New team advice/help

[thestratomaster]

Hey guys. I'm a second year mechanical. My schools team disbanded last year due to poor leadership. I'm attempting to get it up and running again. It's gonna be a lot of work thats for sure. Any one have advice for a new team? I'm most curious about time tables for design and fabrication time etc. Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks guys.

[thestratomaster]

Hey guys. I'm a second year mechanical. My schools team disbanded last year due to poor leadership. I'm attempting to get it up and running again. It's gonna be a lot of work thats for sure. Any one have advice for a new team? I'm most curious about time tables for design and fabrication time etc. Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks guys.

[BeunMan]

My first advice would be: check if there is another team nearby and visit them. You can see how they work/think/plan and get an idea of what to do and what you might need.

[Edward M. Kasprzak]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by thestratomaster:
Hey guys. I'm a second year mechanical. My schools team disbanded last year due to poor leadership. I'm attempting to get it up and running again. It's gonna be a lot of work thats for sure. Any one have advice for a new team? I'm most curious about time tables for design and fabrication time etc. Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks guys. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Start by talking directly with your Faculty Advisor. You should also talk with your school's SAE President. Neither FAs or Presidents like hearing about these things secondhand.

Your proposal to restart Formula needs to begin with a financial plan to raise $n0,000 per year. UB has enough finances to support the existing Baja and Clean Snowmobile teams (and that's a stretch). Saying the previous team disbanded due to "poor leadership" oversimplifies the situation.

[thestratomaster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Edward M. Kasprzak:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by thestratomaster:
Hey guys. I'm a second year mechanical. My schools team disbanded last year due to poor leadership. I'm attempting to get it up and running again. It's gonna be a lot of work thats for sure. Any one have advice for a new team? I'm most curious about time tables for design and fabrication time etc. Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks guys. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Start by talking directly with your Faculty Advisor. You should also talk with your school's SAE President. Neither FAs or Presidents like hearing about these things secondhand.

Your proposal to restart Formula needs to begin with a financial plan to raise $n0,000 per year. UB has enough finances to support the existing Baja and Clean Snowmobile teams (and that's a stretch). Saying the previous team disbanded due to "poor leadership" oversimplifies the situation. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

All I ever heard was that it was due to leadership issues, not financial problems as well. Realistically, how much does a team need to complete a car? I know sponsorships help a great deal, but I can't rely solely on them

[Ally_UGR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by thestratomaster:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Edward M. Kasprzak:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by thestratomaster:
Hey guys. I'm a second year mechanical. My schools team disbanded last year due to poor leadership. I'm attempting to get it up and running again. It's gonna be a lot of work thats for sure. Any one have advice for a new team? I'm most curious about time tables for design and fabrication time etc. Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks guys. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Start by talking directly with your Faculty Advisor. You should also talk with your school's SAE President. Neither FAs or Presidents like hearing about these things secondhand.

Your proposal to restart Formula needs to begin with a financial plan to raise $n0,000 per year. UB has enough finances to support the existing Baja and Clean Snowmobile teams (and that's a stretch). Saying the previous team disbanded due to "poor leadership" oversimplifies the situation. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

All I ever heard was that it was due to leadership issues, not financial problems as well. Realistically, how much does a team need to complete a car? I know sponsorships help a great deal, but I can't rely solely on them </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It depends how much infrastructure you have and the willingness of your institution to give you access to it's facilities.

If you don't need to worry about tools, workshop space, machining costs and some sort of design studio then you can just about squeeze out a working car for £10,000 (~$12,000)I recon. If you need to buy in tools then add another 1-2k on.

If you're going to be tight on funding then I highly recommend doing your 1st car over 2 years. This gives you ample time to source sponsors and fundraise.

[thestratomaster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ally_UGR:
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">
It depends how much infrastructure you have and the willingness of your institution to give you access to it's facilities.

If you don't need to worry about tools, workshop space, machining costs and some sort of design studio then you can just about squeeze out a working car for £10,000 (~$12,000)I recon. If you need to buy in tools then add another 1-2k on.

