MOMENTUM

THE MAGAZINE FOR STUDENT MEMBERS OF SAE INTERNATIONAL®

CFD TO THE RESCUE

Software gives Minnesota Formula SAE
team an aerodynamics boost

A Baja SAE first

École de technologie supérieure
designs electronic CVT

Introducing the 2018

SAE President
Automotive industry veteran
Mircea Gradu, Ph.D., to provide
leadership in times of change

February 2018 magazine.sae.org/mom

1802_cover1.indd 1 1/25/18 12:12 PM

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P17120655
 CONTENTS FEBRUARY • Volume 9 • Issue 1

8 11 12
EDITORIAL TODAY’S ENGINEERING
2 Meet SAE’s Membership Team 12 Disruptive flight control technology on trial
3 BRIEFS 13 Komatsu building AI into construction sites

STUDENT GENERATION SAE NEWS

FEATURE
FEATURE
4 The drive to success 14 Big Data a focus for 2018 SAE President
Gopher Motorsports at the University of Minnesota places special Mircea Gradu
emphasis on reliability, with positive results ensuing. Velodyne CQO sees use of Big Data as a way to capitalize on
multiple industry trends including vehicle electrification and
7 Rising to the challenge at Universidad automated vehicles.
Simon Bolívar
FEATURE CAREER PATH
8 Technology designed to win 16 Only one chance to make a first impression
École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) student engineers on a resume
developed an electronic continuously variable transmission that
was the first of its kind used in Baja SAE competition. 17 SAE 101: ground-vehicle standards
11 U Michigan goes monohull for solar 18 DOSSIER: Calvin Cafferty of FCA
challenge
20 A new engineer’s guide to understanding
your manager

ON THE COVER
The University of Minnesota Formula SAE team used
CFD for aerodynamic improvements. Turn to page 4.

MOMENTUM February 2018 1

EDITORIAL
MEET SAE’S MEMBERSHIP TEAM SAE MEMBERSHIP STAFF
Patrick Ponticel
SAE INTERNATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Editor, Member Magazines Mircea Gradu, PhD
Donna Edenhart 2018 President
Director, Membership & Sections Douglas Patton
Abby Hartman 2017 President
Local Activities Specialist Paul Mascarenas, OBE
2019 President-Elect
Amanda Badini Hildabrand
Membership Manager Pascal Joly
Vice President – Aerospace
Nicole Iorfido
Carla Bailo
Developer, Volunteer Engagement
Vice President – Automotive
Chris Joseph Landon Sproull
Member Relations Coordinator Vice President – Commercial Vehicle
Pierre Alegre
CLASSIFIED ADS Treasurer
Martha Tress David L. Schutt, PhD
All students participating in the SAE Collegiate Design Series (CDS) Recruitment Sales Chief Executive Officer
are winners, even if your team doesn’t end up holding a trophy at a +1.724.772.7155 Gregory L. Bradley, Esq
mtress@sae.org Secretary
competition’s conclusion. You’re winners because you made the wise
Haoran Hu, PhD
decision to draw lessons from the invaluable experience that CDS is. DESIGN
Donald Nilson
Employers make note of such wisdom in their hiring decisions. Ryan Pristow
Creative Manager Eric Tech
To make the CDS experience as enriching as possible, SAE
Brian Fell Jeff Varick
International deploys varying numbers of staff to CDS competitions. Senior Graphic Designer Gareth Williams, PhD
Among those you will see on site are representatives from the SAE Corey Bellis Todd Zarfos
Membership Team, of which I am part. It’s our goal at these events to Graphic Designer
educate students about all that SAE has to offer, beyond its exceptional William L. Schall
Senior Production Artist
CDS program. While participating in CDS is a crucial first stepping stone,
Lucy Matyjaszczyk
becoming an SAE Professional Member after you graduate will help you Freelance Production Artist
along your entire career pathway.
If you are participating in one of the 2018 CDS competitions, there
is a good chance you will see one or more of the pictured membership
staffers at the registration area on site or strolling through the paddocks.
We try to speak with as many students as we can to explain the many
benefits of professional membership and to inform graduating seniors SAE International Sections
that we offer a huge discount on membership dues for your first four SAE International sections are local units comprised of 100 or more SAE International members
in a defined technical or geographic area. The purpose of local sections is to meet the technical,
years after college, with the first year being totally free. developmental, and personal needs of the SAE members in a given area. For more information,
The SAE Membership Staff is (left to right in photo): please visit sae.org/sections.
Patrick Ponticel, Editor of this magazine and of Update, the monthly
newsletter for professional members of SAE. SAE International Collegiate Chapters
Collegiate Chapters are a way for SAE International student members to get together on their
Martha Tress, Recruitment Sales Specialist, is responsible for ad sales campus and develop skills in a student-run and -elected environment. Student Members are vital
for our members-only publications, Update and MOMENTUM. to the continued success and future of SAE. While your course work teaches you the engineering
knowledge you need, participation in your SAE collegiate chapter can develop or enhance other
In her role as Membership Manager, Amanda Hildabrand manages important skills, including leadership, time management, project management, communications,
various membership programs and activities, including the Partner organization, planning, delegation, budgeting, and finance. For more information, or for how to
find your local chapter, please visit students.sae.org/chapters/collegiate/.
Programs and the SAE Member Connection online community.
Donna Edenhart is Director, Membership & Sections. In that role, she SAE INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
supervises all department operations and membership programs. 400 Commonwealth Drive +1.877.606.7323
Nicole Iorfido, Volunteer Engagement Manager, oversees all Warrendale, PA 15096 +1.724.776.4970 (Outside U.S. & Canada)
sae.org/update Fax: +1.724.776.0790
volunteering efforts and opportunities, along with Fellow grade member +1.724.772.8577; +1.724.776.3393 (FAX) customerservice@sae.org
nominations and related activities. momentum@sae.org

Abby Hartman, Local Activities Specialist, is responsible for managing

SAE’s Sections and Collegiate Chapters.
Our Member Relations Coordinator, Chris Joseph, supports a wide
variety of membership programs and also manages SAE’s Industrial
Lecture Series.
SAE strives to offer programming and activities that will make
you winners in the workplace in addition to winners in college. The
Membership Team hopes to see you at a CDS event this season. But
if you aren’t participating in a competition this year and want to learn
more about the benefits of professional membership or our special
offer for graduating seniors, email christopher.joseph@sae.org.
MOMENTUM The Magazine for Student Members of SAE International®, February 2018,
Volume 9, Number 1. MOMENTUM (ISSN 2152-4106) is published six times a year in Feb,
Mar, Apr, Sept, Oct, and Nov by SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Dr., Warrendale,
PA 15096-0001. Copyright © 2018 SAE International. Annual print subscription for SAE
International student members in North America: first subscription $10 included in dues;
additional single copies $15. Prices for nonmember subscriptions are $30 North America,
$50 overseas. Postmaster: Send address changes to Momentum, 400 Commonwealth
Dr., Warrendale, PA 15096-0001. SAE International is not responsible for the accuracy of
information in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication. Readers
should independently evaluate the accuracy of any statement in the editorial, articles,
and advertising sections of this publication that are important to him/her and rely on his/
her independent evaluation. For permission to reproduce or use content in other media,
contact copyright@sae.org. To purchase reprints, contact advertising@sae.org. Claims for
missing issues of the magazine must be submitted within a six-month time frame of the
claimed issue’s publication date. MOMENTUM The Magazine for Student Members of SAE
International is a registered trademark of SAE International.

