July 28, 1998

Engineering Students Design, Build Mini Baja Car, Place High in Competition

NC State's mini Baja team placed first in aesthetics and braking and second in overall vehicle performance at the Midwest competition. Pictured with the Mini Baja car are team members Julian Lamb (left), a senior in mechanical engineering; Jeremy Weitzel (seated in car), a junior in mechanical engineering; and David Motley, a junior in mechanical engineering.

Engineering students at North Carolina State University designed and built a mini Baja car that has placed among the top five vehicles in a national competition in Milwaukee, Wisc. The student team took first place in aesthetics, first place in braking, second place in overall vehicle performance and finished a respectable 25th in the Baja endurance race in a field of more than 90 teams.

Sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the Midwest competition comprises 13 judging divisions--acceleration, maneuverability, top speed, braking, ride and handling, tractor pull, hill climb, aesthetics, ergonomics, manufacturability, originality, safety and structural integrity. Each team is judged according to set criteria in the competitions. The endurance race is run in two heats of two to three hours.

"Our car held together very well during the endurance race," said Julian Lamb, a senior in mechanical engineering and co-leader of the team. "Many of the cars that started the race didn't finish. We were knocked out of the race for about 30 minutes for repairs following a crash, but we were able to make the repairs and go back in and finish the race."

Though a lot of fun, participating on the mini Baja team is also a lot of work. Students often devote as much as 20 hours per week to the project in addition to attending classes and doing homework. The project has its benefits, however. Working on the team gives students an edge in the job market after graduation. The automotive industry likes to have employees who are already familiar with working on team projects, says Lamb.

The team members receive some university and department funding, but they are required to raise money to support the bulk of the project.

"The marketing and fundraising aspect is very interesting to me," said Jeremy Weitzel, a junior in mechanical engineering. "It is a great challenge, and I believe it is a skill that will serve me when I graduate and find a job."

In addition to funding provided by SAE and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the mini Baja team received support from Kenny Hawkins Automotive, Hoechst Celanese, Packbackers, B&M Machining and Fabrication, BGF Industries, Raleigh Hitch, Gearheads Inc., MTS Systems, York Properties and NC State Engineers' Council and Student Senate for this year's project.

"The students have done a great job with this project," said Dr. Eric Klang, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and project adviser. "They come to me with problems sometimes, but for the most part, they have designed and built this mini Baja vehicle themselves based on what they have learned in the classroom and trial-and-error. They certainly deserve all the credit for their success."

The mini Baja project is one of three extracurricular motorized vehicle projects conducted under the auspices of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Klang serves as adviser for a Formula One race car design team, and Dr. Joseph David, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, serves as adviser for the Wolfpack Legends racing team.

Media contact:

Jennifer Weston, (919) 515-3848

weston@ncsu.edu

Dr. Eric Klang, (919) 515-5943

eric_klang@mmrc.ncsu.edu

Jeremy Weitzel, (919) 854-0045

jgweitze@eos.ncsu.edu

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