If you're going to be tight on funding then I highly recommend doing your 1st car over 2 years. This gives you ample time to source sponsors and fundraise. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thankfully, my school is pretty set with infrastructure. We used to have a formula team and currently still have a Baja and clean snowmobile team. To the best of my knowledge they have pretty much every tool we would need with maybe a few minor exceptions.

Thanks for the figure on price. Is that a raw number not including donations from sponsors etc? Because my school does have two existing SAE teams, school funding might be considerably lower than what would be hoped. I've not yet gotten a response from my student association so I cannot be positive about finances. Building the first car over 2 years may be needed. I would prefer to compete in as many competitions as we could, but I want to do it right, and have a solid car that is more than competitive.

[RollingCamel]

Have a look at "Resources" at the SAE's Formula SAE site and check the articles and let us know your thoughts about it. Specifically check "Organizing a Formula SAE team" and "Managing student vehicle projects - the non technical side."

[thestratomaster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RollingCamel:
Have a look at "Resources" at the SAE's Formula SAE site and check the articles and let us know your thoughts about it. Specifically check "Organizing a Formula SAE team" and "Managing student vehicle projects - the non technical side." </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just read through those. Very, very informative. Those will definitely be great resources to have on hand. Thanks.

[ibanezplayer]

Stratomaster,

I understand you're from the University at Buffalo. I strongly recommend talking to Dr. Kasprzak (Third post) directly.

Secondly if you do work with him, or talk to him, take all of his advice as gospel and law. He has been around the industry and competition enough to know a few things that NEED to be done.

[thestratomaster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ibanezplayer:
Stratomaster,

I understand you're from the University at Buffalo. I strongly recommend talking to Dr. Kasprzak (Third post) directly.

Secondly if you do work with him, or talk to him, take all of his advice as gospel and law. He has been around the industry and competition enough to know a few things that NEED to be done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

He's been kind enough to offer some advice and help. I'm meeting with him soon to discuss things. Thanks for the response though!

[Professor Gas Can]

It's true. Edward is the man.

Also, as I recall, past alumni have always been willing to help...



<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ibanezplayer:
Stratomaster,

I understand you're from the University at Buffalo. I strongly recommend talking to Dr. Kasprzak (Third post) directly.

Secondly if you do work with him, or talk to him, take all of his advice as gospel and law. He has been around the industry and competition enough to know a few things that NEED to be done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[thestratomaster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Professor Gas Can:
It's true. Edward is the man.

Also, as I recall, past alumni have always been willing to help...



<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ibanezplayer:
Stratomaster,

I understand you're from the University at Buffalo. I strongly recommend talking to Dr. Kasprzak (Third post) directly.

Secondly if you do work with him, or talk to him, take all of his advice as gospel and law. He has been around the industry and competition enough to know a few things that NEED to be done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm hoping to find some alumni that are willing to help. Just need to find them first

[TorqueWrench]

If you are looking to start FSAE at UB, you need to talk to Dr Kasprzak and the existing SAE club on campus. I know that the student government on campus will not let another SAE team be started outside of that club due to policies/guidelines.

As I was captain of the team during the "poor leadership" you spoke of, I can tell you the program was cancelled mainly due to financial constraints and manpower. I won't go into too many details here, but it is never a secret that there are hurt feelings and finger pointing when something people care about as much as FSAE is folded.

[thestratomaster]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TorqueWrench:
If you are looking to start FSAE at UB, you need to talk to Dr Kasprzak and the existing SAE club on campus. I know that the student government on campus will not let another SAE team be started outside of that club due to policies/guidelines.

As I was captain of the team during the "poor leadership" you spoke of, I can tell you the program was cancelled mainly due to financial constraints and manpower. I won't go into too many details here, but it is never a secret that there are hurt feelings and finger pointing when something people care about as much as FSAE is folded. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've sat down and spoke with Dr. Kasprzak. He provided a lot of information and also made it aware that it will be an uphill battle to get it going again. It seems the folding of FSAE left a sour taste in many people's mouth. It also seems that the other sae teams aren't happy with the current funding for two teams, let alone a third. It may be hard to convince officers to allow a vote to get it going again. Again, all I was told originally was that it was due to leadership problems, but the more I find out is that it was mostly money. Are you still at UB?