Dimensional Measurement Blog

California State University, Fullerton's SAE (Society of Engineers) Baja is off to the races with a brand new car to dominate the rugged terrain of this year's International competition track in Oregon. Engineering students from CSUF are not only faced with the task of designing and building a "single-seat, all-terrain sporting vehicle that is to be a prototype for a reliable maintainable, ergonomic, and economic production vehicle that serves the recreational user market," but they must do so while also balancing their daily classes, and for some, their jobs as well. Given such a limited amount of time to build a winning vehicle, there is even less room to spend correcting any build errors. Therefore, quality must be built into each vehicle that the SAE Baja Team designs and manufactures, and Q-PLUS Labs provides them the measurement data they need to confidently drive to victory.

Introduction

Every year, a new team assembles for this legacy project where current class seniors pass on their knowledge to upcoming juniors who will in turn pass that knowledge to their lower classmen. This through the process of raising funds to acquire the components to build the vehicle to "exposure with recruiters from leading companies in the mobility industry to help land their first engineering job after graduation." Each car starts from a design concept that has been modified over the past years of competition, however each new competition requires a new car to be built from the ground up. With each competition, the students face the time consuming and challenging process of designing the car, building the chassis, welding, and various test runs.

Our Process

The team's model this year is named after the mascot of California State University, Fullerton – Tuffy the Titan. The overall design for chassis is consistent with the team's past models, however the significant change this year will be the design of the gearbox. Unlike the previous models, this year's model features a smaller gearbox which consequently decreases the length from the input to the output shaft. This will also push the firewall further back and allow more leg room for the driver, which is important when driving on challenging terrain during the competition's four hour endurance course. CSUF's Baja Team approached Q-PLUS Labs to obtain measurement data for their chassis design. Using a FARO arm, Q-PLUS Labs was able to articulate the probe between the areas of the chassis to collect data on the car's body. Accurate measurements will help enable CSUF to confidently move forward with manufacturing the components dependent on these measurements, ensuring that their time is focused on the success of the California State University, Fullerton's SAE Baja team in their race this on May 30th-June 2nd.

California State University, Fullerton's Formula SAE chapter is back from their brief break to build another beast of a race car. Using Q-PLUS Labs' 3D scanning expertise to aid them, the team enters into their 3rd year in the challenging Formula SAE competition which encompasses designing, building, and competing a mini-formula style race car that will be evaluated for its potential as a production item.

Introduction

This year, California State University, Fullerton's Formula SAE is using a Yamaha FZ-07 motorcycle engine which has increased displacement for their new race car design. The new design for the chassis will include a space frame as well as a carbon fiber driver cell. The space frame is created by welding steel tubes together and attaching them to the cockpit and the engine housing, as well as the drive train. Unlike the team's last design which was a stressed engine, this design will be mounted to the inside of the space frame. Weighing 20 to 30 pounds less than the team's original engine, this choice also offers more torque and faster acceleration without creating a heavier car which would give the team an edge against their competition.

Our Process

Because the final race car's design needs to be both fast and safe and relies on the integrity of the engine's measurements, Cal State Fullerton's SAE sought the expertise of Q-PLUS Labs' dimensional measurement engineers. Using the Steinbichler Comet 5, Q-PLUS Labs was able to provide CSUF's SAE team with accurate measurements of the engine to provide the structure for the race car's design. Using these points from the scan data, the team can proceed to confidently to create a CAD model of the car designed with both the driver's safety and structural integrity in mind. Follow CSUF's Formula SAE's journey and results here in our future blog post.

California State University, Fullerton’s Titan Baja SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) team is back at it again preparing for their 2016 competition season and sought Q-PLUS Labs' measurement expertise to 3D scan a crucial component of their new vehicle, dubbed the Hyperion, the second iteration of the team’s 2015 race car, the Cronos which Q-PLUS Labs aided with 3D scanning last year. Their 2015 design of the Cronos not only competed, but beat out half the competition! This year, the team is dialing in on a design that works best for the most random and unpredictable off-road terrain which the race has been known to throw at competitors.

Introduction

A little background on the rigorous Baja SAE race—it originated in 1976 at the University of South Carolina as a comprehensive engineering competition with the objective for students to function as a team and not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle, but also raise financial support while balancing the demands of their course work. In order to compete as formidable opponent at the 2016 Baja SAE race, the final single-seat, all-terrain sporting vehicle is comprised of parts machined by CSUF’s Baja team.

This year, the team decided to integrate a cutting brake into the vehicle’s design. Because the race course terrain consists of extreme conditions, installing a cutting brake would help mitigate the unpredictable conditions and make the vehicle more maneuverable. It accomplishes this by working in line with the rear brake system to isolate specific wheels, giving the driver greater control of the car and facilitating with sharp terms.

Our Process

The cutting brake’s measurements are extremely vital to the vehicle’s ability to successfully navigate the race due to the challenging track. CSUF’s Baja team requested Q-PLUS Labs to 3D scan the cutting brake that provided the team with measurement data from which they can derive the best fit area of the car to mount the brake. Using the Steinbichler Comet 5, Q-PLUS Labs was able to give the team precise measurement data for the cutting brake, allowing a new model to be water jetted accurately while reducing the amount of time it would have taken the team to acquire the measurements manually, and helping them quickly prepare for their 2016 race in Gorman, California May 19th-22nd.

California State University, Fullerton’s Titan Baja SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) team sought Q-PLUS Labs’ measurement expertise to assist in jump starting the team’s 2015 season since their 2008 competition hiatus. Originating in 1976 at the University of South Carolina, the objective of this comprehensive engineering competition is for students to function as a team to not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle, but also raise financial support while balancing the demands of their course work. To produce a formidable competitor at the 2015 Baja SAE race, the final single-seat, all-terrain sporting vehicle comprised of parts machined by CSUF’s Baja team from scrap, over the course of 9 months.

Introduction

Before building their vehicle, CSUF's Baja team designed a virtual rendering of it in Solidworks, a 3D CAD design software. Because each piece of the car was hand machined, the team needed accurate measurements of the car’s calipers before proceeding with the build. Calipers are essential to the vehicle’s ability to stop and are one of the critical components of a car’s breaks. The challenging track consisted of rough terrain, making the measurements extremely vital to vehicle’s ability to successfully navigate the race.

Our Process

Due to its complex geometry, the calipers posed a challenge for the team to model quickly. Using Q-PLUS Labs’ 3D scanning services, the team was able to “test fit” the calipers on the solid model before it was even made. Using the FARO Edge ScanArm HD, a 3D laser scanner which rapidly collects high accuracy point cloud data, Q-PLUS Labs was able to provide the team the measurement data they needed despite the reflective surface of the calipers. The scanning information that Q-PLUS Labs provided the team reduced the amount of time it would have taken them to machine the vehicle’s parts to fit the calipers.

Defying the odds of the Baja SAE race where cars were breaking down along the grueling track, CSUF’s Titan Baja team finished the race with 11 laps. Forging ahead and looking to be in the top 20 finishing teams, they are not wasting any time preparing for 2016’s race in Gorman, California on May 19^th-22^nd.