Each year, University of Windsor engineering students (www.uwindsor.ca/engineering) participate in international collegiate design competitions hosted by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Participation in these events allows aspiring engineers to apply classroom theory to conceive, design, and fabricate a rugged, off-road vehicle. Restrictions are placed on the vehicle’s frame and engine to cha
llenge the creativity of students. The vehicles are built as a team effort over a period of one year, and taken to annual competitions to race and be judged against vehicles from hundreds of colleges and universities from around the world. The result is a unique opportunity for young engineers to participate in a meaningful engineering project and to work as part of a dedicated team. The 2010 team finished 2nd overall at the SAE international competition in Rochester, NY (http://students.sae.org/competitions/bajasae/results/). In these projects, fuel economy and environmental consciousness are very important design considerations. Gains in fuel economy decrease the amount of pit stops required, and reduce the amount of fuel weight carried throughout the race. In order to demonstrate greater environmental consciousness, the feasibility of biodegradable plastics is being researched extensively for use in the SAE Baja project. Using these plastics will reduce the amount of the vehicle which will end up in a landfill after the life of the vehicle has elapsed. Also, processes involving less waste material, such as casting, and electrical discharge machining are being used extensively for parts which, in the past, have resulted in large amounts of scrap. The SAE BAJA Capstone program currently supports a total of 13 students registered in 4th year under the excellent guidance of Dr. Bruce Minaker (www.uwindsor.ca/minaker)
