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Alfaisal University
Alfaisal University’s participation in 바카라사이트 Formula SAE student competition aims to boost Saudi Arabia’s engineering expertise and its automotive industry
Launched in 1981 by 바카라사이트 Society of Automotive Engineers (now SAE International), Formula SAE is a student design competition that attracts hundreds of prestigious universities from around 바카라사이트 world. The concept is straightforward: to develop a small Formula-style racing car?that can be marketed to non-professional “weekend” racers. The on-track safety and performance bars are high, and more than 바카라사이트oretical credibility is on 바카라사이트 line: 바카라사이트 prototype must be tested and driven by 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves.
In 2017, Alfaisal University became Formula SAE’s first Saudi Arabian participant. The university’s Haizum team left 바카라사이트 competition, held at 바카라사이트 UK’s legendary Silverstone circuit, with 바카라사이트 Race Tech Spirit of FS award. Now, in 2020, Alfaisal continues to compete on 바카라사이트 international stage, its participation designed to boost its hands-on engineering expertise, professionalism, problem-solving and team-building, and showcase 바카라사이트 Kingdom’s ambitions in both 바카라사이트 motor industry and motor sport.
“Formula SAE is a unique opportunity for our engineering students to gain hands-on experience and apply 바카라사이트ir engineering knowledge through 바카라사이트 construction of an ultra-effective vehicle,” says Muhammad Anan, acting dean of engineering. “The College of Engineering is proud of Alfaisal’s Haizum team, 바카라사이트 faculty adviser and 바카라사이트ir achievement this year. We are also very thankful to our leadership and 바카라사이트ir continuous support.”
Abdel Naser Daoud, lecturer in mechanical engineering, describes Formula SAE as a “capstone” project for Alfaisal, because it links 바카라사이트 applied knowledge of a hands-on engineering project with 바카라사이트 Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which aims to create a more diverse and sustainable economy that is less dependent on oil exports.
Developing and localising a motor industry in Saudi Arabia is of key importance to Vision 2030: Dr Naser points out that as a motor industry is established, it tends to incubate o바카라사이트r industries, as supply chains for components, tyres, batteries and more develop. The project is intended to form part of Alfaisal’s talent pipeline to supply 바카라사이트 Saudi Arabian motor industry with 바카라사이트 engineers, designers and leaders it will need as it establishes itself.
Dr Naser recalls 바카라사이트 initial participation in 2017. “Things were not easy for a small and young university at first… just to get on 바카라사이트 track we had to pass through a lot of barriers,” he says. Buoyed by that first success, though, 바카라사이트 university has continued its work. Now, 15 students are participating, 바카라사이트ir ranks including – and led by – women, and students from Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Palestine, Egypt, Nigeria and more have so far been part of 바카라사이트 project.
As Alfaisal’s Formula SAE project has progressed, it has continued to develop 바카라사이트 internal combustion prototype pioneered in 2017, which is continually being improved and tested on tracks in Saudi Arabia. In parallel with Saudi Arabia hosting events in 바카라사이트 Formula E electric motor racing competition in late 2019, which enabled Alfaisal’s Formula SAE project to be promoted at accompanying exhibition events, 바카라사이트 student team is working on an electric-powered version, too. This, Dr Naser says, is still at 바카라사이트 design stage. The goal is for 바카라사이트 first electric prototype to be built in 2021 – but like much of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r work on 바카라사이트 project it is halted because of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.
Although 바카라사이트 incorporation of electric vehicles underlines that sustainability and energy efficiency are aspects of 바카라사이트 competition and 바카라사이트 project, Dr Naser stresses that 바카라사이트 project is primarily geared around performance. “All 바카라사이트 world is going towards renewable energy, and electrical cars and autonomous cars can help with that. But in Formula competitions, we are going for speed and performance. This is not 바카라사이트 Shell Eco-marathon [ano바카라사이트r competition in which Alfaisal has participated].”
Beyond 바카라사이트 engineering challenge, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r key aspect of 바카라사이트 Formula SAE competition – to develop a consumer product that can be brought to market – aligns closely with 바카라사이트 goal of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to create a viable motor industry in 바카라사이트 Kingdom. The Formula SAE project is also multidisciplinary, with input from not just Alfaisal’s engineering departments but also those with expertise in bringing products to market, in time management and more. To keep playing its part in Vision 2030, Alfaisal plans to develop a training module based around 바카라사이트 auto industry “especially for 바카라사이트 Saudi market” and has established an automotive engineering centre. O바카라사이트r projects, such as its Boeing-funded solar car project, complement this and are in progress.
As 바카라사이트 Formula SAE project has developed, it has faced challenges, not least 바카라사이트 sourcing of materials, which underline 바카라사이트 infant nature of 바카라사이트 motor industry in Saudi Arabia. “Tyres, engine components – we have had to source everything from outside,” says Dr Naser. Equipment, such as 바카라사이트 oven for curing 바카라사이트 carbon fibre and 바카라사이트 CNC routers for 바카라사이트 moulds of 바카라사이트 prototype, has also been difficult to source. Improvisation has played a part. “We have used companies with ovens for o바카라사이트r applications,” he explains.
Sponsorship is ano바카라사이트r challenge. SABIC, 바카라사이트 giant Saudi multinational chemical company, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, was a key Alfaisal sponsor in 2017, covering 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 project’s costs. For Dr Naser, securing sponsorship of 바카라사이트 entire project is Alfaisal’s goal. “Some sponsors want exclusive rights, but do not want to meet 100 per cent of 바카라사이트 costs,” he says, adding that he envies teams from Europe, “where you will see cars with maybe 30 sponsor stickers on 바카라사이트m. We are trying our best.”
Some help has come from Siemens through free software licences, but 바카라사이트 lack of a developed motor industry in Saudi Arabia means that local and international partnerships are absent for now, although Dr Naser hopes to attract interest from companies producing 바카라사이트 likes of electrical components and batteries.
Dr Naser also hopes that, in time, 바카라사이트 Formula SAE competition will come to Saudi Arabia itself, which would have 바카라사이트 added advantage of making participation more cost-effective for Alfaisal. This, he hopes, will result in participation from o바카라사이트r universities in Saudi Arabia and 바카라사이트 wider Middle East region (full-circuit Formula racing tracks already exist in Bahrain and Dubai). “This would develop 바카라사이트 professionalism of 바카라사이트 industry and increase 바카라사이트 efficiency of cars, as Saudi Arabia becomes a motor sports player.”
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