FSAE FAQs (frequently asked questions) answered by Faculty Advisor Prof MAJ (NS) Seah Kar Heng

Q. How can I apply to be on the FSAE programme?
A. Watch out for my e mail in June/July each year to recruit second year students.

Q. Are students selected for FSAE based on CAP (cumulative average point) score? 
A. No. CAP score is not one of the selection criteria, although I do monitor the whole team’s CAP scores in case they drop to dangerous levels.

Q. What are the criteria for selection of FSAE team members? 
A. The main qualities we look for are passion, perseverance, team spirit, and fire-fighting skills (ie. the ability to quickly solve unexpected problems). Building a Formula race car and racing in it internationally is serious business. So you need to be dedicated to the job. We sometimes work non-stop for 48 hours to meet a deadline. On weekdays, engine dyno tests have to be conducted after 10 pm (so as not to disturb the day and night classes in the vicinity), sometimes ending at sunrise. You must be willing to learn fast and get your hands dirty building a car. To survive this project, you need to be good in your engineering fundamentals, preferably with a certain level of interest in cars and/or racing. Experience in these areas will help you progress faster although the skills can be nurtured on the job. Physical fitness and an adventurous spirit are plus points. By and large, racecar engineering involves mainly mechanical engineering topics (Thermodynamics, Fluid mechanics, Applied mechanics, Manufacturing, Materials science), but Electricity, Electronics, Computing are becoming more and more important factors. Even after being shortlisted into FSAE, your first semester in FSAE (ie.Semester 3) is really a probationalterm. During that period, you can be told to leave if your performance is not satisfactory and you mayvoluntarily drop out of FSAE if you lose interest. Sloppy work on a race car has injured or killed many a racer throughout motorsports history, and we don’t want that to happen in NUS FSAE. About 7 students from this lot will be selected beforethe start of Semester 4 to enter the main FSAE competition team.

Q. How many MCs (modular credits) can I earn for FSAE work?

A.These are the modular credits that can be earned for FSAE work:

[VIP = vacation internship program, FYP = final year project, ISM = independent study module]

Q. What is the life cycle for someone on the FSAE program?
A. It will be a three year commitment, from the start of Year 2 just after streaming till graduation. Year 2 is a learning year with apprenticeship training. You need to learn real fast because by next Jan/Feb, ie. half a year later, you will be involved in the conceptualization of the following year’s car, together with the Year 3 and Year 4 seniors in the team. During the long vacation between Years 2 and 3, you will be designing the new car together with the seniors. In Year 3, you will be building your first race car together with the final year students. In May of Year 3, you will fly to USA with the team for the competition (all expenses paid if we can raise enough money). In Year 4, you will be building your second race car. In May of Year 4, you will fly to USA to compete for a second time under the same conditions of funding.

Q. Can I opt for IA (industrial attachment), VIP (vacation internship program) or SEP (student exchange program) if I want to be on the FSAE program?
A. No, you have to sacrifice IA, VIP and SEP. If you wish to be on the FSAE programme, you must be prepared to devote three years of your life (Years 2,3,4) to FSAE work. Formula racing is not child’s play. If you are not decided about IA, VIP or SEP, you may apply for FSAE first. By the following January, you will be told if you make it into the team, while those who lose interest would have dropped out on their own. You will still have plenty of time to apply for IA, VIP or SEP after that.

Q. How much commitment are you looking for? 
A. You must be fully committed to getting the new car up and running, fully tested and prepared for the competition. Each year we have only about 18 months to bring our car from concept, through construction and testing, to competition. So there is an overlap period between the old and new teams.

Q. How much time do team members normally spend on the race car project?
A. It takes up a lot of their spare time. This is the annual cycle:
Jan to April: Conceptualisation of the following year’s car
May to July: Design of car, computer simulations, lab tests.
August to October: Actual fabrication of the car
November: Stop for exams
December: Tune engine, test chassis rigidity, assemble car for maiden run
January to March: Car set-up, test drives, modifications, tune car for competition, drivers’ training, submit compulsory monthly reports to FSAE organisers
April: Stop for exams, car gets transported to USA.
May: Competition in USA

Q. How will FSAE recruits be trained to design and build race cars? 
Throughout your Year 2, I will be giving you night classes on race car engineering for 2-3 hours each week, while you will spend another eveningof your choice assisting the FSAE seniors. During vacations, I will teach longer hours each week. Since this is still not enough for you to build a race car, you will be given relevant books or chapters to study in your spare time. During vacations, you will be taught how to weld metal and operate machine tools. Your seniors will also teach you the proper use of hand tools, fitting, measurement, fabrication of composite materials, plus the CAD (computer aided design) softwares that are necessary for designing the car and for FEA (finite element analysis) simulation. We have to build a reliable and competitive car that will not endanger the lives of the drivers.