2 February 2018 MOMENTUM

 BRIEFS
WINNING WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY ROCKETRY LAWRENCE TECH FORMULA SAE TEAM
TEAM AIMS FOR GREATER HEIGHTS TOPS FIELD AT ITS OWN EVENT
West Virginia University’s Experimental Rocketry team is preparing Lawrence Technological
to defend its first-place title in the 10,000-foot launch category at the University turned in the
2018 Spaceport America Cup, the world’s largest intercollegiate rocket fastest lap time at the
engineering conference and competition. The event hosts student ninth annual LTU Grand
rocketry teams from all over the world to launch solid, liquid and hybrid Prix, held Oct. 14 at the
rockets to target altitudes of 10,000 and 30,000 feet while carrying a university’s Southfield
minimum of 8.8 pounds of payload. For the first time, the team, which campus. Eight teams
competed in scaled-
down Indy cars on a
course laid out on a
Lawrence Tech’s Formula SAE car
parking lot adjacent to on the wet track at the ninth annual
LTU’s Science Building. LTU Grand Prix.
Weather conditions—
rain that ranged from a
drizzle to a downpour but which never stopped—forced
Last year’s the teams to use treaded rain tires instead of racing
victorious WVU slicks. LTU’s No. 41 car adapted best to the challenging
Experimental
conditions, turning in the fastest lap time of 34.56
Rocketry Team
poses with a WVU seconds. Wayne State University posted the second
flag in the New fastest time, 35 seconds flat, while the University of
Mexico desert.  Toledo finished third at 36.41 seconds. Also participating
in the event were Hope College, Oakland University,
Kettering University, the University of Windsor, and
competes in the solid rocket propulsion Western Michigan University. Also running on the course
division, will compete in both altitude were the LTU Formula Hybrid and Baja vehicles.
categories at the event, which will be held
at the Spaceport America Campus near
Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 19-23. To
prepare for their debut in the category,
the 27-member team modified last year’s MICHIGAN TECH PLACES FIRST IN
winning design, which featured a 12-foot ‘STUDENT NIGHT’ COMPETITION
long fiberglass rocket body, to include Michigan Tech bested
larger fins and a nosecone to make the four other SAE collegiate
rocket more aerodynamic. They also chapters in the SAE
equipped their rocket with a much larger Milwaukee Section’s
and more powerful motor to reach the Static test of the rocket motor annual Student Night
higher altitude. In December 2017, the to be used by WVUER in the event held Nov. 2 on the
team conducted a static test of the motor 2018 Spaceport America Cup. University of Wisconsin
to measure the amount of force it could campus in Madison. In
generate. It was the first time a new design addition to displaying
has worked flawlessly on the team’s first try, and the motor produced their vehicles in UW-
about 1,000 pounds of thrust for 8 seconds. The motor is roughly four Madison’s Engineering
times more powerful than the team’s previous designs. Centers building, teams
gave 10-minute formal
presentations describing
their chapters’ technical
SAE HOLDING CONTEST FOR ENGINEERS WEEK and nontechnical The winning Michigan Tech SAE
Chapter receives a $2,532 check
To help commemorate 2018 Engineers Week, SAE International is achievements. For its
from Milwaukee Section Program
holding a contest on its Member Connection online community. For each win, Michigan Tech
Manager Garrett Herning.
business day that week (February 19 through 23), SAE staff will post a received a $2,532 check
question in the Open Forum. The person offering the best response (in from the SAE Milwaukee Section. Presenting on behalf of
writing or in a video) will receive a $100 national retailer gift card. Michigan Tech were Eric Bauer, Eric Hupf and Jake Rosio.

MOMENTUM February 2018 3

 STUDENT
GENERATION
FEATURE
Gopher Motorsports at the University of
Minnesota places special emphasis on
reliability, with positive results ensuing.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S FORMULA SAE
TEAM, Gopher Motorsports, has a long history of
participation in the Formula SAE Michigan event. The
team’s inception was in the late 1990s when the team
consisted of only a few dedicated members who shared
a common passion for motorsports. Over time, the team
grew to have a larger roster, but was disbanded in the
early 2000s for several years.
The current Gopher Motorsports team was re-
formed in 2008 and has attended the Formula SAE
Michigan competition every year since. The Gopher
Motorsports program gives students an experience that
is unparalleled by any other resource available at the
University of Minnesota. It is a unique program where
students get to experience the entire engineering cycle
first hand within the course of one school year. It also
allows students to have direct experience dealing with
professional members of industry, since the team works
closely with many industry sponsors to reach its goals
each year.
The program requires that its members take the
knowledge learned in the classroom and directly apply
it to a project that they are passionate about, and that
passion is what allows the team to succeed.
One cornerstone of the Gopher Motorsports mentality
that drives the team is the idea that a vehicle failure
should never occur more than one time. Jimmy Goodsell,
4 February 2018
THE DRIVE TO
SUCCESS
SAE car was the first that
sported an aero package
at competition.
a 2016 endurance driver and former chief engineer of the team, recalled
a haunting moment that occurred during the competition: “I think the
first sputter happened on lap three or four, I don’t know for sure. I’ve
watched my 2015 laps probably a hundred times, and I’ve seen my 2016
laps maybe twice. I don’t like reliving that day. It happened at the end
of a straightaway, and I wasn’t sure if it actually was a sputter, or if I was
just imagining things. But at the next straightaway, I knew something
was wrong.”
The car had completed endurance for the previous three years,
and no current member had ever experienced a critical car failure at
competition. The sting of defeat in that moment allowed individual
members to grow personally, and for the team to grow stronger
together. Later diagnosis identified the cause of the car’s sputtering
to be an improper dwell time and a mismatch between a transistor-
controlled ignition (TCI) module and capacitor-discharge ignition (CDI)
coils. Ultimately, this led to excessive current draw from the electrical
system and excessive electrical system load. As unfortunate as the
failures at competition were, the team managed to finish the endurance
event and place 18th out of 120 teams. The ignition failure of 2016 was
a humbling experience for the Gopher Motorsports team and a vital
learning experience.
Finishing in the top ten in the autocross event at competition told us
we had a fast car, but a fast car means nothing if it is not reliable. It was
clear in 2017 that the top risks had to be identified and mitigated as
soon as possible. To ensure that a vehicle failure never occurs more than
once, it is critical that the root cause of the failure is determined before
taking corrective action. The moment that the team returned from
MOMENTUM

