F1 in Schools Blog

Happy Holidays

F1 in Schools would like to thank you for your continued support over this past year and we look forward to working with you again in the New Year ahead.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
From all at F1 in Schools and Pitsco Education

Rules Committee

Do you have questions regarding the 2009-2010 rules that you would like to ask our Rules Committee? Please let us know how we can help.

Clarifing Rules

Questions regarding the 2009-2010 rules for the F1 in school competition; concerning rule 2f: minimum radius.

Firstly, does the minimum radius of 1.5 mm apply only to the body or does the minimum radius of 1.5 mm apply both to the body and to the aerofoils?

Secondly, if two surfaces come together and form a sharp edge, is this in violation of the minimum radius of 1.5 mm? Technically, the meeting of the two surfaces at a sharp edge would have no radius, so would it be breaking the minimum radius rules to thus have a completely sharp edge?

Thirdly, does the minimum radius rule of 1.5 mm apply to the meeting of the sides of the car to the bottom of the car?

Forthly, the rules state that the minimum radius rule of 1.5 mm applies only to the places where edges meet at an angle of less than ninty degrees. Does this mean that the minimum radius rule applies when a wedge is cut into the car so that a cross section shows an acute angle wedge of missing material, or does the minimum radious rule apply when there is an edge of a thin part and a cross sections shows an acute angle wedge of car body material projecting out into open space?

Finally, we have a question that does not regard the minimum radius rules. Is it all right to make a car where large portions of the center are cut away so that wind can blow down the center of the car? We would be sure to place the tether line guides in the correct locations and properly affix the power plant to the rest of the car.

Response from the Rules Committee:

Question 1: The minimum radius requirement applies to the entire car except for the front aerofoil. The front areofoil can be 1.5 mm thick so the radius would not make sense here. However, realize that on the aerofoil if you have used the minimum thickness, any exterior acute angle will result in part of the aerofoil going below that thickness.

Question 2: Rule 2f states that any surfaces meeting at less than 90 degrees must be radiused. Eliminating the sharp edge is the main purpose of the rule.

Question 3: The rule applies everywhere on the car.

Question 4: Safety is the reason for eliminating the sharp protrusions. Any inside cut of less than 90 degrees will not pose a hazard. It would generally also be radiused by the cutter.

Question 5: There are two rules here. First, Rule 2b requires a maximum track clearance of 15mm. This would seem to eliminate holes through the car, but actually only applies where the car's body exists. Rule 2j requires that there be a rectangular surface of 30mm front to rear and 50 mm side to side in the area bounded by the side pods. This requires the car to show a solid surface of that size in a top view. This rule does not preclude holes in the car, it just limits their size and location.

2009-2010 F1 Challenge Kits

We apologize for the delay in the 2009-2010 F1 Challenge Kits, we are waiting on the decals to arrive which will complete the kit.

For those who have registered your team, we will have kits shipped as soon as we can.

If you have questions or concerns, email us at F1Marketing@pitsco.com.

Rules for the 2009-2010 Season

The rules for the 2009-2010 season are now posted online, be sure you read very thoroughly before beginning the design and construction of your F1 Car.

2009 National Event

Congratulations to all the teams who qualified for the national event which was held in Denver, CO.

The top 10 teams from both High School and Middle School are posted.

A special congrats goes to the teams who won the following awards:

Denford Manufacturing Award

Adversity Award

Innovative Thinking Award

Rookie of the Year

Sportsmanship Award

Ohio TSA Finals

Check out the Ohio F1 in Schools state finals posted by the TSA coordinator. The F1 in Schools Challenge for the state of Ohio was held on May 6.

Ohio State TSA

National TSA Competition

2008-2009 National TSA Championships - Denver, CO

June 28 - July 2

Are you ready for the challenge?

Following the national competition, the winning team has the opportunity to compete in the F1 in Schools World Championship, in which as many as 20 countries may be represented.

Students design, model, and manufacture to race

Contact: Bryana Green, Account Associate

317-685-9760

bgreen@westcommonline.com

NEWS RELEASE                                         

March 9, 2009                   

Students design, model and manufacture to race

Indiana's Formula One^TM in Schools Technology Challenge will be held at IUPUI on March 11.

Indianapolis, IN (March 9, 2009) - Students are revving up their engines and preparing for race time at the Formula One^TM (F1) Technology Challenge for Indiana schools.  The event, which will take place on March 11 at the IUPUI campus, gives students the opportunity to showcase their work and take the model F1 cars they've been working on to the starting grid. 

