NIU Motorsports has 20 member which splits out to
7 departments.
In it’s 7th year, NIU Motorsports
is making long strides in the areas of engine fuel management and
control, as well as suspension design. These
advancements can be attributed to our top notch team of men and women
from many different races, ethnicities, and educational focus.
Though all are different, every member
of NIU Motorsports shares the common goal of expanding their knowledge
of automobile engineering, as well as representing Northern Illinois
University with the fastest vehicle, and most thorough presentations
possible. NIU Motorsports has consistently
placed in the top 15 percent of schools judged in the cost analysis and
manufacturing reports. Most recently,
NIU finished 10th of 140 schools entered in the competition in this
event. With proper funding, and another
great team, the 2007 car should follow the
previous years, and place high at the 2007 FSAE competition.
Chassis
Team
The
Chassis Team focuses on creating a chassis
that is both rigid and light. Chassis design
is an important aspect of the vehicle and can be
a major weight savings opportunity.
The Chassis Team is responsible for
connecting
all the components and systems of the car. Another task for the
Chassis Team is the design of the driver
seat to allow comfort for four drivers.
The Engine Team is
designed
around engine development, maintenance, and tuning. Intake design,
exhaust design, ECU modifications, and drivetrain correlation are all
tasks covered by the engine team. Due to competition rules, the maximum
allowable engine displacement is 610cc. Currently, the
NIU MotorSports Racing Team relies on a R600
engine. The engine also
features both student designed intake and exhaust systems which are
built around competition regulations for maximum air volume allowance.
The Suspension Team is
responsible for suspension geometry design, suspension component
selection, steering geometry design and wheel tire
selection. The Formula SAE competition is
dominated by handling rather
than top speed. Since this is our main concern, the suspension is one of the most
critical systems on the car. A great deal of time
will be need by the suspension team during the last few months to tune
the car to its maximum performance.
The Drivetrain Team is
responsible for transferring power from the engine to the rear wheels.
The drivetrain assembly consists of the sprocket, chain, limited slip
differential, differential housing, left and right half shafts, left and
right wheel hubs, and CV joints for both half shaft assemblies.
Designing a successful drivetrain presents many challenges and it is the
responsibility of the Drivetrain Team to ensure that the Frame Team,
Engine Team, and Suspension Team all correlate without interference in
the rear of the car.
The Media team consists of designing the website, logo,
flyers, pictures and videos. Marketing is an important topic in
the design process since all of the money raised is from sponsors.
Our sponsors are able to view our progress, pictures and members by
our newsletters or website.
The goal of the body team is to enhance the "Formula" type appearance of
the car. This includes the nose and side body panels. Every step from
concept to mold to fabrication. The objective is to be as efficient as
possible weight wise. We are using lightweight kevlar. The side panels
will be permanent and wrap the car and the nose will be sleek and
contoured to the front end. The body will not only be cosmetic and a
place for our sponsors logos, but it will also be a functional part of
the car.
The Brake team is responsible for rotor and hat
design, sizing calipers and master cylinders, and pedal design. To
provide anoptimized design the brake team
must work with the suspension, chassis, and drive train teams. This
year a lot of time has been spent on brake system design to provide the
driver with braking response that has lacked in previous years.