Gopher Motorports finished 7th overall at the 2017 Formula SAE Michigan competition.
competition, testing of the car’s ignition system had to
begin immediately. The root cause was ultimately found.
On top of our Midwestern accents, we are known
for enduring long and harsh winters. Although these
winters are great for hockey lovers and skiers, they
are detrimental to the world of motorsports. The team
agreed that the serviceability of the car was a crucial
aspect due to a limited testing season and that there
was a need to validate designs quickly over only a
couple weekends.
Despite this very short testing season, the 2017 car
witnessed a large overhaul of the electrical system. This
change aligned with an overall goal focused on long-term
vehicle reliability and serviceability.
The first major change to the 2017 electrical system
was the creation of engine sub-harnesses unique to
each engine the team owns. These harnesses allowed an
engine to be swapped into the car without any sensors
being disconnected, decreasing the time required to
swap an engine by nearly one hour.
Second, we developed a custom power distribution
module (PDM) for the car. The main advantage of the
PDM is its ability to measure current draw constantly and
provide increased circuit protection. Finally, the ignition
coils were switched from CDI to TCI to work compatibly
with the TCI ignition module used in previous years.
With the new engine sub-harness, PDM, and the switch
to a unified ignition architecture, the serviceability and
reliability of the car were greatly increased.
MOMENTUM
STUDENT
GENERATION
As a team, Gopher Motorsports is relatively new to the concept of
an aero package. “The 2016 car was our first car produced that sported
an aero package at competition,” said Nick Morse, a member of the
aerodynamics sub-team. “One area of the aero design that I focused on
this year was standardizing the process of developing an aero package.
This year I developed a catalog of various airfoil profiles and developed
a MATLAB GUI to generate a wing profile for input into our CFD
software based on a set of predetermined parameters. The end goal of
this was to streamline the aerodynamic design process and decrease the
learning curve for new team members.”
Through the inclusion of many new members in the CFD analysis
of the full car, much more aerodynamic analysis could occur. The
aerodynamic profiles of the front and rear wings were completely
redesigned, and an ineffective undertray was removed from the car.
All changes accumulated to a total weight reduction of the entire aero
package by 40%, and increased overall vehicle downforce.
The 2017 car also saw a change in tire size. In the past, the team had
7-inch-wide tires all around. In 2017, the team switched to wider tires
with the expectation that a larger contact patch would lead to more
grip, and ultimately more points. Based on preliminary testing, the
team was expecting to see the largest gains in the acceleration event,
which was worth more points in 2017 than in previous years. However,
the car had improperly tuned launch control, calibrated on a surface
different from the surface found at competition. As a result, the tires
could not break free on the launch; that meant we underperformed in
the acceleration event. With a more robust launch control, the team is
expecting to be very competitive in the acceleration event in 2018.
Although Formula SAE is a design competition, there are many
hurdles beyond simple parts design. One of the most valuable skills
February 2018 5
STUDENT
GENERATION
Gopher Motorports finished 57th in the endurance event at the 2017 Formula SAE Michigan competition.
The team developed a custom power distribution module for the
2017 car.
learned from participating in this rigorous competition
is how to effectively build a group of individuals into a
team to accomplish a single goal.
One thing that every team struggles with is knowledge
transfer from graduating members, and Gopher
Motorsports is no exception. The team consists of
around thirty members, including senior members with
a vast amount of knowledge about the car. When these
members leave the team, significant team knowledge
is lost. To combat this, there is a never-ending focus
on increased documentation of designs as well as
failures. As a team, we require every design to undergo
three gate reviews where a design is presented to the
6 February 2018
entire team, as well as one external design review where the design is
presented to and critiqued by members of industry. This review process
ensures a fully documented design, avoids oversights that can easily
occur when a project is taken on alone, and allows mistakes to be caught
early in the design cycle.
It is important to document and understand any vehicle failure to
prevent the failure from occurring again. For this, the team uses a tool
known as vehicle incident reports (VIRs). In these reports, we document
every failure, the conditions under which the failure occurred, the root
cause of the failure, as well as the action taken to fix the car in the short
term. Whenever a component with a VIR is changed, the engineer must
address how the new design will not result in a repeat VIR. As stated
before, the goal is to ensure no mistake is made twice.
The chief design judge for FSAE Michigan visited our campus at
the beginning of the year and described a formula car as a “points
generating machine” and our team took that advice to heart. The vehicle
is simply a tool for the team to use, but during the competition it is
the team who earns the points. To place well at competition, you must
compete with the mindset that every point matters. A team could have
the fastest car at the competition, but without technical knowledge
of their car they will not place in the top three. With this knowledge,
Gopher Motorsports has been able to build a culture of excellence that
led to a 7th place finish in 2017 and pushes for higher placement in the
following years until they achieve the podium finish that every team
shoots for.
Jack Goodsell, President of Gopher Motorsports and a senior
in mechanical engineering and physics at the University of
Minnesota, wrote this article for MOMENTUM.
MOMENTUM
 STUDENT
GENERATION

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

AT UNIVERSIDAD SIMON BOLÍVAR
BEING THE DRIVER for the acceleration event at a Baja
SAE competition might be considered the easiest one of
all the dynamic events, but that wasn’t the case for me.
The first car I ever drove was a Baja vehicle at
Universidad Simon Bolívar (USB) campus in Venezuela. I
had to learn how to drive a normal car to get my license
when I knew that I would be driving at competition. I can
still remember how nervous I was at the dynamic day
events. It was the first time I had the complete driver
gear on.
And the day before was a nightmare with tech
inspection. I was chosen to do the 5-second test to
quickly exit the vehicle as in an emergency. It was the
first time I did it. To others, I definitely suggest practicing
that before competition. And so maybe we didn’t finish
in the top 10, or even top 50, at Baja SAE Oregon in 2015.
But for me, Baja SAE USB has been the number-one
experience I’ve ever had.
The first time I did a sales presentation was at a Baja
Maria Castillo behind the Baja wheel on the campus of Universidad Simon Bolívar,
SAE competition—Rochester in 2016. I still remember the
Venezuela.
shouts of happiness of my team when we found out we
made sales finals. I’ve never thought I would be talking
to a full auditorium about a marketing and sales strategy.
I study electronic engineering, so that was definitely
something I thought I’d never do in my life.
After three years on this team, I think we’ve done the
unthinkable, and becoming team captain in my third year
was definitely something I hadn’t thought about on my
first day. Today, I’m proud of this team and happy that
they believed in me and asked me to be with them one
more year on the team’s board of directors. I’ve been
more than half of my time in university on this team, and
there is no way I can imagine my last year at Universidad
Simon Bolívar without Baja. I don’t know what I’ll do
after graduation without this team.
My role on the team in 2017-2018 is vice president/co-
captain. I am in charge of all the administrative aspects
such as registration in the competition, buying the
materials for construction of our prototype, the logistics
of attending the competition, and other things.
Living in Venezuela and competing in Baja is not an
Maria Castillo prepares to drive at Baja SAE Oregon, 2015.
easy task. Every year we must work harder to get the
materials and money we need for competition. But if
there is something we’ve done every year, it’s what had a lot of sleepless nights and hard work at our workshop. But if there
everyone thought we couldn’t do. I’ve always been driven is something I’ve learned with Baja, it is to never give up on your dreams
by all of the passion and love everyone on this team has and always do the unthinkable.
for our project. This article was written for MOMENTUM by María Fernanda Castillo,
Baja is full of experiences, and if there is something I’ll who expects to graduate in November 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in
electronics engineering from Unviersidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela.
never regret, it is joining the Baja SAE USB team. Maybe I

MOMENTUM February 2018 7

STUDENT
GENERATION
FEATURE
TECHNOLOGY
DESIGNED TO WIN
École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) student engineers developed an
electronic continuously variable transmission that was the first of its kind
used in Baja SAE competition.
INNOVATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART of our team
spirit, something we share with the more than 25 other
scientific clubs at the École de technologie supérieure
(ÉTS) in Montreal. We designed our Baja SAE car with
stunning aesthetics to turn heads, but also to stand out
due to the highly complex technologies we incorporated.
In 2017, we set a new bar by being the first team in the
history of the Baja SAE to win a competition (California)
using an electronic continuously variable transmission
(CVT). It worked so well that we went on to win again at
the Baja SAE Illinois event.
Our electronic CVT technology, which we call EVT, is
the result of two long years of research, development
and testing. The goal of the EVT is to electromechanically
control the transmission ratio to keep the engine at its
8 February 2018
The École de technologie supérieure team finished
first overall at Baja SAE California, April 2017.
optimal revolution speed, in order to obtain the maximum power output.
This is an important point, considering the limitations of a 10-hp engine.
Our objective was to develop a prototype that would provide better
performance than a typical mechanical CVT, while maintaining reliability.
This is essential if your vehicle is to face a four-hour endurance race.
Such a project requires perfect interdisciplinary cohesion between the
mechanical, electronic, and software members, which is characteristic of
our tightly knit and experienced team.
The first part of the development project was to choose how to
actuate the CVT. We decided on actuating the primary pulley with
a rotary electric gear motor. The rotation is translated into a linear
displacement of the mobile sheave using rollers and a cam system
composed of a bearing system, forks and followers. The engine torque
is transmitted to the mobile sheave via mating splines on the primary
shaft to translate the mobile sheave under load from an open position to
a full shifted position. An increase or decrease of the primary (driving)
MOMENTUM
 STUDENT
GENERATION

pulley diameter produces an increase or a decrease in the

transmission ratio, depending on the mathematical ratio
The electronic CVT is the result
with respect to the diameter of the secondary (driven) of two long years of research,
pulley. The mechanical assembly was designed to be as development and testing.
simple and frictionless as possible.
The second part of the project was to actuate
these parts with an electrical actuator and a custom
electronics board. This board measures engine RPM,
throttle position and actual position of the actuator.
The core of our EVT was the control algorithm and
embedded software to ensure that the mechanical
and electronic parts work as a whole, including as
part of the powertrain of the vehicle. The embedded
electronic system determines actuation instructions to
move the mobile sheave axially according to detected
measurements provided by the various sensors. The
engine’s power map had been previously obtained on
a dynamometer. The throttle position information is
processed to interpolate, using the engine’s map, to
retrieve the optimal engine revolution speed. According
to the engine revolution speed and current primary
pulley position, the engine revolution speed controller
defines a new primary pulley target position to correct
the error. In case of brake activation, the primary pulley
is set to the fully opened position; the reaction time is
much faster than with a mechanical CVT.
With so many parameters and possibilities offered by 2016 car. The rear suspension geometry, rear wheel assembly, single rear
an electronic control system, an experimental approach brake, forward/reverse planetary gearbox, custom driven pulley and EVT
was the most logical choice. Long hours of testing were transmission were the major changes.
needed to obtain a functional system prior to reaching our But there were also several improvements on other systems. The
first milestone, the 2017 Épreuve du Nord competition in redesign of these parts and in-house manufacturing required a
Quebec City. In addition to validating the potential of the substantial amount of time. Therefore, the late completion of the car
EVT, we also scored our first win of the season. encroached into the testing stage, but we remained confident that this
The 2017 season began with a freshly completed Baja was the best car ever made by Baja ÉTS.
car that included many new designs, notably the rear The design was a success on many levels, evidenced by the team
half of the car being completely different from that of the reaching design finals at all three of the Baja SAE competitions. We