The F1 in Schools Challenge is a competition for teams of three to six students between the ages of 11 and 18 to design and manufacture miniature CO₂-powered racing cars.  Once made, students not only race their cars, but also put together a portfolio of their work to be on display and prepare to give a five-minute oral presentation to a panel of judges.  This year, ten teams from middle schools and high schools around the state have registered to participate in the challenge.  

"The F1 in Schools Challenge allows students to take their initial ideas and develop these ideas into something tangible that can be tested for performance.  Students use 3-D modeling CAD software and apply engineering skills to complete a project they can truly be excited about.  It's competitive, creative, and a whole lot of fun," said Mike Fitzgerald, Technology Education Specialist for the Indiana Department of Education.

The F1 competition is designed to allow students to experience engineering in another facet.  The students learn to work as a team as they fill different roles, such as team manager, resources manager, manufacturing engineer, design engineer, and graphic designer.  From a design and manufacturing standpoint, the students work with computer-aided design (CAD) software to create virtual 3-D models of their cars and then translate their designs into reality by means of CNC milling machines. Finally, teams promote their cars through a variety of marketing efforts, such as procuring sponsors; developing sponsorship decals and a consistent color scheme; and producing a design folder with initial design ideas, design development information, testing evidence and graphical renderings. Designing the car to follow rules and regulations and meet certain specifications is also something students have to think through.

The F1 in Schools Challenge was an initiative started in 2000 to raise the profile of engineering as a career option and assist with the teaching of the subject in schools and colleges, and it has now grown to be a global competition involving 22 countries. The winner of the Indiana challenge will advance to nationals, which will be held from June 28 to July 2 at the national Technology Student Association Conference in Denver, Colorado.   The winner of the national contest will then advance to compete on an international level at the 2010 F1 in Schools World Championships.

F1 in Schools USA is currently sponsored by Pitsco, Solidworks, and Denford Inc.  Visit http://www.f1inschools.us/ for more details on F1 in Schools.

About the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI:
The mission of the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI is to be one of the best urban university leaders in the disciplines of engineering and technology recognized locally, nationally, and internationally. The school's goal is to provide students an education that will give them the leverage to be leaders in their communities, industry, and society. For additional information on the School of Engineering & Technology, go to http://www.engr.iupui.edu.

About the F1 in Schools Challenge:

The F1 in Schools challenge is a unique technology competition that involves the construction of a 1/20th-scale Formula One (F1) racing car. This standards-based challenge seeks to raise the profile of engineering among young people and give them access to the latest technology in the engineering and manufacturing world.  In addition to the Technology Student Association (TSA), the F1 Team in Schools Challenge is supported by a worldwide network of companies including its founding partners - Denford, Inc.; Jaguar Inc.; BAE Systems Inc.; and Pitsco, Inc.  For more information on the F1 in Schools Challenge, visit http://www.f1inschools.us.

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Student Specification Sheet

Each team must complete a 2009SpecificationSheet.pdf for each car, which must be turned in at the time of registration.

Be sure to click on the file name and select Open with Adobe Acrobat.

Letter from the F1 President

Dear F1 Team:

Over the past nine years the F1 in Schools competitive event has grown from a small start in England to a worldwide phenomenon with over 30 countries involved. Since the F1 in Schools introduction in the US we have grown to more than 140 registered teams with many more participating in local events sponsored by schools and local TSA chapters. Our organization has also grown due to the efforts of all the dedicated members of the F1 in Schools team, staff, board of directors, and our Executive Director Paul Koontz. 

We are not, however, immune from the financial downturn, and our funding stream has been curtailed with the net result that we can no longer afford an Executive Director, so on January first Paul stepped down as ED and assumed a role on the Board of Directors. Since that time we have reorganized the activities of the ED's job into a formal committee structure involving all members of the F1 in Schools partners. The following is a list of the roles of the committee members and their organizations.

While these folks are in charge of the various areas, they are backed by the full support of the many volunteers and partner staff members in their efforts. 

We are confident that the momentum that has been generated so far will continue and the event will grow to help inspire more young people to get interested in and to pursue careers in the technology fields.

Sincerely,

Harvey Dean
President of F1 in Schools

Updated 2008-2009 Rules

We've updated the 2008-2009 F1 in Schools Rules document. Be sure to thoroughly read through them before you compete at State competitions.

For a full version visit: 2008-2009 Rules Document.

F1 Advocates

Do you need information about forming an F1 team? Or, maybe you already have a team but have questions about the F1 rules.

Help is on the way. Contact any of the individuals below for assistance with the exciting F1 competition that promotes high-technology engineering skills and teamwork among young people.

2008-2009 F1 advocates

SolidWorks Tutorial

Are you having trouble using the SolidWorks software? Visit the F1 in Schools™ Design Project with SolidWorks® Software; provides step-by-step instructions for designing your car.