Baja SAE
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Baja SAE is an intercollegiate design competition run by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Universities from all over the world design and build small off-road cars. The cars all have engines of the same specifications. As of 2002 the engine has been an unmodified Briggs & Stratton Intek 20 with a power output of approximately 7.5 kW(=10 bhp).
The goal in Baja SAE racing is to design, build and race off-road vehicles that can withstand the harshest elements of rough terrain. The vehicles used in Baja SAE racing are often similar to dune buggies. Before 2007, the events were called "Mini Baja."
Each year as many as 141 Baja cars are entered in the Baja SAE events across the US and around the world. All cars must adhere to SAE's rules, and pass SAE's technical inspection and judging. Until all judgeing and safety inspections are finished the car may not race. Briggs & Stratton sponsors Baja SAE, providing many teams with an engine free of charge, at a replacement rate of one engine for every two years in competition.
There are multiple dynamic events, usually 4 per event, as well as an endurance run of 4 hours. The dynamic events include hill climbs, chain pulls, maneuverability events, rock crawls, and suspension& traction events. At the East event the car has to be able to float and propel its self under own power. Usually the 4 hour endurance race also transverses the water course.
There are also design evaluations, cost reports, and design reports. This is when the teams are judged on ergonomics, functionality, and producability of their cars. The cost report is designed to show cheaply they are able to build their cars.
[edit] Origins
The Baja SAE Competition originated at the University of South Carolina in 1976, under the supervision of Dr. J. F. Stevens. Since that time, the competition has grown to become a premier engineering design series for university teams.
[edit] Objectives
Baja SAE is an intercollegiate engineering design competition for undergraduate and graduate engineering students. The object of the competition is to simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Each team is competing to have its design accepted for manufacture by a fictitious firm. The students must function as a team to design, build, test, promote and compete a vehicle within the limits of the rules, also to generate financial support for their project and manage their educational priorities.
Each team's goal is to design and build a prototype of a rugged, single seat, off-road recreational vehicle intended for sale to the non-professional weekend off-road enthusiast. The vehicle must be safe, easily transported, easily maintained and fun to drive. It should be able to negotiate rough terrain without damage. As of 2004, the SAE Mini Baja Series consisted of seven competitions.
A Baja SAE "event" consists of three to four days.
The dynamic events in the Mini Baja West competition consist of Hill Climb, Acceleration, Maneuverability, Rock Crawl, 4 Hour Endurance Race.