Photo credit: Mark Fellows

ETS all over the SAE Collegiate Design Series map
For École de technologie supérieure, 2017 was a very successful year.
We placed first overall in both the internal combustion and diesel
categories of the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge. In addition to
winning the two categories, our team, QuiÉTS, also placed well in
many of the static and dynamic events, taking home best engine
design and driveability (IC), to name a few.
Baja ÉTS had their second best season ever, taking home a second
place overall for the season, as well as two first-place overall finishes
(California and Illinois). Throughout the season they also took home
awards for cost, maneuverability, and overall static performance.
Formule ÉTS came in fourth in design at Formula SAE Michigan,
with the lightest car of the competition at 293 lb. Avion Cargo ÉTS
came in 8th place overall at the Aero Design West competition in the
advanced class.
In addition to the SAE competitions, we have clubs that participate
in other, non-SAE competitions. For instance, our human-powered
submarine, called OMER, came in first place at the International
Submarine Races. Our steel bridge team, Pont d’acier Hercule,
maintained its status as champions, winning both the regional and
national championships in the Steel Bridge Building competition, as
well as placing first overall at the Canadian edition. Our solar car,
Éclipse, came in fourth at the Formula Sun Grand Prix. RockÉTS won
the Dr. Gil Moore technical innovation award at the Intercollegiate
Rocket Engineering Competition for their self-guided parachute,
despite having one of their rockets break apart midflight. Dronolab
came in 7th at the Student Unmanned Aerial System competition.
These victories would not be possible without the tireless efforts
of our students, encouragement and support from their friends and
families, as well as from the continued partnerships with our many
sponsors.
Our students are looking forward to building on the successes of
this year and learning from their mistakes, with the goal of making the
2018 season better than ever!
By David Morgan,
manager of student
clubs at ETS

MOMENTUM February 2018 9

STUDENT
GENERATION
The team poses with its trophy for first place overall at Baja SAE Illinois, June 2017.
were able to finish the endurance event at each competition as well,
including a 3rd place in California. Despite some setbacks, we were very
pleased with the performance of our first iteration.
After winning 1st place overall in California, the team was confident
for the remaining competitions. Unfortunately, the Kansas competition
SAE COLLEGIATE DESIGN SERIES CHIEF
BOB SECHLER SAYS GOODBYE
For more than 30 years, Bob Sechler has
been the face of SAE’s Collegiate Design
Series (CDS). As the Education Relations
Business Unit Leader, he has helped grow
CDS from a small, single competition
to multiple ones. The Formula SAE and
Formula SAE Electric competitions are
widely recognized as the world’s premier
collegiate engineering competitions.
Bob retired at the end of 2017 after 34 years at SAE. His
first job at SAE was organizing conferences. After a couple
years, he was hired as Assistant Director of Membership and
Student Programs. “I took the job and it was pretty much
a blank page,” he said. “I was charged with developing
student chapters.”
In those days, he continued, SAE was sponsoring one
small student engineering event, called Mini Baja. “The team
from West Virginia University let me hang with them for a
10 February 2018
did not go as planned due to uncooperative weather
conditions, which resulted in some uncompleted events.
We made adjustments and did a lot of testing before
the next competition to improve the EVT and overall
car dynamics. Our efforts paid off, as we won the
challenging maneuverability event (as well as first place
overall) at Baja SAE Illinois.
We have brought game-changing EVT technology to
Baja SAE, one that pushes the limits of this engineering
competition and sets the bar high for actuated and
automated systems. We believe in our new technology
and are working to develop it further, to such an extent
that there is a patent pending on the concept.
We are proud of the fact that 2017 was the second
greatest season for Baja ÉTS ever, with two first-place
wins, as well as second place overall for the season.
After a full year of testing and competing, we know
where we need to improve our design for an even
better season in 2018.
Alex Guilbeault-Sauvé, who recently received
his master’s degree in electrical engineering
from École de technologie supérieure, Montreal,
and who served as software director for Baja
ÉTS, wrote this article for MOMENTUM.
couple of days, and I realized what they were learning from
this competition was pretty impressive. What really got me
was the enthusiasm surrounding the competition. I talked to
the faculty members and realized the value of the project. It
was apparent that I had to grab a hold of it and grow it.”
Thanks mainly to Bob, there are 12 CDS competitions
now, covering vehicles types from small RC airplanes to
snowmobiles.
Over the years, more than 100,000 students have gone
through the CDS program. More than 8,000 students
participate annually. “Some of the kids who were involved
in the program years ago are now high-level industry
executives,” Bob said. “Sometimes I go to their offices and
they still have a photo of their Formula car on the wall,
and they can still tell you why they lost. Now, those former
participants are hiring out of the Collegiate Design Series.
It’s come full cycle.”
What will Bob miss the most? “The camaraderie.”
MOMENTUM

