Sponsor Night Event Parking Details

Parking costs will be the responsibility of event attendees, see more details below. 

Since this is a relatively short event, make sure to utilize the Free 30 minute parking to keep costs down. (More parking options are listed below in the screenshot)

Our event will be in the VECS building (Building E on the map). 

Remember...

We don't just build racecars,

WE BUILD FUTURES!

We were so excited to share sponsor night with everyone, we forgot to put in the date. It has been updated now, but just for good measure, it is on Thursday May 26th 2022.

Remember

We don't just build racecars...

WE BUILD FUTURES!

HELLO EVERYONE!

 We have some great updates on what our team has been working on during the last 2 months of radio silence!

SPONSOR NIGHT

We are hosting our first local event for current, past and future sponsors, we call it Sponsor Night. 

This event will be hosted at the WSUV campus in VECS 122,Thursday May 26th, from 6pm - 7pm. Sponsor Night is intended to give attendees a more concise overview of our team, our processes, our approach, our plans, and our vehicle (even if some parts are still in the design phase). The agenda will consist of a presentation by the clubs leader lasting about 20 minutes and the rest of the time attendees will be allowed to have a hands-on look at our current prototype and talk with the students that are designing it. Please remember that this event is about appreciating the Student Engineering that it took to get where we are. While at the same time celebrating the past and current sponsors that have helped us provide unique learning opportunities to the students of Formula VanCougs and improve the WSUV community through volunteering efforts. 

We won't be too upset if you wanted to bring some of your friends along :) Dress code is business casual. 

Did you know that our Collegiate Chapter had 37 registered students when we earned our Chapter status?

SPONSOR HANDBOOK

We have been inspired by the MIT sponsor handbook and have started to make our own following their lead. We expect to finish it sometime in the next week or two. 

Here are some samples from the planned ~12 page document:

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Our Team captain, Steven Selix, was awarded the Vancouver Rotary Service above Self Scholarship and will be using the funds to continue attending WSUV this fall. The award ceremony will be on May 25th. Expect pictures soon!

Remember

We don't just build racecars...

WE BUILD FUTURES!

Remember: 

We don't just build racecars...

We build Futures!

1/29 - Present

Frame Re-design

Haakon Johnson our Chassis & Composites/Aero has been working hard getting our new Frame design completed and in compliance with the Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet so that we are within spec and all of our chassis tubing is sized properly to maintain a high safety factor. 

2/1 - Present

Suspension Models/ CAD Training for new members

Amrit Thandi has been working very hard to get updated CAD models from our previous car's suspension as seen below.

Amrit has also been working with new members every two weeks through CAD workshops to help everyone develop their skills to a point where design is quick and efficient. Below is the completed training model for our team. (We primarily use SolidWorks for the master design, though we do use other CAD programs to allow members the flexibility to use whatever tool is the fastest in the prototyping/mock-up phase)

Remember

We don't just build racecars...

We build futures!

2/5 - Present 

Upright Issues :(

Remember that cool Upright design that we made a few weeks ago? We made some minor modifications and have started to prototype using a 3D printed mock-up of the part before we commit to it being manufactured out of unobtainium. We are having some issues printing it though due to lack of proper bed adhesion and running out of filament in the middle of a print. (Models pictured were made on a 3D printer owned by a student and out of material paid for by said student) 

Note: In fiction, engineering, and thought experiments, unobtainium is any hypothetical, fictional, or impossible material, but it can also mean a tangible but extremely rare, costly, or reasonably unobtainable material. 

Steven Selix purchased a new 3D printer which will be used to speed up the prototyping process using funds from his new engineering internship with Advanced Energy. 

Note: Many companies like to hire interns into full-time, so they want juniors and seniors only. Having an engineering internship as a freshman is not an easy feat, this means that FSAE is doing it's job to help students get an edge on the competition by vouching for their experience and passion for engineering.

Hello everyone! It has been 27 days since the last update and a LOT has happened. 

Lets get into it!

AWARDS!!!

1) We were Awarded the MLK Distinguished Service Award for 2022 in the area of Education and Inclusion. 

Watch the YouTube video attached to learn more! https://youtu.be/VzKgDlIgtiU?t=1560 Timestamp: 26:00

2) Our team captain was also nominated for the WSU Presidents Leadership Award and winners will be announced in mid-April, we will inform you what happens in a future update.

Saturday March 5th, 2022

We volunteered at Portland International Raceway for the Oregon Solo Rally Group (AutoX).

This helped our members better understand the context for the racecar that they are designing by getting to know the end users and learn what features are desired, how the car will be used, and what are valuable features to have that will give our team an edge in the SAE Collegiate Design Competition.

Friday March 11th, 2022

We were Awarded the MLK Distinguished Service Award for 2022 in the area of Education and Inclusion. 

Watch the YouTube video attached to learn more!

Timestamp: 26:00

https://youtu.be/VzKgDlIgtiU?t=1560

Good morning everyone,

I hope this update finds you well! We had been planning this trip for 6 months to provide members a structured environment to learn from FSAE veterans and learn more about how they run their team.

Teams from UW and WSUV join together for a technical lecture on UW's drivetrain and their planetary gearbox designed by Matthew. 

After the Technical Lecture, team members split into Subteams to discuss problem solving approaches, ask questions and get a hands on look at the parts designed by UW students.

