Suspension Updates:

  For suspension this year we are trying to get a better process for the manufacturing of our parts and "dial in" a perfect set up for our different drivers to help us prevail in the competition. To ease manufacturing, we are looking into alternate forms of machining, IE water jetting components that can be machined from one side. We will still go back and use the mill, however it will only for for clean up and non "thru" pockets. Robert is working on a new program to better estimate our loading scenarios which will give us a better idea on what will happen with the car as it is driving. This will give the whole team better insight to how components should be designed.To get the best suspension setup, we are working not only designing a better overall part, but the engineers are working with last year's car to change out components like springs and dampers to help the car handle better. Even with just preliminary testing we have found that the car is getting quicker around our make-shift auto cross course that we train the drivers on. We are starting to dive into pre-load settings as well as rebound and compression settings also!Once our car is made, we plan on running the same testing to really make the most out of the suspension. "It doesn't matter how much power you have when you end up plowing through a corner because you don't have proper tuning and driver comfort."

    - Scott (Chief Suspension Engineer)

Chassis Updates:

  Modeling and analysis of parts for the chassis is nearing completion. We've managed to acquire most of our composite materials that we're going to need for this year's build. We have an aggressive manufacturing schedule this year in order to have more time for testing.

    - Henry (Chief Chassis Engineer)

Engine Updates:

  Our Competition engine has been built. Engine is on the dyno machine and waiting for the wiring. Also working with Stephen for ECU from AERM. Analysis of every part has been done. Intake got the new design for better flow. Muffler is going to be tested for the sound level.

    -  Jae (Chief PowerTrain Engineer)

Controls Updates:

  Sam and Brian have finished their thermal analysis on the brake rotors, finished their CDR slides, and completed stress analysis. Marcus was able to find a solenoid, actuator, and air cylinder for the pneumatic shifter. He has also finished stress analysis on the shifter and is now making brackets. Dimitry has made some preliminary PDR slides and finished his stress analysis after redesigning the clutch. Rick has finished his analysis of the throttle system as well as his CDR slides. John has done some preliminary PDR slides for the electrical system and has been working closely with the engine department over the weekend to get started on a wiring harness for the engine on the dyno.

    -  John (Chief Controls Engineer)

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California State University, Northridge will be car number 17 in this year's FSAE-WEST competition in Fontana
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Sleep is down and pencils are up. The Haas lab, located in the Mechanical Engineering Building at California State University, Northridge, is bustling with this year’s members of the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE.)
  This year, just like previous years, the students are getting ready for the Formula SAE California Race in June 2010. Twenty two students and half a dozen volunteers will be building an open-wheeled sports car capable of acceleration in the same league as Ferraris and Porches.
  “I’ve seen freshmen come in here and really get a kick out of this car when they hear how fast it is, I hope seeing us all in here working like this can get them interested in the program” said Charles Etienne, the Project Manager for this year’s team.
  The prizes at the competitions range from the “Spirit of Excellence Award” the winner of which receive a sum of $3000 to the “Honda R&D Americas Engineering Design Award” the winner of which receives a cash prize of $1000.
  This year’s budget for the CSUN car will be hovering around $35,000, most of the funding coming from The Associated Students (the primary advocate for students at California State University, Northridge), The University Corporation (a non-profit auxiliary corporation providing commercial and administrative services to Cal State, Northridge), and generous sponsors that will be approached by the team throughout the year.
  CSUN has a history of success, in 2003 the team placed 10th out of 140 schools and in 2007 placed 7th out of 80 schools from around the world.
  Most of the students can be found working in the Haas Lab, a facility that includes a full suite of manufacturing tools as well as a dedicated computer lab featuring some of the most advanced designing software available. Students are seen in the lab going over previous year’s cars, which are stored on site for reference and inspiration, as well as preparing presentations for the Alumni and faculty of the Mechanical Engineering Department at CSUN.
  The program started in early September and will run until June 2010 when the team will take their car to Fontana, California the location of this year’s competition.
  This year the team has three key themes; Preparation, Dynamics, and History.
  They will be ready. More than ever before, training is starting early. Teams of manufacturing roles have been designated in the first month of the group’s inception. By the end of the first month these teams had already started training in their chosen field, CNC Machining, Welding, or Carbon Fiber production.
  They will build team Dynamics. There are always conflicts between people, this team is no different. And there is something to be said about a team that is willing to admit they can all be wrong at times.
  This year the team plans to make the greatest majority of its decisions based on evidence and not emotions. These decisions will lead to actions and sometimes mistakes, but having all be involved in the evidence gathering, they expect there to be less finger pointing when such mistakes are made.
  They will know the History. It is not only important to go back to last year’s design when making a formula SAE car, it is also important to go to the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that. This year the team has been diligently meeting, calling, and harassing as many former members as they can get a hold of, getting information and ideas dating all the way back to 1988 when the first CSUN formula SAE car was made and raced in Detroit.
  If you have a chance to speak to a former member of SAE most likely the first things they will mention is the sear amount of time they dedicated to this project, risking grades in other classes and in some cases relationships with loved ones. And so this new team is just now starting to realize what the passionate forewarnings were all about – no sleep ‘till Fontana, pencils up!

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It is our First day of Senior Project class meeting. We met up in the Haas Lab as a whole group. Everyone was worried about not having enough people on this years team. We have more than 20 people on our FSAE team this year including volunteers. We are very excited about this year. Updates will be posted as we go on.

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