Week Three

Hi all!  This week marked the beginning of the big push to finish the car in the next few weeks, so we can start testing.  I helped with reassembling last year's car, so we can test the new transmission before the new car is finished.  I took the engine out, and helped put it back in 2 inches to the left.  I reattached the wheel arms to make the car driveable again.  I also helped make some parts for the new car, including hubs and suspension arms.  It's exciting to be able to actually contribute to the project, rather than the albeit important but slightly boring learning of the ropes.

We should have last year's car back up and running this coming week, so we can get a jumpstart on tests while the new car is still being completed.  I'm still really enjoying the experience as a whole, and I'm excited to see what comes next!  Until next time!

 Week Two

Hey all!  It's the end of my second week with the Baja team, and a lot of big stuff has happened.  The entire campus had an open house night on Friday, so we restored last year's car for a demonstration.  Seeing it actually move made me realize just how impressive the project is, and how cool it is that I'm a part of it.

Yesterday, I learned how to weld!!  I had the chance to practice in the welding lab for most of the day, and I must say, it's so much fun!  I had some good welds and some, well, not-so-good ones, but I'm getting better.  When you see people weld on TV or in movies, you don't realize just how loud it is.  The sparking of the torch looks and sounds like fireworks on New Years Eve.  I decided to use some scrap metal to make a little memento of my first day welding, so I made this:

Week One

Hi, all!

Today marks the end of my first week interning with the SAE Baja team at ASU Polytech.  I've so far gone in four times, and I'm starting to get the lay of the land.  I've learned how to use a horizontal band saw, a lathe, a mill, and a coving saw.  I was told yesterday they will start teaching me how to weld on Tuesday.  I'll also be given a copy of the virtual modeling software, "SolidWorks," to train with and maybe eventually use with a CNC machine.  I was able to see one of the leads using the CNC, along with a SolidWorks program, so I already have a preliminary understanding of how it works.  Since it was just the first week, I haven't been able to do too much work on my own, so I've been watching how the rest of the team assembles certain parts of the car.  Yesterday, however, I finally got to make something for the actual build, one of the wheel-support arms.  Not much else has happened yet, but with the car needing to be finished by the beginning of March, the project will speed up significantly.  The team has stated many times that once I know how to use different machines and skills, I can practice them whenever I want, in lieu of a job for the car that I'm able to do.

Right now, that's all the interesting news, but I'll be certain to update this blog with every new development that presents itself.  Cheers!

~John Bannon