GKDI Checks Progress (week 9)

On March 23rd, our platinum sponsor GKDI stopped by the studio to check out how things were going with Project HFM. They hadn't seen the cars in a couple weeks, and were pleased with the progress that had been made. In addition, two variations of livery and graphics were proposed and GK members gave the okay on an asymmetric theme.

Professor Max Beach and members of the Baja team show their progress with vacuum forming.

The Baja team managers show GKDI their high impact polystyrene panels, primed and ready for paint.

GKDI checks out the nose portion of the foam mold.

Formula Team: Fiberglass Process

The formula team has an extensive process for making their final car body. First they carved out and perfected a negative foam mold. Next, they laid fiberglass over it to create the female mold. After they have completed and smoothed out all of these, they lay up one more round of fiberglass to create the final body.

Greg Vanderpol and Armando Tonkgo finishing up the female fiberglass mold for the nose.

Parts curing.

Victor Ramos, Cesar Viramontes and Armando Tonkgo remove a fiberglass panel.

The sidepods.

The nose.

Justyn Perzyna laying out fiberglass sheets.

Armando applies the resin.

 Members of the formula team cutting excess off the panel.

Baja Team Front Grille

March 24th-30th

Stella Lee and Erin Bodner are preparing the foam for making the female mold of their front grille. This particular portion of the car holds the headlight.

Eric Schmidt pre-cuts the fiberglass for Erin.

Erin fiberglassing the female mold.

Baja Jack System

In past years, members of the CSULB SAE Baja team have been lacking a jack system for their car. During competition, they would have someone lift up the car, and then kick a plastic tub underneath to keep it up. The Industrial Designers, saw this as a perfect opportunity for developing a jack system that could be used during competition, and potentially manufactured.

Eric Schmidt went through various revisions before designing a simple and elegant system. Here he is working on building a prototype out of PVC.

The jack works by placing it on the bars of the chassis, and then stepping on the raised section. 

Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach: Sneak Peak

We apologize for the lack of posting on the blog lately...all Design and Engineering students have been working around the clock on this:

Stop by and see us in the Exposition Hall. We are located at the entrance right next to the Tecate booth.

And plan to see plenty of posts about just how we got to this point, in the upcoming week.

Baja Fabrication: R&D

In order to guarantee the structural strength of the SAE Baja body, Project: HFM designers have used different methods and fabrication processes to test materials before testing in the desert. Such tests include preparing materials with different thicknesses, heat forming, and wind testing.

Stella Lee (above left) and Felix Danishwara testing different vacuum forming techniques

     

Kat Morse (above left) and Erin Bodner applying wind to the Baja Canopy and separating panel.

Project HFM Webisode 1

Check out our video to see some of the work that occurred during the first few weeks of Project HFM. When the project is complete, there will be a final media reel documenting the entire process from initial concepts to testing. Stay tuned!