Mechanical Engineering Annual Report 2021 | Page 45

BOB PHELAN

Baja shows up with a box of parts and takes home trophies

A Virginia Tech student team finished their strongest year in group history in an annual intercollegiate design competition run by the Society of Automotive Engineers ( SAE ).
Baja is a rugged competition challenging student teams to design , build , and race off-road vehicles that can withstand the harshest elements of rough terrain . The small vehicles , resembling dune buggies , pit teams against one another to drive innovation .
Following a record showing in Tuscon , Arizona , Virginia Tech ’ s Baja team finished their competition year with more success at the final validation event in Louisville , Kentucky .
At Louisville , the team finished fifth out of 61 teams , came in second on the hill climb challenge , won second place in the suspension and traction course , placed fifth in maneuverability , and fifth in acceleration . Virginia Tech was also one of only three teams able to complete the challenging suspension and traction course .
One of the strongest factors for their success was their unique approach : they threw out the four-wheel drive system that most of their competitors used and built an entirely new one . The result was a four-wheel system that was simpler and lighter than most in the competition , operating the front and rear wheels in sets instead of independently .
The team used sprag clutches on the front wheels , so when the rear wheels slip , the front wheels quickly engage . This allowed the vehicle to use its power more effectively when hitting tough spots , and also maintained cornering ability . This package of engineering made the Virginia Tech system lighter , more powerful , and easier to steer .
“ The team ’ s hard work , dedication , and first-rate engineering made this a winning year . The innovative four-wheel drive system sealed the deal ,” said team advisor Jared Bryson .
The amount of work required to build their system from scratch meant that the team pushed their building deadline to the limit . The four-wheel drive system was also a new inclusion , further adding to the time crunch . David Hornberger , one of the student team leads , described what it was like to add a significant amount of time to their build .
“ There were a lot of memes made about how our team , how we showed up with a box of parts and took home trophies ,” he said . “ But we had a very hard-working team , and all the pieces finally fell together at the last minute .”
As a student team , many of Baja ’ s leadership team have departed with graduation , leaving the continuing legacy to a new group of students .
“ The student projects coming out of VT Mechanical Engineering and the Ware Lab have always been impressive ” said Bryson , “ I am very proud of the Baja team , and look forward to their future innovations .”
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