Columbia Society of Automotive Engineers

Columbia Formula SAE
[[Image:|120px]]
Founded:	1997
Recognition:	ABC, SEAS
Membership:	23
Executive Board:	Robert Vlacich (President), Nicholas Tucker (Chief Engineer)
Category:	Competitive,Pre-professional
Website:	{{{Website}}}
Contact:	{{{Contact}}}

The Columbia Formula SAE Team (more often known as just SAE) is an engineering student group that builds race cars to compete with against other colleges and universities. Their objective is to conceive, design, fabricate, and compete with small formula style racing cars. Restrictions are placed on the car frame and engine by SAE International so that the knowledge, creativity, and imagination of the students are challenged.

Membership

While the SAE is officially a program of the Mechanical Engineering department, SAE has members from Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Columbia College. Members include first years through seniors.

The Cars

The team constructed a race car the Formula SAE competition in Detroit, Michigan in 2002, 2004, and 2006. They are currently building a new vehicle which will compete in the Michigan Formula SAE competition in May, 2008.

The race car is supported by a tubular steel space frame, which is fabricated by the team from scratch. It is powered by a four-cylinder 600cc motorcycle engine. The current engine is from a Honda CBR600 F4i. Engine performance is limited via a mandatory intake restrictor. Air coming into the engine is routed through a 20 square millimeter hole before entering the intake manifold. The engine is fuel injected, and the fuel-air mixture is governed by a custom engine management computer.

The vehicles accommodate a single driver in an open cockpit configuration.

Facilities

The team operates out of a workshop located in the basement of the Seeley W. Mudd building. It is furnished with machining and welding equipment. There is also access to the street via the Mudd parking garage.

Appearances

This student group is notorious for revving their engine at the annual Activities Fair, which is very loud and disruptive, and often suffocates neighboring student groups in a cloud of exhaust.

The race car also participates in the New York International Auto Show.