UNIVERSITY

2008 – 2009
OF
MINNESOTA FORMULA SAE SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL

“Excellence in Engineering”
 Who we are, What we do, and Where we fit in:

SAE and the Formula SAE Program:

The University of Minnesota Student Chapter of the Society
of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has chosen to design and construct
a formula-style racecar for a national, annual competition in the
Formula division of the SAE Collegiate Design Series. The
Formula SAE competition provides an opportunity for engineering
students to supplement their coursework by participating in the
complete product development process. The U of M FSAE team
would like to invite your sponsorship for the 2008-2009 season!

Left - A sponsor suits up for his turn to drive the 2008 car.

The Competition:
The Formula SAE competition
commissions college SAE student
organizations to design, engineer, and build a
four-wheeled, open-cockpit race vehicle. The
team then chooses to compete in any or all of
the national competitions held annually in
Pontiac, MI, Fontana, CA, and Alton, VA.
The competition includes five dynamic
events: acceleration, skidpad, autocross,
endurance, and fuel economy. Each event tests
a different ability of the car: acceleration,
cornering, speed and handling, survivability, Above - team members Josh and Rob talk to a tech inspector
and overall fuel efficiency, respectively. at SAE West 2008.
The competition also includes three
static events: cost and feasibility, design judging, and marketing potential. The static events
emphasize the crossover and dimensionality required of all engineers in today’s modern,
professional engineering world.

Students:
The team of students is entirely responsible for the fundraising, designing, marketing
constructing, testing, and all other activities involving the vehicle. This requires organization,
planning and teamwork that extend beyond the classroom setting. This program creates
professional design engineers with experience and industry connections; it teaches each student
to consider all facets of design: cost and manufacturability, engineering soundness and
application, customer needs and focus, and marketability of the end product.

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 Faculty:
Faculty connections and involvement is a cornerstone to any student organization at a Big
Ten University. Professors William Durfee, David Kittelson, Rajesh Rajamani, and Zongxuan
Sun are all faculty advisors who have donated their time, knowledge, and experience
contributing to the success of the FSAE program.

Community:
The team prides itself on reaching out to incoming engineers and students from all
disciplines at the annual Welcome Week for freshmen at the University of Minnesota. Following
Welcome Week, the team hosts recruitment meetings to excite and ignite engineering students
about the application potential for the knowledge they gain as a technical, degree seeking
student. The team also hosts a booth at the annual IT Week where all technical student groups
get a chance to communicate about the projects they have been working on.

Industry
One of the largest benefits of the FSAE program is
the opportunity that students gain from developing personal
relations with local and national industry. The need for
products, services, and money allows students to become
acquainted with companies and vendors from all facets of
engineering, design, material supply, manufacturing, and
production. Before graduation, students already have
resources available for tapping as they join the workforce of
any company.

Design:
Every team member gains experience in design.
Team members follow a linear design process:

State Customer Needs – In words

Define Specifications – In technical terms
Above - team member Jayson talks to a
Generate Concepts – Sketches and narratives sponsor at the annual sponsor drive date.
Evaluate and Select – The best concept with
technical justification
Detail Design – Drawings and parts lists
Build and Test – The physical object

Just like a real company, designs are reviewed by the team and drawings are signed off by the
team’s chief engineer before manufacturing can begin.

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 Manufacture:
Every team member machines a part. If a component or assembly can be made at the U
of M facilities, it is. The Mechanical Engineering department supplies a machine shop with
lathes and mills. Every team member learns to machine and learns to consider manufacturing
and machining processes as part of their designs.

Test and Analyze:

Every member lab and field tests their designed parts. Team members get to see
firsthand how their designs functions on the car. Does the design survive? Did it fulfill its
design intent? Are improvements needed? Data acquisition can be handled through the on board
MoTeC ECU or through the MoTeC dash. Testing and data analysis is an integral part of the
design process and every student learns from a parts success or failure.

What We’ve Accomplished and Where We’re Going:

SAE West 2008:

The team attended and competed in SAE West at
the Autclub Speedway in June of 2008. Here is
how they measured up:
Overall - 36th out of 84 competing teams
Acceleration – 19th
Skidpad – 17th
Autocross – 31st

Left - team member Ilia talks to an industry

professional at the SAE West 2008 Design
Competition

More team rankings, as well as schools in attendance can be seen at:

http://students.sae.org/competitions/formulaseries/results/

Right – Team member Matt

Schumacher competes in the
Autocross event.

