THE NUS FSAE team came in at 13th position worldwide (out of 120 teams) at the annual Formula SAE International Challenge held in Michigan, USA (9 to 12 May 2018). It also attained success in the following categories:
- Rank no.3 for Brake Design Award, presented by Akebono Brake Corporation (Specialty Award)
- Rank no. 3 for Race Car Engineering Drawing
- Rank no. 5 for the Acceleration Event (Drag race)
- Rank no. 3 for Engineering Design
- Rank no. 6 for Marketing Presentation
R18, the latest FSAE race car boasts features that enhance the car's racing performance. They include:
- Wireless driver communication system, while the car is on the move,
- Real-time telemetry with Android App for handphone, and
- Quicker automatic gear shift.
NUS FSAE Advisor, Prof Seah Kar Heng said, "This year, it rained throughout all the four events (Acceleration, Skidpad, Autocross, 22 km Endurance). We used wet tyres throughout. The temperature was only 5 degree C throughout the day. We had never tested our car in such cold and wet weather before, so it was tough figuring out what tyre pressures and suspension settings to use for optimum ground traction. Our engine also had to be tuned differently from when we were in Singapore. My big worry was that the rain would cause a short circuit since Formula race cars have no roof, but our EE students successfully water-proofed all his electronic circuitry."
Started in 2001, the NUS FSAE race car project is now part of the Innovation & Design Programme (iDP) which is one of the three differentiated pathways for students in NUS Engineering. By getting students from different engineering disciplines to work together on mult-semester projects throughout their candidature, the iDP aims to train entrepreneurial graduates who understand innovation and are able to apply their knowledge and skills to develop innovative technologies and solve problems affecting the community. Students who complete the iDP are awarded a Second Major in Innovation & Design alongside a Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
