Big thanks to Logic Supply who donated the computer for Car 12! The computer is utilized as an on-board Telemetry Computer which reads in the data from our Data Logger and Engine Controller Unit (ECU) via the available USB ports. Utilizing the on-board system allows the team to increase the efficiency of testing sessions with the ability to review engine parameters and various other data channels in real, time via a USB radio modem, without having to sacrifice the conditions produced by simulated endurance sessions. Additionally, trackside engineers can diagnose any conditions or problems without driver distraction. This compact unit is light and easily packages into our chassis and electrical system, thereby minimizing the weight added to the car and demand on the electrical system. As an investment, the future of our telemetry computer will involve remote adjustment of control systems with prescribed parameters to help us understand how our car responds to our engine control systems and quickly determine how to adjust our control systems to give us the fastest times on the track. Our telemetry computer gives us the advantage we need to take home the 1st place trophy.
Go Green, Go White, Go Fast!
Josh Frontiera
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
2009 Traverse City Cherry Festival Parade
Gorgeous weather, excited bystanders, and a very enthusiastic team of MSU students, alumni and supporters barely paints a picture of the kick of to the 2009 Cherry Festival Parade earlier this morning. The team joined the MSU Alumni Association, MSU Dance Team, and Sparty as we marched through downtown traverse city and local neighborhoods.
Car 51 ran perfectly all morning thanks to a strong effort from new team leaders who performed an clutch swap the week prior which involves removing the entire engine from the Car. Team members performed a "Nascar" like pit stop performance in the middle of the parade due to a faulty shifting bottle. Again, a big thanks to the guys over at Hagerty who were kind enough to let us use their facilities throughout the parade and helped organize the event.Go
Green, Go White, Go Fast.
Josh Frontiera
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Hagerty Family Car Show
Today the MSU Formula Racing Team attended the Hagerty Family Car Show in downtown Traverse City. Although the theme was UofM vs. MSU, it made for a fun and energetic atmosphere. Car 51 was displayed next to UofM's 2008 Solar Car, both of which drew a tremendous amount of traffic.
As always the questions came rolling in about the program, its affiliation with the University, and what exactly we do. Events like the Hagerty Family Car Show are exciting because it allows team members to talk about all the work they have put into the race car. More specifically, what they have learned from their experience designing, manufacturing, and testing the car.
After the show is over, the team will be rushing Car 51 back to the shop where it will undergoe a clutch replacement and have several of it's systems checked over so that it is ready to lay down rubber in the streets of downtown Traverse City as it partakes in the 2009 Cherry Festival Parade.
Big thanks to all of those at Hagerty who created the fundraiser for the MSU and UofM teams. We really appreciate all the help guys! Visit the Hagerty website for more information and check out the Car Show Video!
Josh
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The meaning behind Formula SAE
Normally, I try to blog from a central point of view of the team. However, I felt that this update would best be spoken from my personal experiences.
A couple of weeks ago, a few team members took Car 51 out to it's latest educational outreach event: a celebration signifying the end of Race for Reading month at Okemos, Michigan’s Edgewood Public Montessori school. During my tenure with the team, I've been privileged to attend several outreach events and to speak with many students about the importance of pursuing collegiate education and what role Formula SAE has had in mine. Bringing a race car along to visually emphasize the 'cool' activities available hasn’t ever hurt such a presentation.
Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, I couldn't personally present at this event. But I was able to help pick the car up, so I stopped by to do so.
Walking into the school library, I saw a very moving and quite adorable sight. Team members Ankit Mathur, Adrienne Burger and Lauren Heitzer were still in the midst of answering questions after their last presentation. This one happened to be to some first graders, and by the looks of them, not more than 6 or 7 years old. There were about 10 or 12 all gathered around Car 51, some with their hands raised, asking questions about the car and who built what on it. They asked about all sorts of things; the colors, what this piece did on the engine, why the tires didn't have tread, and what parts Adrienne, Lauren and Ankit personally made.
Since I am usually on the other side of the presentation, it struck me that I really didn't know what it felt like to just sit back and watch. There is only one word for it: inspirational. Team members have been presenting at schools and hosting work shop tours for quite some time, but I guess that being in front of the crowd much of those times prevented me from fully realizing (or forgetting over the course of time) what a direct impact these events really have on their audiences.
The importance of Formula SAE falls inline with the mission of it's sanctioning body: to educate today's and tomorrow's society about mobility. I think that when you participate in FSAE (or any one of SAE's collegiate design series competitions for that matter), you realize quickly the educational benefits to yourself, your teammates and your competitors. But it's easy to forget or simply overlook the importance that your team and your work play in your community.
This observation made me re-realize this. Those little kids, the future (hopefully) Spartans of our university...our team…our world were so enthralled in this piece of machinery that was, for all practical team-purposes, just a retired race car. But to them, the word 'retired' didn't mean a thing. They possessed an innocence that only allowed them to think about the possibilities that still could exist. They thought about things only in a current and future state of being, and in that sense, only what could be; not ever what would limit or prevent. They are the ultimate optimists.
This was an amazing experience, truly a moment that defined something great.