U MICHIGAN GOES MONOHULL FOR
SOLAR CHALLENGE
Novum in Australia traveling from Glendambo to Port Augusta on day five of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.
IN AN INNOVATIVE, BULLET-SHAPED CAR, the University of Michigan
Solar Car Team took an historic second place in the 2017 version of
the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, an 1,800-mile race across the
Australian Outback.
Not only was U-M the first American team to complete the race, the
students celebrated the most successful finish at this event in team history.
U-M—the reigning North American champion—has come in third in this
international race five times in the team’s 27-year history. Team members
and alumni had taken to calling it “the curse of third.” It’s been broken.
“This is indescribable,” said team member Patrick Irving at the finish.
“We had really high hopes for this car and doing something different. It
was a big risk. We knew it was going to go either really well, or really not
well. We’re all very happy with how things turned out.”
Novum, as the team named this year’s car, is the smallest and most
aerodynamic vehicle U-M has ever built.
After five days of racing down the Stuart Highway and camping by the
roadside, Novum crossed the finish line at 4:09 p.m. in Adelaide, South
Australia—about 1:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 12. Michigan arrived one hour and
59 minutes behind the Dutch winner, Nuon, from Delft University of
Technology. Third place went to team Punch Powertrain, of Belgium,
which came in about 30 minutes after U-M.
Michigan was one of only two top teams that raced a skinny, monohull
car—a radical departure from the proven catamaran design that
dominated the field. And future U-M teams may be thanking them,
according to Neil Dasgupta, the team’s faculty adviser and assistant
professor of mechanical engineering.
“We took a chance on going with a small car, and we’re going to be
ahead of the curve for years to come because of that,” he said. “I do
believe that as the race continues to evolve, more and more teams will
MOMENTUM
STUDENT
GENERATION
move towards a smaller car design.”
Dasgupta and a group of alumni, family and friends
traveled to Australia to follow the team along the race
route.
It wasn’t just innovative aerodynamics that earned
Novum its prize. Clouds, high winds and overnight
thunderstorms added to the challenge and excitement of
this year’s cross-continental journey.
They successfully adjusted their race strategy in
response to the weather, which is critical in solar races. For
this campaign, lead strategist Alan Li created a custom
machine learning weather prediction model based on a
system they developed with IBM for the 2015 race.
“What’s important is that we were able to predict
the entire day’s average radiation,” Li said. “It doesn’t
matter if we get the energy earlier or later in the day.
It’s also important to take every day of the race into
consideration—to look ahead. It could be sunny one day
and we drive really fast, but if it’s cloudy the next, we
wouldn’t have enough energy.”
Every team member has individual roles and areas
of expertise that must work together as an integrated
machine. Before the first day of the race, project manager
Jon Cha gave a pep talk.
“The best teams have confidence in themselves. They’re
not focused on winning, they’re focused on what they’re
doing—and they’re also very, very relaxed,” Cha said.
This article was derived from materials on
the University of Michigan media website.
February 2018 11
TODAY’S
ENGINEERING
DISRUPTIVE FLIGHT CONTROL
TECHNOLOGY ON TRIAL
A joint project between Manchester
University in the U.K. and BAE Systems has
seen the successful completion of
the first phase of flight trials with a small
unmanned air vehicle, Magma, that
featured its conventional aircraft controls
and their associated complex moving parts
replaced by a unique blown-air system to
maneuver the aircraft.
It is seen as paving the way for future
stealthier aircraft designs and opening
up new possibilities in control for next-
generation airplanes. The new concept
would not only simplify the design of the
air vehicle but would reduce weight and
maintenance costs, allowing for lighter,
stealthier, faster and more efficient
military and civil aircraft in the future—a
truly radical step in aviation technology.
The two technologies that have been
flight tested using the jet-powered
Magma platform aircraft are wing
circulation control and fluid thrust
vectoring. Wing circulation control takes
air from the aircraft engine and blows it
supersonically through the trailing edge
of the wing to provide control. The fluid
thrust vectoring also uses blown air to
deflect the exhaust, allowing aircraft
direction to change.
“These trials are an important step
forward in our efforts to explore
adaptable airframes, and what we are
seeking to do through this program
is truly ground-breaking,” said Bill
Crowther, Magma Project leader and a
senior academic at MU.
The flight trials are part of an extended
R&D project between MU and BAE and
also a wider long-term collaboration
between industry, academia, and
government to explore and develop
innovative flight control technology. More
flight trials are planned over the coming
months to demonstrate the novel flight
control technology, and the ultimate aim
is to fly the aircraft without any moving
control surfaces or fins. These tests
demonstrate the first ever use of such
circulation control in flight on a jet aircraft
and from a single engine.
12 February 2018
“The technologies we are developing
with MU make it possible to design
cheaper, higher-performance, next-
generation aircraft,” said Clyde
Warsop, Engineering Fellow at BAE
Systems. “Our investment in R&D
is driving continued technological
improvements in our military aircraft,
and this is helping [us] retain the skills to
design and build the aircraft of the future.”
Among the other collaborative
partners in this work involving additional
technologies to improve the performance
of the UAV are the University of Arizona
and the NATO Science and Technology
Organization.
Military aircraft designers and their
sponsors are increasingly looking
at stealthy aircraft to fulfill future
operational needs. By minimizing their
radar signatures, they maximize their
chances of surviving in future combat
conditions where a combination of
long-range missiles and advanced radar
systems is making conventional non-
stealthy aircraft potentially vulnerable. As
the U.S. Navy is showing, even support
aircraft, such as air refuelling tankers,
can be vulnerable, not just combat jets.
And so stealthy unmanned aircraft are
being regarded increasingly as essential
military air assets and are being given
more attention and industry investment.
If the Magma flight trials show
convincing evidence that these new
methods of control can replace even the
Photo credit: BAE Systems
The Magma UAV is
being used to test fly
a series of flapless
flight technologies—
such as fluidic thrust
vectoring—that will help
inform the development
of next-gen, high-
performance, adaptable
air vehicles without the
need for conventional
control surfaces.
latest current fly-by-wire control systems
with a safe and robust alternative, then
the combination of stealth with new
control features could eventually change
the way all future military aircraft are
designed and built.
The implications for future next-
generation commercial transport aircraft
are also important. When fly-by-wire
controls were introduced, with electrical
cabling and electrically powered motors
replacing mechanical rods and cranks,
the movement of the flaps, ailerons, air-
brakes, and other moving airframe parts
still required complex and comparatively
heavy geared or hydraulically operated
units for movement.
If the intricate internal arrangements
for controlling all these moving airframe
components could be eliminated, then
great weight savings will be possible
along with the elimination of much
maintenance. A reduction in these
features will have the additional benefit
on a military aircraft of further reducing
the radar returns, as there will be less
airframe sealing and masking to be
undertaken. A much simpler airframe
will have a cleaner aerodynamic
performance with corresponding speed
and maneuverability improvements.
This is still early days for the project,
but the flight trials have already shown
the concept to be viable. It remains to be
seen where it will go from here.
By Richard Gardner, SAE Freelance writer
MOMENTUM
 TODAY’S
ENGINEERING

KOMATSU BUILDING AI INTO

CONSTRUCTION SITES
Construction sites remain one of the Photo credit: Komatsu
more dangerous workplaces due to the
presence of heavy machinery, uneven
terrain and continuous activity. To help
alleviate some of these issues, Komatsu,
one of the world’s leading manufacturers
of construction and mining equipment, is
bringing artificial intelligence (AI) to the
work site. The company is taking the next
step in its SmartConstruction initiative
to improve worker safety along with
increasing productivity.
To achieve these improvements, Komatsu
has partnered with Nvidia to leverage their
AI technologies in this new environment. One of the key challenges that Komatsu and NVIDIA face is monitoring real-time data of workers and
Nvidia is well-known for its medical, heavy machinery on the job site.
robotics and automotive partnerships.
However, the construction industry brings a Photo credit: Komatsu

new set of challenges for the tech company

with its constantly changing terrain and
heavy machine capabilities. AI is central to
reducing these issues.
“Modern AI turns out to be a very
flexible and adaptable technology that
can be applied to many industries, even
if the use cases are very different,” said
Jesse Clayton, Nvidia Senior Manager of
Product for Intelligent Machines. “You
can argue that occupational safety for
construction and mining is somewhat
similar to automotive, but the machines
and the environments behave very
differently.”
The first implementation of these
technologies will be in Japan. “Japan
can stand to benefit from this because
of workplace injury and the nation’s
severe labor shortage due to its aging
population,” continued Clayton. “However,
construction and mining worldwide all
face the same fundamental challenges in
safety, efficiency and site management.”
According to a spokesperson for
Komatsu, the company will expand
these technologies to other markets
based on their experience with this initial
deployment.
Komatsu will utilize the Nvidia Jetson
platform for AI computing. Jetson
works with Nvidia cloud technology to
power a 360-degree view of a Komatsu
Cameras in the Komatsu machines provide real-time data to update the driver on any rapidly changing
operating condition—one of the key challenges of implementing this technology.
construction site. The credit-card
sized platform will be able to identify
people and machines nearby to prevent
collisions and accidents. Cameras in the
Komatsu machines provide real-time
data to update the driver on any rapidly
changing operating condition—one of
the key challenges of implementing this
technology.
In addition to the platform technology,
SkyCatch will provide drones to gather
and map 3D images for visualizing the
terrain. OPTiM, an IoT management-
software company, will provide an
application to identify individuals and
machinery collected from the surveillance
cameras. Both of these companies are
members of Nvidia’s Inception Program
for AI startups.
“We’ll start integrating Nvidia GPUs
into our construction sites,” said Yuichi
Iwamoto, senior executive officer, chief
technology officer at Komatsu. “By
leveraging Nvidia’s experience in image
processing, virtualization and AI, we can
further transform construction areas into
jobsites of the future.”
Komatsu is championing these new
technologies as the next step in its
SmartConstruction initiative for improved
worksite safety and efficiency. The
initiative encourages development of
technologies that will improve worker
safety along with improving operational
efficiencies. Facets of the program include
intelligent machine products, intelligent
training services, worksite data solutions
and jobsite setup services.
Matthew Borst, SAE editor

