2.810 Manufacturing Processes and Systems

Car Race Rules

The team project culminates in a contest in which teams demonstrate the speed, dexterity and reliability of their cars by racing them around a track (race track layout). The race will start off with several heats, with 3-4 teams racing their cars at a time. The 1st and 2nd places finishers from each heat are advanced to the first round of the semifinal. The second (Wild Card) semifinal round allows the remaining teams another chance to get into the final. The 1st and 2nd place finishers from the first semifinal and the 1st place finisher from the Wild Card round will enter the final to compete for the top prizes.

Each round consists of 7 complete laps and 7 pit stops involving 8 cars. Every group member must drive a car for at least one lap (if a team has fewer than 8 people, some members will need to do more than one lap). Each team keeps its cars in a designated pit area around the edge of the track. After one car completes a lap, it makes a pit stop during which the controller box is transferred to the subsequent car, and the radio controller is passed on to another group member.

There will be a judge in each pit area to keep time and make sure that each team does its required 7 laps. The judge will attach a numbered sticker onto each car as it leaves the pit area. At the beginning of the race, each car at the starting line should has a #1 sticker on it; the judge will pronounce the team finished when he or she see the car with #8 sticker cross the finishing line.

No one is allowed to touch their car while racing on the track except in the designated area immediately adjacent to the pit area. Team members must keep both knees in the team pit space when transferring the control unit.

The winners of the contest will win the coveted 2.810 CAD-CAM-"CAH" award (as in “pahk yah cah in havahd yahd”). Team performance in the contest will also be considered when grading the project.

2014 race (mouse over to animate)