As I was only an observer here, the credit for this occurrence goes to those who captured the audience's interest, primarily Adrienne, Ankit and Lauren. Additional accolades should be paid to Car 51’s team. These people: team members, sponsors and the teacher's who invited us to Edgewood Montessori, are the facilitators of the young audience's questions that fascinated me that afternoon. I’d like to say thank you to all of you.
Go Green. Go White. Go Fast.
Adam
A couple of weeks ago, a few team members took Car 51 out to it's latest educational outreach event: a celebration signifying the end of Race for Reading month at Okemos, Michigan’s Edgewood Public Montessori school. During my tenure with the team, I've been privileged to attend several outreach events and to speak with many students about the importance of pursuing collegiate education and what role Formula SAE has had in mine. Bringing a race car along to visually emphasize the 'cool' activities available hasn’t ever hurt such a presentation.
Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, I couldn't personally present at this event. But I was able to help pick the car up, so I stopped by to do so.
Walking into the school library, I saw a very moving and quite adorable sight. Team members Ankit Mathur, Adrienne Burger and Lauren Heitzer were still in the midst of answering questions after their last presentation. This one happened to be to some first graders, and by the looks of them, not more than 6 or 7 years old. There were about 10 or 12 all gathered around Car 51, some with their hands raised, asking questions about the car and who built what on it. They asked about all sorts of things; the colors, what this piece did on the engine, why the tires didn't have tread, and what parts Adrienne, Lauren and Ankit personally made.
Since I am usually on the other side of the presentation, it struck me that I really didn't know what it felt like to just sit back and watch. There is only one word for it: inspirational. Team members have been presenting at schools and hosting work shop tours for quite some time, but I guess that being in front of the crowd much of those times prevented me from fully realizing (or forgetting over the course of time) what a direct impact these events really have on their audiences.
The importance of Formula SAE falls inline with the mission of it's sanctioning body: to educate today's and tomorrow's society about mobility. I think that when you participate in FSAE (or any one of SAE's collegiate design series competitions for that matter), you realize quickly the educational benefits to yourself, your teammates and your competitors. But it's easy to forget or simply overlook the importance that your team and your work play in your community.
This observation made me re-realize this. Those little kids, the future (hopefully) Spartans of our university...our team…our world were so enthralled in this piece of machinery that was, for all practical team-purposes, just a retired race car. But to them, the word 'retired' didn't mean a thing. They possessed an innocence that only allowed them to think about the possibilities that still could exist. They thought about things only in a current and future state of being, and in that sense, only what could be; not ever what would limit or prevent. They are the ultimate optimists.
This was an amazing experience, truly a moment that defined something great.
As I was only an observer here, the credit for this occurrence goes to those who captured the audience's interest, primarily Adrienne, Ankit and Lauren. Additional accolades should be paid to Car 51’s team. These people: team members, sponsors and the teacher's who invited us to Edgewood Montessori, are the facilitators of the young audience's questions that fascinated me that afternoon. I’d like to say thank you to all of you.
Go Green. Go White. Go Fast.
Adam
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Car 12: it's COMING
Team members continue to work hard to get Car 12 finished; relinquishing their personal lives in order to finish fabrication. Take a look at the various areas that are currently works in progress.
Go Green. Go White. Go Fast.
Adam
Aero Team Leader Jim Guitar sands one half of the molds for Car 12's rear chassis box
Powertrain TL Drew Darling welds part of Car 12's exhaust together.
Associate Member Adrienne Burger sands Car 12's radiator shroud
Car 12's side pod plugs after priming, sanding and the first half of the fiberglass molds being laid up.
Go Green. Go White. Go Fast.
Adam
Aero Team Leader Jim Guitar sands one half of the molds for Car 12's rear chassis box
Powertrain TL Drew Darling welds part of Car 12's exhaust together.
Associate Member Adrienne Burger sands Car 12's radiator shroud
Car 12's side pod plugs after priming, sanding and the first half of the fiberglass molds being laid up.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Side pods are back!
Tonight the plugs came back for Car 12's sidepods. Team alumni Jon Luckhardt's uncle was kind enough to offer up the services of his business to do the machining based upon Aero Team Leader James Guitar's design. In record time, the plugs went from blocks of Huntsman Corporation Renshape to the sculpted plugs that you see here.
Thanks to Huntsman Advanced Materials and Jon and his family for their generosity and support of our program!
Go Green. Go White. Go Fast.
Adam
Thanks to Huntsman Advanced Materials and Jon and his family for their generosity and support of our program!
Go Green. Go White. Go Fast.
Adam
Friday, March 6, 2009
Spring Break Team Dinner
Yesterday, Cockpit Team Leader Hillary Gregory kindly made dinner for everyone who have up their spring break to work on Car 12. Thanks HIllary!
Adam
Foooood
This is one of those real world, less-than-flattering shots of someone. In this case, Powertrain Team Leader Drew Darling.
Associate Team Member Scott Smith enjoys some pop before he heads back into the machine shop.
Adam
Foooood
This is one of those real world, less-than-flattering shots of someone. In this case, Powertrain Team Leader Drew Darling.
Associate Team Member Scott Smith enjoys some pop before he heads back into the machine shop.
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