MOMENTUM February 2018 13

 SAE
NEWS
FEATURE
An SAE Fellow, Gradu works for Velodyne LiDAR Inc. as Senior
Vice President of Validation/Chief Quality Officer.
A HIGHLY RESPECTED FIGURE in the automotive
industry, Mircea Gradu, Ph.D., this month begins his
one-year term as SAE President amid monumental
technology shifts that are rocking the automotive
industry. SAE has been a source of progress and stability
almost since the industry’s inception, and looks assured
to continue in that way under Gradu’s leadership.
The Senior Vice President of Validation/Chief Quality
Officer at Velodyne LiDAR Inc. is eager to get going.
“I started my involvement with SAE 25 years ago, while
I was still working and studying in Stuttgart, Germany,”
the Bucharest native and expert in mechatronics told
SAE editors. “Becoming the president of an organization
that I have always valued and strongly supported is
the culmination of the various honors I received during
my career, and I am humbled by this opportunity and
motivated to continue to serve our worldwide members
to the best of my abilities.”
Gradu, whose SAE contributions include a stint as Vice
President-Automotive from 2010 to 2012 (see full bio
in sidebar), provided written responses to a number of
questions covering his professional and personal life as
well as several industry trends.
What do you believe is the value of belonging to a
professional organization such as SAE in 2018, when
engineers are so pressed for time?
14 February 2018
BIG DATA A FOCUS FOR
2018 SAE
PRESIDENT
MIRCEA
GRADU
Velodyne CQO sees use of Big Data as
a way to capitalize on multiple industry
trends including vehicle electrification
and automated vehicles.
Although 100+ years old, SAE has reinvented and rejuvenated itself
multiple times, in order to meet or exceed today’s extremely fast
information pace requirements. Through its various channels, including
all the web-based products, SAE places at the fingertips of its members
the tools needed in the mobility engineering profession, saving us
significant time and effort.
What should SAE do to be more relevant to mobility engineers of
the 2020s?
We’re living in exciting times, with the automotive industry situated
at the confluence of four major trends with extremely broad influence,
beyond the boundaries of the classic transportation space:
• Greenhouse gas emissions reduction over the entire lifecycle of the
vehicle, promoting the case for alternative energy powertrains, in
particular Electrification
• Vehicle Connectivity, with all V2X aspects, including Vehicle to Vehicle,
Vehicle to Device, Vehicle to Pedestrian, Vehicle to Home, Vehicle to Grid
and Vehicle to Infrastructure
• Increased levels of vehicle Autonomous Driving capability, with
several of the industry giants racing toward the Level 5 (by SAE/NHTSA
standards), which does not require any driver intervention
• Shared mobility including car sharing (round-trip, one-way, and
personal vehicle sharing) and ridesharing (car-pooling, van-pooling)
One of the common denominators of all these trends is the increased
need and opportunity for Big Data Collection and Analysis, which they
create at an unprecedented rate. The Big Data benefits also the quality,
safety, cybersecurity, and delivery process of the vehicle.
MOMENTUM
 SAE NEWS

The Big Data Analysis techniques and tools are

used to understand customer perceptions related
to vehicle quality. These techniques can be used to
drive continuous improvements in vehicle design,
manufacturing, distribution and service. The related
tools and skills required in order to materialize
these strategies are a blend of established and
emerging disciplines, and SAE must provide
maximum support to its members in these
areas, along with maintaining focus on the more
traditional mobility engineering needs.

What are your goals as SAE President?

During my presidential mandate, consistent
with the objectives I announced during the
selection process, I would like to strongly focus
on ADAS and autonomous vehicle technologies,
given the significant safety benefits they provide.
In addition, I would like to support initiatives in
Big Data analytics and vehicle electrification and
connectivity—all enablers for higher levels of
vehicle automation. This will be done in conjunction
with increased attention to the more traditional
areas of automotive engineering, subjected also
to an accelerated rate of development. Again,
the engineering education, the application of the
STEM model (science, technology, engineering
and mathematics) represents a priority for me and
a continuation of the impressive work at SAE by
several previous presidents.
What are some of your most valuable talents and
character traits?
I learned early in my career to listen to the
various inputs I received from my talented
colleagues, and try to factor them into my decisions
and actions. I am always on the lookout for
creative ideas and concepts and work diligently to
materialize them into innovative new products and
processes.
Not many people have as many patents and
publications (dozens of each) as you do. How
important is “drive” to success?
I have pursued innovation throughout my entire
career, and I am particularly proud of awarded
patents that make their way into the marketplace
as mature products, while the rest are merely
records of novel approaches. My motivation comes
from a tremendous respect for engineers and for
the invaluable contributions they bring to our
world.
I would feel extremely rewarded if my
presidential mandate continues to raise the interest
level of new generations for the engineering
profession and in general for STEM-based
education. In my current position as Senior VP
of Validation at Velodyne, I have the honor and
Bicycling is one of many ways the Bucharest native stays active.
privilege to work with CEO David Hall, who represents for me the living proof
that even in today’s ultra-competitive environments, persistence in innovation,
doubled by technical and business leadership, generates success and a lifetime
of accomplishments.
Of what past achievement are you most proud?
In 2008, I won the SAE International Ed Cole Innovation Award for my
overall contributions to automotive engineering. Knowing the caliber of the
competing candidates and the rigor the selection committee puts in the final
decision, along with being associated with the name of one of the top industry
and General Motors leaders, represented for me a significant accomplishment.
Was there any single life event that led you to pursue a technical career?
I was born a “car guy” and drove cars long before I could reach the pedals,
in my father’s lap on practice courses. While he was certainly entertained
by my attempts to steer the vehicle when I was 6, as a doctor he would
have been much happier if I had selected a medical college instead of a
technical university many years later. However, soon after graduation and
witnessing the successful start of my career, he became an advocate for
automotive engineering, which knowing him, I consider another of my greatest
accomplishments.
Any final thoughts?
As mobility engineers, we have chosen an incredible career path that
is going through an unprecedented era of change with the application of
autonomous and sensing technologies. The field of automotive engineering
has an opportunity to expand its reach, not just to more people around
the world but also in terms of the development of technical expertise
not previously associated with the automotive industry. Everything from
edge computing to advanced cybersecurity will be incorporated into the
autonomous vehicles of the near future, allowing them to become possibly
the most advanced pieces of hardware made to this point. The fact that
these technological advancements will be driven by automotive engineers is
extremely exciting to me, and inspiring to younger engineers.
Reprinted from the January issue of Update.

MOMENTUM February 2018 15

CAREER
PATH

ONLY ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A

FIRST IMPRESSION ON A RESUME
A good first impression is all-important,
but many of us might unknowingly
be falling short. Dale Wiza, Career
Development Chair of the SAE Milwaukee
Section, sounds the alarm that many
fail to achieve a stellar first impression
with the first item on their resume: the
objective statement.
Dale is owner of, and recruiter at,
Professional Engineering Placements,
Inc. near Milwaukee, WI. He cautions
that the traditional declarative objective
statement is the wrong approach if it’s
only about you, and it could diminish the
glimmering first impression you’re striving
for. His advice is to craft the objective
statement to demonstrate how your
character and knowledge can serve your
prospective employer. Use quantifiable,
bullet-point results from your experiences
to validate the objective statement, and
be sure to include any leadership and
team involvement here.
Students participating in the SAE Dale often speaks to groups of students. Here, he addresses some at an SAE Clean Snowmobile
Collegiate Design Series (CDS) have Challenge, one of the competitions in the SAE Collegiate Design Series.
no shortage of team involvement to
highlight, and participation demonstrates
their willingness to “go the extra mile.” that the interview strives to answer the in disciplines other than your own. The
Experiences, research, and lessons question “Why should we hire you?” and amount of information and data to
learned from the Design Series solidify CDS provides proof of a strong work navigate is ever-growing, and so should
the objective statement, so have a few ethic. Dale implores that if you have no be your answers to unsolved problems.
stories ready to share. Dale points out experiences like this, start now. Like CDS, On top of everything else, Dale
the company you interview with has its warns, you need to “beef up” your
own challenges and needs. Know what communication skills and utilize your
those are and go in prepared to draw contacts for mentorship and other
parallels between those needs and your purposes. Dale often finds himself
experiences and research. Your optimism suggesting one join SAE as a rich source
about these parallels and the opportunity of contacts and potential mentors. He
presented to use your skill set as an asset directs his clients “to the member roster
in solving their problems is essential. within SAE.org to get their contacts for
What about before the interview? various companies...I coach on that quite
Developing soft skills is a must, but Dale a bit.”
concedes that possibly the most daunting A possibly more fruitful avenue is the
and ongoing task is keeping up on other SAE Member Connection website, which
engineering disciplines. An innovation has a dedicated section for mentorship
in one engineering discipline could that includes an automated mentor-
be implemented in other disciplines, mentee matchmaking feature.
but that can’t happen if not explored. By Madlyn Ponticel, freelance writer
Dale Wiza is owner of, and recruiter at, Specialization does not divest you of
Professional Engineering Placements, Inc. staying informed on the latest innovations

