I am currently in school working towards a physics degree or applied mathematics. I would like to take some engineering courses as I find motorsports to be very addicting to say the least. What course(s) do you recommend for understanding head design and airflow, from what I understand fluid dynamics is a must.
I'm currently in college for civil engineering. I don't really think there is an engineering field just for cars. You'd have to goto a school about cars or something probably. I just looked on the sheet that has all the class I have to take to get my degree and the only thing I see on there that might come close is physics of mechanics. There's lots of things to help like strenght of materials and a hydraulic class. You'd prolly have to goto a college that has degrees just for cars but anything else I don't think really relates to cars.
It just depends on how far you want to go with it. Just be sure you're ready for Calculus--you'll be lost without it. Don't be intimidated by the math. If I can do it, anyone can...
__________________ 2001 Camaro SS LS1 5.7L, T56 (3.42), SLP Catback, No A.I.R., 18" C6/Z06 Wheels, GS-D3 Tires
Being a former automotive engineer, and now working in the aerospace industry I find myself referencing Thermo and Fluid books most often, followed by material properties from text and online sources.
Good luck.
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I am currently in school working towards a physics degree or applied mathematics. I would like to take some engineering courses as I find motorsports to be very addicting to say the least. What course(s) do you recommend for understanding head design and airflow, from what I understand fluid dynamics is a must.
thanks in advance
Im in Mechanical Engineering, and we cover dynamics. Bad part of ME is the math, its a bitch.
__________________
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1995 Z28-CAM only "LT-Fun"
1988 Iroc-305- set on Hiroshima
BS/AE here I write my own ticket!!. Aeronautics is a fast growing field.It has been an AWESOME career for me to say the least.Physics and advanced applied math are required in Aero.Look into it its worth it!!.IMHO.
I'm currently in college for civil engineering. I don't really think there is an engineering field just for cars. You'd have to goto a school about cars or something probably. I just looked on the sheet that has all the class I have to take to get my degree and the only thing I see on there that might come close is physics of mechanics. There's lots of things to help like strenght of materials and a hydraulic class. You'd prolly have to goto a college that has degrees just for cars but anything else I don't think really relates to cars.
I think you need to switch schools.
A degree in Mechanical Engineering from a GOOD engineering school is an awesome step in the right direction for working with cars. Kinematics, Statics, Stress, Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Fluids, Compressible Flow, Materials Properties, Materials Processing, Advanced CAD, Machine Design, Computer Aided Manufacturing...they're all classes that you would take as an ME major where I study/work and they're ALL classes that you can use in the future working in motorsports. I did all my undergrad work at WPI, then I took a job at the university to cover my tuition while I get my masters (completely free and I make enough to support my hobby and pay off the undergrad loans that they didn't send back as a signing bonus), and I can't see myself not being able to use what I've learned with automobiles...I've already done that too much
Consider talking to the companies you find interesting and you may decide to work for. Find out what areas of study will be most beneficial to you in your chosen field of motorsports. A ME degree will give you the solid foundation to progress in your career. No matter what you choose as long as you are a fairly quick learner and have the foundation you can get your foot in the door and work with some pretty neat stuff. The company I work for has some brilliant ME's that are able to do most anything put before them. Most had no formal CAD/CAM training yet are able to build their designs in the computer and then on the machinery and make it work as a product. Keep in mind that motorsports moves very quickly and there are pressures from several departments around you to make it happen NOW and you may not always be given the luxury of time you feel you need to put it all together.
I am not an engineer but I have the good fortune to work with engineers that are very talented and communicate well. What ever you decide to do make sure you take the time to talk with the people you may be working with to see if the atmosphere is right for you. I mean that's why you're going to school after all.
I am currently in school working towards a physics degree or applied mathematics. I would like to take some engineering courses as I find motorsports to be very addicting to say the least. What course(s) do you recommend for understanding head design and airflow, from what I understand fluid dynamics is a must.
thanks in advance
Well I'll try to answer this as best I can. Fluid Dynamics is a must; Heat Transfer; Machine Dynamics. I think these 3 would give you the basic concepts involved. Also any seminars on cylinder heads and airflow should be of interest to you.
