The DENSO North America Foundation has provided Dr. Trevor Elliott, professor of mechanical engineering, and the UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), with $47,000 in support of the UTC Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja Capstone Design project.
Baja SAE® competitions simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Engineering students are tasked to design and build an off-road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of a competition designed by Baja alumni from various universities and professional engineers from the automotive industry.
“Our engineers are hands-on throughout product development – planning, designing and testing – making sure our products are top quality and can withstand the most extreme conditions,” said Mike Brackett, member of the DENSO North America Foundation Board of Directors and senior vice president of Corporate Services at DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee. “It’s important that we provide students with opportunities like Baja where they can learn hands-on, problem solve, collaborate and innovate. This is the only way they can really challenge their engineering and technical skills and develop real-world solutions for our future.”
The object of the competition is to provide SAE student members with a challenging project that involves the design, planning, and manufacturing tasks found when introducing a new product to the consumer industrial market.
“Vehicles must not only be well-designed, but also well-made in order to survive. There are few things in an engineering curriculum that will test a student more than having to repair a crashed vehicle well enough to get back into a four hour endurance race. Most team members would agree that there are also few things about an engineering curriculum that are as fun as designing, building, testing and competing in an off-road racing competition,” said Ben Swords, Mechanical Systems Design Lead for the UTC Baja team.
The project spans two semesters, starting in the fall and concluding in the spring in time for the annual SAE competition. Students must function as a team to not only design, build, test, promote, and race a vehicle within the limits of the rules, but also to generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities. Teams compete against one another to have their design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm.
“Team members learn sound engineering practices as well as skills such as welding, machining, metal fabrication and composite forming. Due to the nature of the competition, team members also learn how to improvise under pressure. The level of expertise required to design and manufacture a competitive vehicle gives the team members vital application-based engineering experience that often transfers into employment with desirable companies,” Swords said.
DENSO, one of the largest global automotive suppliers of advanced technology, systems, and components, has been supporting UT Chattanooga’s SAE Baja teams for over five years.
“In that time we have risen to be a top ten contender in SAE Baja events. Without the support of our sponsors, we would not have the infrastructure, materials, or travel funds to compete. We are very thankful for contributions DENSO has made over the years,” said Dr. Elliott, the UTC Baja Faculty Advisor.
This is the largest award UTC has received from the company to date.
“This most recent award was in support of mobile and in-house facilities improvements. The equipment purchased with these funds fit a strategic plan to maintain maximum competitiveness in this international event,” Elliott said.
The DENSO North America Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 corporate foundation, is dedicated to helping students advance their education in engineering, technology and other related programs. Founded in 2001, the Foundation provides grants to colleges and universities throughout North America, helping communities prosper through the development of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Proposals for these education grants are considered by invitation only.
DENSO is one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced automotive technology, systems and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control, electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all the world’s major carmakers. Worldwide, the company has more than 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 38 countries and regions and employs more than 140,000 people. In North America, DENSO employs more than 22,000 people at 30 consolidated companies and affiliates. Of these, 25 are manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit http://www.densocorp-na.com/.
