If the sound of an engine revving and tyres screeching gets your motor running, then perhaps a career designing — not necessarily driving — race cars is for you.
But before heading onto the road of extreme-sport, you must know that it takes a lot of technical know-how to achieve heart-pounding, earth-shaking speed. The pedal-to-the-metal excitement is not only due to an experienced driver with some fancy moves; the foundation is laid by STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Fast Physics
Except for the selection of safety features, choosing a car’s design is the most important decision a racing team can make. The aerodynamics of a car can determine drag, which is the resistance caused by an object’s movement through air, and downforce — the downward pressure on the car that creates better traction. These are two factors that must be considered when determining driver strategy.
Another consideration when determining the necessary aerodynamics of a race car design is the effect wings could have on the downforce of a vehicle. Yes, similar to aeroplanes, cars can have wings. They work in a similar manner, but the processes are reversed for their respective craft, according to Formula 1. Known as aerofoils, race car wings create downforce through balancing toward the area of low pressure. According to Bernoulli’s Principle, air flow occurring at different speeds over the two sides of a wing yields the pressure shift.
Accelerated Engineering
Students who wish to pursue a career in racing should consider taking Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate mechanical engineering, if you’re in Jamaica or the Caribbean, then following up with mechanical engineering either at university, or at HEART Trust/NTA, specifically the Jamaican German Automotive School in Kingston. If you’re in the US, consider Advanced Placement engineering in high school and, once in college, mechanical engineering with particular emphasis placed on thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluids engineering. While many US schools offer extraordinary mechanical engineering programmes, choosing a path that will provide proper preparation for life on the road and track is crucial.
The Cooper Union in New York City, for example, provides comprehensive education in mechanical engineering, but also affords the opportunity for real-world, hands-on race car design experience.
Through The Cooper Union Motorsports, undergraduate students conceive, design, and build race cars to compete in Formula SAE. A unique experience, working on this team not only cultivates knowledge of automotive design, it teaches students to collaborate with others from different academic disciplines. This competition, hosted by SAE International, has brought together students from around the world since 1979 to develop innovative automotive designs. While different cities welcome the Formula SAE annually, The Cooper —Union’s team competes at the world’s largest and oldest event — Formla SAE Michigan.
Contacting the American Society of Mechanical Engineers can also greatly benefit the racing world’s next generation of designers. Membership with this organisation allows students to forge relationships and develop connections within the engineering corner of racing.
Source: Jamaica Observer