Mechanical Engineering Students Gear Up for Mini Baja Competition
Mechanical Engineering Students Gear Up for Mini Baja Competition
April 29, 2005
A half dozen Rowan University Mechanical Engineering students have been tinkering on a vehicle all semester ? racing it on trial runs, taking it apart and rebuilding it ? and it has all been part of their education.
Rowan University?s Mechanical Engineering Department will send the six students ? Jeff Batten, of Galloway; Thomas Gray, of Fairfax, Va.; Robert Kabdetske, of Monroe; Jon Laicovsky, of Mullica Hill; Brian Thibaudeau, of Egg Harbor; and Craig Weinshenk, of South River ? to the Society of Automotive Engineers? Midwest Mini Baja competition in Troy, Ohio, from June 16-19.
Mini Baja annually holds three regional competitions for engineering students from around the world to learn about teamwork, design, promotion and accounting. The teams design a fully operational vehicle that is tested during the three-day event. To keep the competition equal, each team is given a 10-horsepower Intek Model 20 engine, donated by Briggs & Stratton Motorsports, before it begins the design of its vehicle.
Besides the motor, students have control over the rest of their design and are responsible for raising their own funds. The teams compete to win awards in different categories, with prizes ranging from $300-$700 per team. The Midwest competition usually hosts 140 schools.
The competition is split into two categories worth a total of 1,000 points. During the first half of the contest, teams can receive up to 300 points. (Teams earn 100 points for their design report, 150 points during the evaluation stage and 50 points for their use of budget.) The remaining 700 points come from the motorized events. (Teams can earn up to 300 points for speed, power and suspension. The final 400 points come from an endurance race.) The winner of the race is the team that can finish the most laps during the four-hour limit.
Following the event, just like a NASCAR race, the cars are stripped and tested to make sure the teams did not alter the vehicles outside the legal requirements.
Rowan University?s Mechanical Engineering Department will send the six students ? Jeff Batten, of Galloway; Thomas Gray, of Fairfax, Va.; Robert Kabdetske, of Monroe; Jon Laicovsky, of Mullica Hill; Brian Thibaudeau, of Egg Harbor; and Craig Weinshenk, of South River ? to the Society of Automotive Engineers? Midwest Mini Baja competition in Troy, Ohio, from June 16-19.
Mini Baja annually holds three regional competitions for engineering students from around the world to learn about teamwork, design, promotion and accounting. The teams design a fully operational vehicle that is tested during the three-day event. To keep the competition equal, each team is given a 10-horsepower Intek Model 20 engine, donated by Briggs & Stratton Motorsports, before it begins the design of its vehicle.
Besides the motor, students have control over the rest of their design and are responsible for raising their own funds. The teams compete to win awards in different categories, with prizes ranging from $300-$700 per team. The Midwest competition usually hosts 140 schools.
The competition is split into two categories worth a total of 1,000 points. During the first half of the contest, teams can receive up to 300 points. (Teams earn 100 points for their design report, 150 points during the evaluation stage and 50 points for their use of budget.) The remaining 700 points come from the motorized events. (Teams can earn up to 300 points for speed, power and suspension. The final 400 points come from an endurance race.) The winner of the race is the team that can finish the most laps during the four-hour limit.
Following the event, just like a NASCAR race, the cars are stripped and tested to make sure the teams did not alter the vehicles outside the legal requirements.