7-9-03
STUDENT ENGINEERS WIN BEST
DESIGN AWARD AT SUPERMILEAGE COMPETITION
A team of engineering students at Penn State Erie has designed a three-wheeled car that gets 540 miles per gallon-but don't look for it in your local car dealer's showroom next year.
The car was the team's entry in the Society of Automotive Engineers' 2003 Supermileage® competition. The group tested their design at the national competition this spring and walked away with this year's Best Design Proposal Award. According to team members, this year's entry reduced weight from previous years and was significantly more aerodynamic.
"Winning the Best Design Proposal Award makes a strong statement about the team members, their education, and their commitment to the project" said Richard Englund, the Penn State Erie engineering professor who advised the team. "This year our group included students from mechanical engineering technology, plastics engineering technology, electrical engineering, and electrical engineering technology. Their knowledge and creativity helped us win the design competition over Supermileage® teams from larger schools such as University of California at Berkeley and University of Massachusetts at Amherst."
The Supermileage® competition, held each spring at the Eaton Corporation proving grounds in Marshall, Michigan, gives engineering and technology students an opportunity to design and construct a single-person, fuel-efficient vehicle. Regulations require that all vehicles be powered by a small four-cycle engine, and all engines are donated to the teams by Briggs and Stratton. The vehicle that attains the highest miles per gallon wins the event, and the team with the most fuel-efficient car receives a minimum award of $500.
At the May 30-31, 2003 competition the Penn State Erie team came in ninth of twenty-seven collegiate teams in the mileage competition, with the winning car registering 1,343 miles per gallon. Students attending the event included Garrett Pennington, Bob Zembroski, Jonathan Martin, Ian McNally, Matt Erickson, Aaron Foley, Kevin Saeler, Jill Johnson, John Shearer, Jerry Grech, and Tony Dotterer.
Penn State Behrend students have built vehicles and participated in the Supermileage® competition seven times since 1995, and each new team of students finds additional ways to make the car more fuel-efficient. Recent teams have included both juniors and seniors, and the second-year participants pass their knowledge about the competition to new team members. Rules require that a significant effort be made to improve the previous year's design.
The Society of Automotive Engineers sets the regulations for Supermileage® vehicle configuration and maneuverability. Students create the frame and design of the car in their own machine shops, and for safety, the car must demonstrate lateral stability. To provide uniformity in the competition, iso-octane fuel is used, and drivers must weigh a minimum of 130 pounds. Students must submit their design proposal in advance to receive their Briggs and Stratton engine.
"Building the Supermileage® vehicle is a costly effort," said Englund. "It costs several thousand dollars just to attend the competition. Team members ask local businesses for financial support for their project, and we're grateful that so many have helped us over the years."
For more information about the Supermileage vehicle, contact Englund at 814-898-6470 or by e-mail at rbe4@psu.edu.