Student Automotive team looking to improve upon previous performance

For 35 years, the Student Automotive Engineering Team at Mankato State has designed and built a race car to compete against other schools at the Formula Student Automotive Engineering competition held in the spring. This year, the SAE team at Mankato State is hoping to improve upon previous years performance.

The event allows students hands-on experience designing and building a formula style race car.

“It’s a fully integrated project, just like we’d see in the real world and real engineering jobs,” said Jack Braswell, a member of the team.

“You learn a lot of theory in class, but this project is very hands-on,” said Sachith Wanniarachchi, another team member.

Through the project, students are given a wide variety of responsibilities including fundraising, designing, and testing of the vehicle before it can be entered into the competition.

“A lot of the industry leaders and companies that are out there look at this project as if they can do this well, they can really accomplish anything,” said team manager Vlad Riley.

The project represents a wide variety of challenges for students. In addition to being responsible for fundraising for the project, the FSAE has a wide variety of rules and regulations that students must follow. Many of these rules are for safety but also exist to ensure that the competition is fair.

The competition itself involves a variety of events designed to test the cars maneuvering abilities, endurance, as well as fuel efficiency.

Fundraising involves reaching out to companies to sponsor the costs of building the racer and travel expenses for those going to the competition.

“We all have to fundraise for it. So we’ve been reaching out to companies and asking if they want to sponsor us, whether it’s monetary or material,” said Riley.

In warmer months, team members could be seen testing the car in the larger parking lots along Stadium Rd. Now, team meetings are held in Nelson Hall where students crowd around arrays of computer screens while discussing possible design improvements and double checking FSAE rules to ensure compliance.

Many of the students involved say that they enjoyed the project and got a lot out from being involved in something so hands on. The team also hopes to improve upon its previous rankings.

“Looking at it come to life and actually physically building the car, that’s the most exciting part of the project, and going to the competition, winning our goals, because we are planning on winning the 15th place,” said Wanniarachchi.

Overall, this year’s team is looking forward to the competition.

“Hopefully with the car we design we rip through the track and competition,” said Braswell.

Caption: Student Automotive Engineering Team at Mankato State aims to win against other schools in Formula Automotive Engineering competition held in spring. Students have design and build their race car (LOGAN SCHLOSSER/The Reporter).

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