Best of Luck
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Most major engineering schools will offer an Internal Combustion Engine Class. It will be a 400-level tech-elective for MEs. Check out the pre-reqs before signing up tho.
__________________ 2000 T/A WS6, Black on Black, M6, LM2 Cat-Back, SLP Y-Pipe, SLP Lid, P&P TB, WS6 Short Throw, Anti-CAGS, Little Tree Air Freshener-Vanillaroma Scent, 1/2 Tank of gas, 7/16 race cam, tornado, "built" engine, "tricked out" suspension.
Another (old) automotive engineer here. There are colleges that teach automotive engneering, BTW. I strongly agree that an ME degree is the best background you can have. Being a lifelong gearhead also helps.
The best cam lobe designer I know, who works for a major cam company, is a particle physics guy by education, but he has an extremely good grasp of "how the world works" both theoretically and practically. He's also a lifelong gearhead.
IMO, MEs and physicists have the best background to adapt to almost any project, as was mentioned above. There are mathmaticians employed in the high performance automotive world, but my feeling is that they are writing code or similar things. The job opportunities are minimal at best.
Formula SAE is a great opportunity, and seems to have a lot of visibility.
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Do formula SAE in a school if you can, one thing I wish I could have done in college. Reguardless of your major, to me people either have an mechanical understanding or they don't, you almost can't teach people to "get it".
You want to work on car design for a living: do the ME degree.
You want to work on cars as a hobby: take some ME classes (especially the labs).
Either way, take some classes in electrical/electronic circuits...
every ME/AE should have some level or understanding when peeking at a schematic or poking around with a DMM, just as every EE should have the same when peeking at a blueprint or poking around with a welder (I'm an EE (and I took bunch of ME classes), and I also got CS and Physics degrees).
And take lots of math, you need to get good at math.
Kansas state has a great nuclear/mechanical engineering program. I was majoring in that until I transfered to Pitt. State
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camkid
i usually ping the engine at 6000rpm for about 2 min then floor in reverse out of the parking lot and then do 2 brake stands to warm the drivetrain and tires it seems to get that tick out of the engine!
I graduated last year with my BSME and I don't know about other schools, but at mine a physics major couldn't just walk in and take an upper division ME course. You'd have to apply for what my school called "advanced standing" where they check your pre-reqs, GPA, etc. A physics major would have to go out of their way to take the ME pre-reqs in order to get into the more exciting clases the other mentioned.
However, the usual ME pre-reqs for the upper division classes are very much automobile related. They're typically thermodynamics and dynamics.
I don't recommend taking any of the classes people listed above unless you take at least vector calc.
I will advocate the FSAE program though as others did. I learned a lot and had a great time doing it. It's very hands on, which will pay off when it comes time to get a job. A lot of engineers aren't hands on, so it will set you apart from others and like SStrokerAce said you can't teach mechanical understanding. Either you have it or you don't. FSAE is a good place for you to find out without dropping thousands of dollars on classes you might not get.
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Probably ME would be your biggest help but Aero if you are doing heads and manifolds and exhaust helps greatly too plus you still have most of eth core engineering classes taht MEs have too. The problem I see is that engine design specifically is a very small niche that almost no one but a few people do at any one company. Most of the engineers there make no decisions and are confined to a very narrow part of the engine understandably. But still ME would probably be best like most have said.
Requardless of whatever degree you have you also have to have a true understanding of physics to a fairly good degree and a lot of common sense. Even engineering schools can not alsways teach you this as Bret says. I know tons of engineers that can not understand even some of the simpler stuff about engines and then I know several that easily understand almost all of it. Mechanical apptitude needs to be high as well as abstract reasoning if you are to ever be a true engine builder. An engineering background though is an excellent start.
yeah, areo and fluid dynamics are huge. +1 for the formula sae team as well. we redesigned the whole air intake and we did most of the work in our windtunnel. as per formula sae regularion you are forced to use a 20mm diameter circular opening into the throttle body (this really sucks!) basically in the end with a bunch of ME's we ended up making 95hp through a 600cc motor through a 20mm restrictor
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