Spreadsheets are an engineers best friend once you understand how to use them. We use a lot of spreadsheets and sometimes its nice to have a guide. 

Taking a look into how radiators are used to cool critical components on a FSAE car and how to go about modeling them in software. Sounds pretty COOL to me!

We learned how to do destructive testing on the Impact Attenuator(IA) and Anti-intrusion Plate (AIP). We do this testing to prevent rapid unscheduled disassembly of our racecar or the driver in the event of a front end collision. 

Destructive testing is always fun to watch!

Remember: 

We don't just build racecars, we build futures!

As new members slowly fill in our ranks we need to be able to effectively transfer the knowledge from our veteran members to our new recruits. We use a combination of Presentations, One-on-ones, collaborative research, and hands on workshops.

Presentations

Hands-on demonstrations/system breakdowns

Extremely Technical Diagrams

 Hands-on learning! 

Remember: 

We don't just build racecars, we build futures!

No Pain No Gain

With spring semester in full design mode, the suspension subteam has finalized the very challenging task of designing of the uprights and will work with the chassis team on creating a working model of the suspension and mounting points with the frame over the next few weeks. If everything goes well, we will complete all of our design work before our design freeze period where we switch all efforts to manufacturing before fall semester starts later this year.  

I think goals should never by easy, they should force you to work even if they are uncomfortable at the time. - Michael Phelps

Remember: 

We don't just build racecars, we build futures!

University Outreach at Preview Day

Here are some photos from our university outreach at todays preview day event:

Members prepare to move the frame from inside the building to outside the building. 

Members finish attaching the double wishbone suspension to the demo frame before attendees arrive. 

Member Amrit Thandi does a double check of the shock's mounting hardware before we put it on display. 

Butch came to say hello and see what it would be like to participate in team activities (See YouTube video below)

Remember: 

We build more than racecars, we build futures!

A Frame for Reference 

Today our FSAE Demo frame has arrived at the campus in preparation for Preview Day tomorrow where we will be representing the engineering program at WSUV. We took the liberty of sitting in the frame and making some authentic racecar noises. 

SKRRRRRRTTT!

Remember: 

We don't just build racecars, we build futures!

Time Is Money

Hello it's me again, the Formula VanCoug's Sentient Workbench with a knack for writing updates!

This Saturday is university preview day and our suspension Subteam assistant lead Torre has nearly completed creating an instruction manual for the assembly and disassembly of our suspension components which will help decrease the time it takes for newer members to teardown and rebuild the system. It does not look like we will be able to complete it by Saturday sadly because of the the dreaded lab report deadlines approaching. 

Instead here is a picture of our last preview day, can you spot the Formula VanCougs member with our signature red jacket in the crowd? Too bad they don't have any jackets in sentient workbench sizes. :(

Below is the bell crank, a part of our pushrod suspension that allows force to be transmitted from linear motion to rotational motion in order to create more flexibility in the packaging of our suspension system. The colorful marks were used in the development of the assembly instructions that will be used by new students we will hopefully recruit during preview day.

Here is a picture of the team captain Steven last fall while he mentally prepares to talk to dozens of prospective students about the opportunities within the ENCS program and what extracurricular teams/activities are available on campus during the preview day.

Tomorrow we will be bringing all of our components onto the campus for the first assembly of the car since Covid! This is an exiting time since we will be racing against the clock to get it ready in time to present to the many prospective students on Saturday. I the sentient workbench, will keep you updated on how it goes tomorrow! 

Remember:

We don't just build racecars, we build futures!

Painting a Colorful Future for New Students

With WSUV's preview day around the corner, our team has been scrambling to find a storage solution on campus, now with the vice chancellor involved, to store the racecar and make sure it is ready for the 200 prospective students that are scheduled to show up to the event. Our Drivetrain Lead spend this afternoon and evening painting the frame with a only one small crisis when he ran out of paint!

After a quick visit to Home Depot, the paint required to finish the job was acquired and applied before nightfall. Hopefully the paint will be dry enough before we have to put it into one of our members truck and transporting it to the event this Saturday January 15th from 11am - 3pm. Feel free to stop by and see the racecar while we try to mount the suspension out under our tent in front of the engineering building. 

Remember:

We don't just build racecars, we build futures!

A Formula for Success

We have received donated books, helmets, a carbon fiber seat, and an impact attenuator from another FSAE team.

We plan on painting the racecar this Wednesday a beautiful crimson red.  In addition we have purchased new critical fasteners for the car and will be re-assembling it this Saturday, January 15th from 11am - 3pm, during WSUV's Preview day where prospective students will be able to see the activities you can get involved with on campus and talk to our current team of students. We will be located near the fountain under a mobile tent if you wanted to come say Hello! 

The Mobile workbench is still waiting for tools that are still in the mail as well as some of its critical safety features such as a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit that will be in the middle bottom drawer indicated by the red safety stickers. 

Our team is expecting membership to grow from 24 students to 30-35 this semester due to our work in creating opportunities for CS and Business students to join in on the fun.

 Lastly, our SAE Collegiate Chapter application was submitted this week and awaiting approval from SAE International. We are still working with the university on finding a suitable space to store and continue working on the racecar, we will keep you updated as we make progress. 

Remember, we don't just build racecars, we build futures!

We now have a LinkedIn Page! - https://www.linkedin.com/company/formula-vancougs-electric

Make sure to follow us to stay posted on project updates!