16 February 2018 MOMENTUM


SAE 101: GROUND-VEHICLE
STANDARDS
The Collegiate Design Series is such a
priority for so many engineering students
that it’s understandable they might not
be aware of the other opportunities
for career development and success
offered by SAE International. Starting
with this issue, MOMENTUM brings those
opportunities into view via a series of
articles, called “SAE 101.”
In this first SAE 101 article we address
SAE’s ground-vehicle standards business.
“In addition to the personal gratification
that comes with being accepted onto
an SAE standards technical committee,
engineers serving in this manner can
be proud to exert a positive impact on
their company, on SAE, on their industry,
and on society in general,” said Jack
Pokrzywa, SAE Ground Vehicle Standards
Director. “It’s a way for engineers to
make a mark beyond their job function
and to expand the boundaries of both
their engineering expertise and their
professional network. Beyond that, service
on an SAE technical committee really
lights up a resume.”
“I wish that I had joined
SAE on graduation.”
SAE survey repondent
Over the course of its 113-year history,
SAE has published almost 8,400 ground-
vehicle standards, many of which are well
established, some of which are under
revision, and more in the development
process. Developing standards was
one of the primary reasons SAE was
established. “[The lack of standardized
components] is responsible for nine-
tenths of the production troubles and
most of the needless expense entailed in
the manufacture of motorcars,” said the
1910 SAE President, Howard Coffin.
SAE standard range in scope from bolt
thread specs to digital communications
protocols related to connected and
automated driving.
Writing and maintaining those
MOMENTUM
Shown here speaking at a standards workshop in
Brussels is Jack Pokrzywa, SAE Ground Vehicle
Standards Director.
standards are almost 10,000 engineers
and related professionals serving on more
than 600 SAE technical committees,
each committee being responsible for
one or more specific standards. Nearly
2,900 companies have at least one
representative on a committee. Having
a representative on a committee is one
way by which companies have a say on
standards that impact their business.
SAE is constantly seeking volunteers to
serve on committees, although there is a
waiting list to get on a few of them. Those
wishing to serve on a committee must
apply and be approved by the committee
chairperson.
“There’s a huge transformation in
the automotive industry, and it’s all
moving toward electronics-based
technologies for such things as connected
and automated vehicles,” Pokrzywa
said. “Many of our standards address
these new technologies.” An example
is J3016 – Taxonomy and Definitions
for Terms Related to On-Road Motor
Vehicle Automated Driving Systems,
which categorizes vehicles by their level
of autonomous functionality. A Level 5
vehicle is completely autonomous, with no
need for steering wheel or pedals. A Level
0 vehicle has no autonomous functionality.
CAREER PATH
“When innovation settles, standards
take up an important role to validate
that this innovation is as universal and
common as possible,” Pokrzywa added.
Standards are designed to accomplish
the following:
• Enhance safety
• Create common language
• Facilitate trade through reduced
regulations
• Harmonize global markets
• Improve or protect the environment
• Increase productivity of processes
• Permit common interfaces
• Promote uniform testing or performance
• Reduce costs
After developing a new standard or
a revision of an existing standard, a
technical committee sends the document
to the SAE Motor Vehicle Council, an
11-member body whose duty is to make
sure the document is in accord with SAE’s
standards-development rules and the
organization’s business purposes. One of
the criteria is that the standard harmonize
global markets.
“Service on an SAE
technical committee really
lights up a resume.” ”
Jack Pokrzywa
Sticking with SAE after college is
a smart career move. Visit sae.org/
standardsdev/devprocess.htm to learn
more about serving on an SAE technical
committee.
In a recent SAE survey of members, one
engineer wrote: “I wish that I had joined
SAE on graduation. My experiences with
the Cooling Systems and Battery Thermal
Management Committees has been
extraordinary. Great professional contacts,
discussions and learning opportunities.”
Find out more about the benefits of
student membership by visiting sae.org/
membership/stubene.htm.
By Patrick Ponticel, MOMENTUM editor
February 2018 17
CAREER PATH

DOSSIER: CALVIN CAFFERTY OF FCA

HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS ISSUE’S DOSSIER IS Calvin
Cafferty, a recently hired calibration engineer at FCA (Fiat
Chrysler Automobiles) working on hybrid powertrain
systems. His main job responsibilities involve engine
calibration and start-stop functionality in the hybrid
vehicle. He is in charge of calibrating the engine in
different conditions and ensuring that the engine starts
and drivetrain engagements are smooth and feel good
to the customer. “I really enjoy the position because of
all of the hands-on work involved, and the biggest perk
is that for most of the day I am behind the wheel of a
vehicle testing, and not behind a desk,” said Cafferty, who
graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in
2016 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Calvin Cafferty behind the wheel at a testing day hosted by FCA at the Chelsea
Why did you decide to become an engineer? Proving Grounds.
I decided to become an engineer because I have always
enjoyed building things and learning how things work. and trying to make it go faster. Because of this, I always dreamed of
I used to take things apart all the time when I was working for a company that makes cars or off-road vehicles. The field of
younger. This would really annoy my parents sometimes, mechanical engineering fulfills both of my interests in having plenty of
because they would come looking for say, the vacuum, hands-on experience and working on cars.   
and find me surrounded by pieces of what used to
be the vacuum. They were always supportive of my To what character traits do you attribute your success to date?
curiosity though. I have never been afraid of trying new things and leading the way, which
In addition, for as long I can remember, I was interested I believe has led to my success in my career as an engineer. As engineers,
in anything that was on wheels, from dirt bikes to trucks. we sometimes fall into a path of consistency, where if it has worked
I used to own a go-cart that I spent weekends fixing before why not keep it the same as it always has been? Failing is a part
of being an engineer, and we constantly have to push the bounds of
what is possible.
I know that some of the early designs I made during my time on SAE
Baja didn’t work out, but I learned from them and I was able to create
something even better on following designs. In 2013, I was selected to be
the leader of the Baja team at UW-Madison, which was a bit intimidating.
Looking back, being team leader for three years was a great experience
where I learned a lot about working with people and being a friend, but
at the same time, being leader when it mattered.   

Of what accomplishment (personal or otherwise) are you most proud?

I am most proud of my success on the Baja team the past two years,
which ended up leading to my getting a job in an area I really enjoy
working in. During those two years, I became heavily involved in learning
about electronic data acquisition systems and how the team could apply
the data to improve the car. With the data I was able to gather we made
multiple changes to the drivetrain which, with other improvements, led
the team to a 1st-place finish in California’s endurance race in 2016 and
then to a 2nd-place finish overall in Kansas in 2017. This experience on
the team ended up applying directly to the position I am in currently in,
making my job feel more like a hobby rather than real work.

In what ways were you involved with SAE International as a student,

and how did that involvement prepare you for the workforce?
I have been involved with SAE based events for the past 13 years.
Calvin (right) and a Baja SAE teammate doing engine work. In middle school and high school, I started out participating in SAE

18 February 2018 MOMENTUM

 CAREER PATH

Crossing the finish line at the Baja SAE Rochester competition, 2016. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Baja SAE team posed with its trophy for second-
place overall at Baja SAE Kansas, 2017. Calvin is shown kneeling, second from left.

