Media Release
December 11 2006
UniSA Motorsport race team aims for chequered flag
UniSA Bachelor of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering students
have been immersing themselves in the world of motor racing this year.
Eight of them have designed and built a Formula SAE race car as their
final year project – a car they will race in Melbourne this month.
Formula SAE is an annual international engineering design competition
that began in 1980 and run by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
in the USA, UK, Japan, Europe and Australasia for university students.
The competition requires teams to conceive, design, fabricate, and
compete with small formula-style racing cars. There are restrictions on
the car frame and engine, so the knowledge, creativity, and imagination
of the students are challenged every step of the way.
Project supervisor, Dr Sang-Heon Lee said that the competition offers a
unique experience for young engineers.
“The opportunity to work on a year long, team-orientated project to
design, manufacture and race a car from scratch, raise sponsorship as
well as complete their individual thesis on the aspects of the design
and fabrication of the car, gives those involved invaluable skills that
are highly regarded in the automobile industry,” he said.
UniSA Motorsport will pit their skills against teams from other
universities from around Australia and the world by racing the car in
the Australasian SAE competition which will be held in Melbourne,
Victoria later this month.
The cars are judged in three different categories – static inspection
and engineering design; solo performance trials; and high performance
track endurance. These events are scored to determine how well the car
performs.
The team raised more than $10,000 in cash contributions plus a
significant amount of “in-kind” support from locally based companies so
that they could complete the car and compete.
UniSA Motorsport will officially launch its 2006 Formula SAE car on
Tuesday, 12th December, 2006 at 4.00pm (Lecture Theatre, F1-24, Mawson
Lakes campus, Mawson Lakes Boulevard, Mawson Lakes).
Media contact
- Rodney Magazinovic office (08) 8302 0288 mobile 0423 699 514 email rodney.magazinovic@unisa.edu.au