About Formula SAE
"With Formula 1 continually limiting engineering in favour of driver control, is Formula SAE the last venue of true engineering innovation?" - Mitchell, William C. Racecar Engineering, September 2008 Issue. Pg. 68
"There exists a kind of passion in Formula SAE that is hard to find anywhere else in college life, or anywhere else at all. It has a way of shaping your thoughts about everything, encompassing your life like...the plastic matrix in a fiber-reinforced composite." - Brown, Matt (University of Oklahoma FSAE Graduate). Racecar Engineering, September 2008 Issue. Pg. 95
What is FSAE?
Formula SAE® is a student design competition organized by SAE International (formerly Society of Automotive Engineers). The first competition was started back in 1978 and was originally called the Mini Indy.
The concept behind Formula SAE is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a design team to develop a small Formula-style race car. The prototype race car is to be evaluated for its potential as a production item. The target marketing group for the race car is the non-professional weekend autocross racer. Each student team designs, builds and tests a prototype based on a series of rules whose purpose is both to ensure onsite event operations and promote clever problem solving.
Formula SAE promotes careers and excellence in engineering as it encompasses all aspects of the automotive industry including research, design, manufacturing, testing, developing, marketing, management and finances. Formula SAE takes students out of the classroom and allows them to apply textbook theories to real work experiences.
Today, the competition has expanded and includes a number of spin off events. In the United States there are three locations: California, Michigan, and Virginia; Michigan being the largest event and longest running.
Internationally, as part of the Official Formula SAE Series
utilizing the Formula SAE Rules Copyright under signed agreement are:
Formula SAE Australasia
Formula SAE Brazil
Formula SAE Italy
Formula Student (UK)
In 2006, Dartmouth College (partnered with SAE International) created the fuel alternative event Formula Hybrid using Formula SAE cars with gasoline-electric hybrid power plants.
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International sponsors Formula SAE competitions each year engaging student teams from top universities from all over the world in the design, fabrication, and racing of a small formula style racecar. Student teams construct their vehicles over a year-long design cycle, and must use their knowledge, creativity, and imagination in a practical setting to overcome the challenges posed by the competition.
The premise of the competition is that an automotive manufacturing corporation has contracted a team of student engineers to design and fabricate an inexpensive prototype racecar, which could be used in events such as the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Solo I or Solo II autocross competitions.
The Illinois team entered two main FSAE competitions last year and was a very fierce competitor against strong teams from around the world. In April, we again took third place overall among forty registered teams at the second SAE VIR event at Virginia International Raceway. Returning proudly with the new car bearing number 3 thanks to its previous finish, the UIUC team managed to receive its highest ever finish in the design category, taking third place. The acceleration event was shorter than normal for an FSAE event, but even under the unexpected shortened, uphill distance, the car finished second which showcased its fast shift times and excellent power. After putting in one of the fastest times of the day in the challenging autocross event, a single cone came between UIUC and a first place finish, but we were proud to achieve second place among a formidable opposition. In addition, by reducing the cost of several components from previous years, the team managed to secure second place in the cost competition. On the final day, the top three teams from the autocross event lined up for the start of the Endurance Event: University of Maryland, Missouri S&T, and Illinois. The event was unique as it was run on an infield road course at the facility. The car was tuned well and performed excellently. Despite having the second fastest time among the competition, the fuel consumption adjustment placed us fourth in the event, still a very respectable finish considering the distance that was covered with perfect reliability. Such great overall performances in the dynamic events earned the team the Honda Dynamic Performance award.
Due to the coincidence of the largest and most prestigious competition in Michigan with UIUC's final exam period, we were unable to attend the international finals. This year, however, we are committed to competing at Michigan International Speedway despite the same scheduling conflict.
In lieu of missing the Michigan competition, the Illinois team also competed in the Formula SAE West competition at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Among 81 registered teams, the Racing Illini placed fourth in cost, seventh in skidpad, and fourteenth in both presentation and design. Unfortunately, mechanical problems arose with the differential and its chain tensioning mechanism, leading up to the breaking of the chain during the endurance event. Despite not receiving a score for 40% of the total possible points, the team still finished a respectable 25th overall.
Illinois Formula SAE has shown a significant improvement in the past few years. The team has gone from modest overall finishes without completing the endurance event to placing 25th last year in California, 3rd place in Virginia, and 13th place at our last Michigan appearance in 2008 - completing the endurance event in the last three out of four competitions. These results are a testament to the hard work of not only this year's team but also the dedication of teams in years past that have enabled Illinois to develop into a perennial top team among the world's best universities at a fraction of most teams? budgets. In fact, after the team?s performance at Virginia, the Racing Illini were ranked 10th in the world.
The Illinois team has countless companies and individuals to thank for the successes of the past year. Sponsors for the Illinois FSAE team in the 2008-2009 season included the Mechanical Science and Engineering Department, the Engineering Design Council, Illinois alumni, corporate/industrial contacts, and other individuals. All these organizations and people helped the FSAE team by providing manufacturing resources, monetary donations, and part/component donations or discounts.
[source: http://students.sae.org/competitions/formulaseries/about.htm]
If you have any questions please contact us at illiniformularacing@gmail.com