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 SAE Michigan 2009:
The team now has their sights set on next year for a top ten win overall at SAE Michigan,
the largest national competition of the three in the Formula SAE series. To accomplish this task,
the team has laid out rigorous design goals, budget and sponsorship needs, and an ambitious
build schedule. The technical specification goals for the 2009 car are as follows:

Frame and Suspension:

Power plant:
Weight: < 465 lbs Wet
Engine: 2004 Yamaha R6
Torsional Rigidity: > 900 ft`lbs/deg
Pickup: Wet Sump System
Lateral Performance: 1.4g’s
Power: 80 BHP @ 11,000 RPM
Longitudinal Performance: 1.8g’s
Induction: Naturally Aspirated
Tires: Hoosier 10” Tread Slicks
Intake: Custom Carbon Fiber
Frame: 4130 Space frame with Carbon
Exhaust/Muffler: Custom TIG
Fiber structural panels.
Welded Design

Powertrain and Controls: Electronics:

Differential: Torsen Type 1, Tuned Torque Bias ECU: MoTeC M4
Shifting: Steering mounted paddle shifters Fueling: Sequential Fuel Injection
Brakes: Custom, Cross-Drilled Rotors Redline: 15,500 RPM
Clutch: Hydraulic Actuation DAQ: MoTeC ADL Dash Logger
Rear Sprocket: Two Piece, Easy Change System DAQ: 3-Axis Accelerometer

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 Measuring Improvement:
To meet the needs of the students and sponsors, the team is taking steps to enhance how it
communicates by continually giving up-to-date information and news about the 2008-2009
season. Every sponsor will receive a periodic newsletter to keep abreast with the decision
making, designs, and accomplishments of the team.
The team is also taking major steps to move away from tribal knowledge and create an
FSAE legacy that will be accessible to every member of the team year after year. This season, in
conjunction with Walter Science and Engineering Library at the U of M, the team is keeping
scrupulous administrative, design, and lessons learned records that will be formally archived as
part of a special collection at the University. In this way the team will maintain its quality of
engineering and experience in vehicle design even as annual student turnover occurs.
This season the team will attempt to organize an event with other Midwest schools, who
compete in the Formula Design Series, and create a ‘mock’ competition. This will include setup
and scoring of some dynamic events, as well as a mock design judging from past and present
faculty and alumni.

What We Need:

Projected 2008-2009 Budget:

Total Donations Needed: $50,000

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 In-Kind vs. Monetary Donations:
Not all donations need be monetary. The team is always in need of tools, machining
resources, welding supplies, raw materials, computers and software, sensors, fuel, and
knowledgeable input from industry professionals. The majority of the materials, components
and services needed to create the vehicle are anticipated as in-kind donations. Cash donations
are needed to purchase materials and services that are not available as in-kind donations.

The U of M student chapter of SAE is a recognized campus organization, and as such,

donations qualify as tax deductions to a 501(C)(3) organization.

Why Sponsor?:
Sponsorship of the University of Minnesota Formula SAE Project represents a significant
investment in the training of technical professionals for our future. Experience is gained in an
array of disciplines:

Engineering and design

Public speaking
Marketing, accounting, and fiscal management
Technical writing
Organization and teamwork

Students learn to interact with companies in order to secure necessary parts, funds, and
materials. Sponsorship identifies your organization as recognizing the importance of this unique
educational experience and endorsing its continuation.

Sponsorship Classifications:
Returning sponsors are classified based on the monetary and in-kind donation values for
the last two cars that went to competition. New sponsors are classified based on the current car.

CLASS: BENEFITS
Team Name: Single Largest Monetary Donation Team Name/Largest Decal
Platinum : Donations totaling $10,000 or more Very Large Decals on Car
Gold: Donations totaling $5,000 or more Large Decal on Car
Silver: Donations totaling $1,000 or more Medium Decal on Car
Bronze: Donations totaling $500 or more Small Decal on Car

All sponsors receive the following benefits:

Logos prominently displayed on the team website http://www.formulamn.com.
Open invite to interact with the team members anytime at their U of M facilities.
Receive a framed picture of the team and finished car at the end of the build.
Invite to sponsorship drive dates and opportunity to drive the vehicle.

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 All sponsors in the Gold, Platinum, and Team Name Classes are offered a team
presentation, with the vehicle present, at their company at the end of the build.

Contact the Team:

Jon Fuehrer - President Nicholas Richardson – Vice President

Mechanical Engineering Department Mechanical Engineering Department
Attn: Formula SAE Attn: Formula SAE
111 Church St. S.E. 111 Church St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455 Minneapolis, MN 55455

Office: (612) 626-2276 Cell: (651) 226-6222

Cell: (701) 290-9911 richa520@umn.edu
fuehr002@umn.edu

Other Resources:

Team Website: www.formulamn.com

About the FSAE Competition: http://students.sae.org/competitions/formulaseries/
2008 FSAE West Results: http://students.sae.org/competitions/formulaseries/results/

The 2007-2008 U of M
Formula SAE
Engineering Team.

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
 Thanks to our 2007-2008 sponsors!!!

Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering

Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455
Contact: Jon Fuehrer – President Address: Mechanical Engineering
Phone: 612-626-2276 ATTN: University of Minnesota Formula SAE
E-mail: fuehr002@umn.edu 111 Church St. SE
Website: http://www.formulamn.com/ Minneapolis, MN 55455