia SXV and pneumatic shifting to a steel spaceframe, single cylinder BRP DS450(local company) and a mechanical shifter.

New this year is a 12 month schedule with 4 months of testing and a early design freeze.

Design is finished. We are now getting all the drawings together. Our tubes are being cut by Cartesian should get them in a week or two. Our welding jig is coming along nicely (link to pictures bellow). We started our new engine for the first time a few weeks ago. There is a video on our facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/media...2261537122278&type=3 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.536177216397373.143521.162261537122278&type=3)

[JWard]

Daniel, what is rotax name for the ds450 engine? Is this the same model / family as the engine joanneum used to turbo?

[Francis Gagné]

It's the Rotax 4-TEC 450.

Glad to see that EPM is restructuring, and going strong. Still I am a bit surprised from the departure from the monocoque since you already had the experience. I knew you had issues with the Aprilia powertrain (as everyone else). But what were your justifications for a spaceframe? (We are going the carbon way, so I'm pretty interested in knowing...)

[Cardriverx]

Huh, that is one of the first times I have herd of a team going from a monocoque to a spaceframe.


Originally posted by DanielH:
After a few years of shaky team organisation and overly complicated systems, we decided to completely redesign the car and the team. We went from a cf monocoque with an Aprilia SXV and pneumatic shifting to a steel spaceframe, single cylinder BRP DS450(local company) and a mechanical shifter.

New this year is a 12 month schedule with 4 months of testing and a early design freeze.

Design is finished. We are now getting all the drawings together. Our tubes are being cut by Cartesian should get them in a week or two. Our welding jig is coming along nicely (link to pictures bellow). We started our new engine for the first time a few weeks ago. There is a video on our facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/media...2261537122278&type=3 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.536177216397373.143521.162261537122278&type=3)

[DanielH]

JWard, It looks like it is the same engine as joanneum. Mcgill also uses the the Rotax 4-TEC 450.

So far the engine seems pretty great. We've gotten some help from BRP (whos headquarters are only an hour away) and we've talked a bit with Mcgill(our anglophone counterparts.)

There are a few reasons why we are getting rid of the monocoque and building a spaceframe. The big reasons are time and money required to get our plug(positive of the mold) machined. We don't have the expertise nor the facilities to machine such a big and complex part. it took months and thousands of dollars before even getting on started making the frame. With a space frame we are able to get the tubes laser cut and delivered for the third of the cost and in a few weeks. We found that we could make a frame with the weight and decent torsional stiffness and allow us a lot more testing time.

Oh and technically our school changed names. It droped "école" so we are now known as Formule Polytechnique Montréal.

[DanielH]

Welding jig is done. The Frame arrived from Cartesian.
https://www.facebook.com/media...2261537122278&type=1 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.536177216397373.143521.162261537122278&type=1)

[jlangholzj]

Just got our steel in today. Some of our foam profiles for composites are done, should get some of that done this weekend. I think our frame/susp guy is doing some final FEA and analysis and then our corners will be sent out for machine.

My sparky stuff got ordered this last week and so far, telemetry looks good! get about 70m reception LOS with the puny antenna that are on the card....thats going to change soon! http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

So far I'm pretty happy with where we're at. On schedule some places, behind in others...and ahead in some yet....Ohhhh racecar

[Cardriverx]

Cartesian rocks, we should have ours in a week or two at the most.



Originally posted by DanielH:
Welding jig is done. The Frame arrived from Cartesian.
https://www.facebook.com/media...2261537122278&type=1 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.536177216397373.143521.162261537122278&type=1)

[wagemd]

Originally posted by jlangholzj:
My sparky stuff got ordered this last week and so far, telemetry looks good! get about 70m reception LOS with the puny antenna that are on the card....thats going to change soon! http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif


What box are you using?

[Charles Kaneb]

Originally posted by DanielH:
After a few years of shaky team organisation and overly complicated systems, we decided to completely redesign the car and the team. We went from a cf monocoque with an Aprilia SXV and pneumatic shifting to a steel spaceframe, single cylinder BRP DS450(local company) and a mechanical shifter.

Daniel,

How much would your team like for the monocoque molds?

-CPK

[jlangholzj]

Originally posted by wagemd:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jlangholzj:
My sparky stuff got ordered this last week and so far, telemetry looks good! get about 70m reception LOS with the puny antenna that are on the card....thats going to change soon! http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif


What box are you using? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

home-made solution. We're using the microchip dev. platform with a 32bit MCU. Decided to go with a DSP micro for filtering capabilities. CAN transceiver will update registers that get sent in packets to the receive side. After the development's done I'll get a PCB made up and we'll have a complete box for it.

we decided to go with 868Mhz range instead of 2.4Ghz for LOS help. The longer wavelength should give us some added leeway. The nice thing about the system is the 2.4Ghz card is a direct replacement (with some minor code changes) so we may play with that a little bit before final production. Would have liked to go with 433Mhz but the dipole is just so huge unless you go to a 1/4wavelength antenna.

Could have used a "plug-n-play" box but I wanted to do the CAN development for possible use of digital sensors on the car feeding into our Daq unit as well.

[Rodiman]

UCF checking in again - Chassis is fully welded, engine is in the car, A-arms are being bonded, Diff and suspension parts are on the CNC, wiring harness is 50%, and we've got a bunch of tabs and little mounting bits for new members to work on. Its going to be a crazy couple of weeks!

[Dash]

Mississippi State here,

We are finishing up design. Ordering parts out now. Was supposed to have our chassis in town by now ( and materails for suspension ) but are getting tossed around by a supplier http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

[Simactive]

Ravens Racing (Carleton) here. Bet you haven't heard from us in a while. The FSAE team design is still going we had to recruit alot more volunteers and project leads. Should be done soon with structures going to ship out designs hopefully in November. We are late to the design phase trying to get everyone up to speed.

We are working with our Hybrid team to ease the load on the new members =D. Hurra two cars!

[DanielH]

Charles,

Unfortunately we chopped them up and got rid of them about 4 months ago. Also, I don't know if ethically i would sell monocoque molds. I would have a hard time selling part or our design.

[wagemd]

Well, 2012 is almost over and the world hasn't ended (Because Racecar).

We froze our design at the end of November and have acquired almost all of our stock, outsourced a few of the big parts, and have the outer facesheets done. Just waiting on honeycomb to arrive - we had to purchase this year as Hexcel (about an hour away from us) is completely swamped with aerospace requests.

Many members have been making smaller parts in the shop over break when they need a few minutes away from family http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[BluSTi]

Montana State Univ checking in and we're on 2/3's build now. Just little stuff, like engine placement, ergo, aero, suspension, etc...

[wagemd]

Anyone done with their cars? I believe Missouri S&T just had their first drive... Others?

As for us, we've got both chassis halves done which will be bonded together this weekend. After that its assembly as usual.

[FStotal.com]

Hi teams, we are also interested in news about your 2013 cars.

Feel free to send us some picture and highlights for our album Things to come in 2013 (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151326870368445.477253.158738688444&type=3) -> 2013@FStotal.com