Supermileage. Towards the end of my high school career,

I found out about the Baja SAE competition and after
that, I decided that no matter which college I go to,
they had to have a Baja team.  I ended up choosing UW-
Madison. During my time on the Baja team for six years,
I was able to grow as an engineer and learn real-world
applications of things I was learning in college. It also
gave me a great opportunity to gain automotive-related
experience that put me ahead when finding a job in the
automotive field.

What is the most interesting project you are working on

at the moment?
Besides work, one of the big things I have gotten into
recently is photography and movie making.  I recently
acquired a camera and a drone, from which I have been
taking pictures and video. The fact that I am able to
create something and express my creativity outside
of the engineering realm is really enjoyable. Capturing
images with a drone also combines my long-time interest
in remote-controlled aircraft to create something original
for people to enjoy.
Getting personal with Calvin Cafferty
What is your dream vacation?
One of my favorite shows that I have recently been
binge watching is Stranger Things on Netflix. I have
always enjoyed sci-fi shows, and the fact that I
was a nerdy kid in middle school who used to bike
everywhere and play with walkie-talkies, I find the
show fun and relatable.   I decided to transfer my student membership into a professional
Who is or was the most influential person on your
journey to becoming a professional engineer?
The person that influenced me the most is my father.
Being an electrical engineer, he taught me to be a
Installing the electric motor on a Ford Ranger conversion in a project with his father
during his high-school years.
critical thinker and to always pursue things I was interested in. When
I was younger, we worked on a bunch of technical projects together,
whether the project was fixing something or building something new
from scratch. Our biggest project together was converting a 2006 Ford
Ranger, when I was in high school, into a full electric vehicle capable of
30 miles on a single charge. Designing the motor mount and different
brackets for the build really confirmed my love for engineering.  
Why did you decide to transfer your SAE Student Membership to
Professional Membership after you graduated?
membership due to the experience that SAE has been able to give
me over the past years. Also, being able to access the vast amount of
technical documentation has helped me to become a better engineer in
the automotive field. I hope to also get involved in the future with setting
up one of the Baja SAE events, in order to give back what has been given
to me all these years.

MOMENTUM February 2018 19

CAREER PATH

A NEW ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO

UNDERSTANDING YOUR MANAGER
As a Momentum reader, you workspace, offer to show him/her something “cool” that you are
will probably be making your working on.
first transition from academia • Your manager’s key performance concerns will always be
to industry in the near future. quality, cost and schedule. Come to meetings prepared to
Having made this transition address all three concerns.
several times, here is some • When you bring a problem to your manager, try to also bring a
advice on understanding solution—or at least a plan for achieving a solution.
your manager that would • Let your manager know when you need help, but only when
have really helped me make you REALLY need help.
that transition the first time. Finally, be friendly with your manager, but always remember
The first step in that your manager is not your buddy. Your manager writes your
understanding your performance review, decides your next pay raise, and approves
manager’s perspective is to Vern Ulrich, Ph.D., P.E., is faculty the list of employees to be let go during the next layoff cycle.
take a quick look at the job of advisor for the Grove City College SAE Therefore, be careful what personal information you confide in
your manager. The first-level Collegiate Chapter located in western
your manager and always behave professionally around your
manager’s job is arguably the Pennsylvania. A holder of five U.S.
patents, he is professor of mechanical manager, even at the company picnic.
most challenging managerial By Vern Ulrich, Ph.D., Gove City College.
engineering at the college.
job in the company. Some
lower-level employees are
highly motivated, but others do just enough work to stay
employed. Only first-level managers deal with such a wide
variety of personalities. The first-level manager is frequently
caught between the demands of upper management and a
group of subordinates with serious motivational issues. You can
make your manager’s day if you simply put a smile on your face,
be proactive, and work hard.
Your manager was promoted because he/she is an
outstanding engineer. However, his/her job has suddenly
changed from doing engineering to directing engineering. Your
manager’s new job is to:
• Implement work plans that achieve the quality, cost and
schedule goals set by the upper management.
• Delegate responsibilities among subordinates.
• Provide guidance and direction to subordinates.
• Encourage and motivate subordinates.
• Assess the performance of subordinates.
• Communicate plans and results up and down the chain of
command.
Considering this job description, here is a list of behaviors that SAE STUDENT CAREER CENTER.
will really help your relationship with your manager: GET NOTICED.
• Every manager’s success is dependent on his/her ability to LOOKING TO MAKE THAT IMPORTANT
surround themselves with a great team. Simply put, you were CONNECTION TO JUMP START YOUR CAREER?
hired to make your manager look good. Take every opportunity The SAE Student Career Center is built just for you.
to help your manager impress his/her superiors. • Post your resume
• Your manager desperately needs for you to do excellent • Search internships and jobs
engineering since he/she can’t do it for you. Make it happen! • Find helpful career resources, and more
• Communication with your manager is incredibly important.
Arrive at every meeting prepared to make a quality presentation Get started today at sae.org/studentcareers
on your work. Write reports that can be easily communicated up
the chain of command. When your manager walks through your

20 February 2018 MOMENTUM

SCHOLARSHIP NOMINATION DEADLINE:
MARCH 15TH
Incoming Freshmen
• BMW/SAE Engineering Scholarship
• SAE/Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Scholarship
• Dan and Vicky Hancock Scholarship for Mechanical
Engineering Excellence
• Donald and Barbara Mozley Scholarship
• Tau Beta Pi/SAE Engineering Scholarship
• TMC/SAE Donald D. Dawson Technical Scholarship
• Fred M. Young Sr./SAE Engineering Scholarship
• NEW Noble R. Patterson Scholarship
• NEW SAE Heinz C. Prechter Award for Automotive Excellence
Incoming Seniors
• Dan and Vicky Hancock Scholarship for Mechanical
Engineering Excellence
• Donald and Barbara Mozley Scholarship
• Ralph K. Hillquist Honorary SAE Scholarship
• SAE Long Term Member Sponsored Scholarship
• Yanmar/SAE Scholarship
• Edward D. Hendrickson/SAE Engineering Scholarship
• NEW Noble R. Patterson Scholarship
• NEW SAE Heinz C. Prechter Award for Automotive Excellence
• NEW Toyota/SAE Engineering Scholarship for University of
Kentucky students

Incoming Sophomores
• Dan and Vicky Hancock Scholarship for Mechanical
Graduate and Ph.D. Students
Engineering Excellence • Yanmar/SAE Scholarship
• Donald and Barbara Mozley Scholarship • NEW SAE Doctoral Engineering Scholarship
• NEW Noble R. Patterson Scholarship • NEW Heinz C. Prechter Automotive Excellence Scholarship
• NEW SAE Heinz C. Prechter Award for Automotive Excellence
• NEW Toyota/SAE Engineering Scholarship for University of
Kentucky students

Incoming Juniors
• SAE/David Hermance Hybrid Technologies Scholarship
• Dan and Vicky Hancock Scholarship for Mechanical
Engineering Excellence
• Donald and Barbara Mozley Scholarship
• Edward D. Hendrickson/SAE Engineering Scholarship
• NEW Noble R. Patterson Scholarship
• NEW Toyota/SAE Engineering Scholarship for University of
Kentucky students
• NEW SAE Heinz C. Prechter Award for Automotive Excellence

LEARN MORE ABOUT AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS:

awards.sae.org
students.sae.org/scholarships

QUESTIONS? CONTACT:
awards@sae.org
scholarships@sae.org
P18193985
 WC
WORLD
CONGRESS
EXPERIENCE
TM

EXPERIENCE
THE EVOLUTION
APRIL 10-12, 2018 • COBO CENTER • DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Connected systems. Driverless technologies. Innovative designs for

lightweighting, efficiency and safety. There’s no better place to see the
latest game-changing breakthroughs that are transforming transportation
as we know it. Experience the new frontiers of smart mobility for yourself—
and be a part of today’s exciting evolution in automotive engineering.

Students and Young Professionals, take

advantage of discounted registration rates!
Visit sae.org/wcx to register.

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