FORMULA STUDENT

Formula SAE or Formula Student is a student design competition organized by SAE International (SAE, previously known as the Society of Automotive Engineers) or some times by affiliated society of SAE International. The rules are more or less same in all the events. The competition was started in 1978 and was originally called SAE Mini Indy.The concept behind Formula SAE is that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a student design team to develop a small Formula-style race car. The prototype race car is to be evaluated for its potential as a production item. For designing the car there are certain restrictions set by the organizers in every aspects of design from the engine to a chassis material, that is given in their rulebook in a very detailed and clear manner in case of any doubt you can contact the organizers. the rulebook is made available prior to the virtual round at the time of registration.
The cars are judged by specialists on the following criteria:

Static Events

• Engineering Design
• Cost & Sustainability Analysis
• Business Presentation

Dynamic Events

• Technical Inspection (comprising 6 tests): Safety, Chassis, Noise, Tilt, Brake, and Tech (no points)
• Skid pan
• Autocross/Sprint
• acceleration
• endurance and fuel economy

For the event team must be entirely formed by the students along with the driver. This adds to the biggest constrain of the event that is the time. Along with that skill set, experience, money is also limited.  Before the dynamic event team must have to clear the static event or virtual round in which you have to present your fully assembled CAD model and the worst part of that is you can't bluff the judge as they are highly experienced industry experts and they will find anything which is not properly made.As per my personal experience in SAEINDIA SUPRA virtuals judges are not much interested in your calculations and formulas but they look for the basic approach and most importantly your rulebook knowledge. The dynamic event is organized in very controlled manner for the safety of the driver, for this safety rules are very strict and there no compromise in that in any way.
The event provides the students a great deal of opportunities for using their engineering and management skills in building the prototype. This creates an opportunity to work in team and apply your skills that develops your professional skills and to deal with different situations. Here you can actually work in every field of engineering from mechanical, electrical, electronics to computer science by introducing some innovative technologies in the vehicle like KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) and ECU for the control of engine.