FSAE Manufacturing

Between a Haas ST-20Y 4-axis turning center, two Haas Mini Mills, a waterjet, and various other machines and tools, there is little we can't make, and I've been determined to tap into that unexploited potential.

Beyond leading manufacturing sessions and using them for training, I've fundamentally reshaped our workflow. Gone are the days of designing unnecessarily challenging parts, paying the big bucks to send them out, and pulling out the Dremel when money was tight. By working closely with our design engineers throughout the design process to provide feedback on design, material, and tool selection, we're cranking out better, more manufacturable parts in less time than ever.

I'm also documenting and automating these workflows for more streamlined processes, using our probes for error-checking, work offsets, and in-process part inspection. These initiatives mean less waste with accurate and consistent parts, every time.

So what's all that in numbers? This overhaul of our manufacturing workflow has yielded:

• Design engineers better equipped to DFM and more involved than ever in manufacturing: 10 returning members expressing interest in manufacturing, 70% of which are design engineers and up 233% from prior year
• Increased productivity: 5.6-fold decrease in time taken for various critical manufacturing tasks
• Money saved: cut manufacturing spending by over $4000
• Better parts: repeatably holding tolerances as tight as .0004" mean a car that more accurately reflects design intent
• A better racecar: manufacturing played no small part in nearly doubling our score at competition in just one year despite a 10% tighter budget

This role has also meant immense personal growth as an engineer—learning DFM from a textbook is one thing, but there's no substitute for getting hands-on and walking the walk. That's why I firmly believe that my love for manufacturing has made me a better design engineer, too.

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