Formula SAE
What is F-SAE | Events and Scoring | Schedule
What is F-SAE
Conducted in U.S.A
F-SAE is a racing competition held in Michigan by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and its aim is to make the students gain practical knowledge through managing a virtual corporation. Also, it is one of the educational events held by Students Division of the Institute of the field of cars and aerospace, which has over 80 thousand members form 97 countries.
Historical Competition
This event which began in 1981 with participation of six universities, will hold its 26th competition in 2007. The number of participating universities from around the world are growing every year. In 2000, the joint team from Kantou Region of Japan Society of Automotive Automotive Engineers of Japan, participated as a first Japanese team.
In 2002. there 129 teams participared, and from Japan, other than Sophia University, there were Kokushikan University and Kanagawa Institute of Technology.
The International Competitions
At the beginig, there were only American Competition, but from 2001, Formula Student was held in UK, and in 2002 the Australian Competition began, and in Japan, the first competition was held in 2003 in Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka region. Recently, it began in Italy and Brazil, and also, in 2006, there western competition in America was held. F-SAE is held all over the world and has now developed into a world wide competition such as FSAE World Series.
Japanese Competition
The Japanese Competition of FSAE was first held in 2003 in Fuji Speedway. There were 17 teams in total, including Sophia Racing. The number of competing team is growing every year, and in the 4th competition in 2006, there were 54 teams, including 3 teams which are the winners from overseas competition and were invited. This is the first world championship in the Formula SAE Series.
Racing car as a 'Product'
The teams participating in FSAE must manufacture cars and manage teams based on the regulations set by SAE. This regulation enables the teams to design freely, but on the other hand, it is strict about safety of the race, and is very challenging. For example, the no. 1 priority of the regulation is to build a car for amatuer drivers, which can be sold in the actual market, and these things are required for a car, as a product:
- Acceleration, breaking, handling is easy to do.
- Has high drivability and uses parts that is easy to purchase.
Limit of the cost (Manufacturing cost under $25,000)
Moreover, there are spesific figures that teams must follow. One example is;
- The car should be under $25,000, and it must be possible for 4 cars to be produced per day.
As you can see from this, there are financial requirements as well as the techinical ones.
Management by the Students
It is an absolute requirement for the students themselves to manufacture a racing car and manage the team, and therefore the people other than the students such as the teachers, are not allowed to help with the designing of the car etc. FSAE is well known in United States as an opportunity for the students to learn practical skills, and an opportunity for the corporations to find new talents. The competition in Japan is also expected to accomplish its role as an academic-industrial cooperation project.
Formula SAE
What is F-SAE | Events and Scoring | Schedule