Q. How many hours of commitment per week are expected? 
A. It depends on the time of year. During vacation time, you are expected to work at least 8 hours a day. If there is a deadline to catch, you may need to work past midnight and through weekends as well. However, you may take short holidays and go for reservist in-camp-training. During term time, you can only work on the car between lectures, at night and on some Saturdays. We try to keep Sundays free. After the car is completed, we will need to test the car when a test venue is available, which could be on weekdays, Saturdays or public holidays. If you learn fast, work fast, and manage your time well, you may still have spare time to pursue your other personal interests. The more you learn, the better an engineer you will be and the better will be the car that you construct.

 Q. Will FSAE work adversely affect my exam results?
 A. It depends on the student. Some students do better academically after joining the FSAE team as they will understand better what is taught in the classroom. Others may suffer a drop in CAP score due to neglect of their studies. It is all a matter of proper time management and prioritisation. Because of our reputation built up over the years, companies (engineering or otherwise) generally have a very good impression of NUS graduates with FSAE experience. Daring to race in a car that you built yourself is proof of your technical competence and self-confidence, more than exam grades and class of honours.
   
Q. What do I gain from being in the FSAE team? 
 A. You gain plenty of practical engineering knowledge which you cannot get in class, and the personal satisfaction of constructing a competitive car in Singapore’s only Formula race car factory. You may even be selected as one of our race drivers. (We need at least two designated drivers and two reserves for each of the four races at the competition in USA, namely, drag race, skidpad, autocross, endurance race.) It is a once-in-a-lifetime thrill to construct and drive your own Formula race car. You will join the ranks of the previous batches of NUS FSAE guys. Those who have graduated invariably find the three years in FSAE their most unforgettable experience in NUS, if not in their lives. Longbefore their graduation,FSAE team members are head hunted by many companies because of our good reputation built over many years. During every Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, several of my ex-FSAE guys are engaged as scrutineers in the garages to inspect the cars to ensure that theyare safe for racing and conform to FIA rules. They are the privileged ones to have the chance to look inside the F1 cars and be in the heat of all the action backstage. Being in close proximity to the drivers, mechanics and engineers is an added bonus.

Q. Have there been any accidents or injuries in FSAE before?
A. What do you expect in this guts-and-glory adventure? Accidents and injuries in motorsports can never be fully eliminated. However these can be minimized with proper safety procedures and proper construction of the car. That’s why there’s a lot of detailed computer aided design, calculations, simulations and lab tests to perform before and during the construction phase. After the car is completed, we conduct diagnostic test drives, as well as drivers’ training to prepare the whole team for the annual competition in USA. After every test run, we will check the whole car thoroughly for wear and damages, replacing components when necessary. We also conduct crash tests to ensure that the driver is sufficiently protected. All this is very time consuming and pressuring, but necessary for safety. All year round, we practise stringent safety precautions. Your life and disability insurances will be fully paid for, whether or not you qualify as one of our racers. For three whole years, I will be watching your work closely to make sure you don’t injure or kill yourself or your team mate.

Q. What other automotive option is there for me if I don’t get selected into the FSAE team?
A. If you don’t get selected into the FSAE team, you can still be involved in other vehicle-related projects in DCC (Design Centric Curriculum). If you are an ME student, you can opt for the AE (Automotive Engineering) specialisation, which has certain requirements clearly stated on our ME Dept website under ME Specialisations.

Q. Can an ME student on the FSAE programme opt for a different specialisation?
A. Certainly. However, if you are on the FSAE team, your default specialization will be AE (automotive engineering) since your FYP needs to be in the area of your specialization. If you wish to choose another specialisation, you need to seek permission from the coordinator of that specialisation to allow FSAE to be your FYP. That said, it is not compulsory for ME students to choose a specialisation.

Q. If I am an ME student, will specialization in AE restrict my scope of employment?
A. No, because you will still be graduating with a degree in ME (not AE) which will stand you in good stead in almost all companies in Singapore. The specialisation in AE can be an added advantage if you apply for a job in some automotive-related company, as ME Dept will award you a separate AE certificate to show potential employers when the occasion calls for it. By and large, FSAE graduates are wanted in many sectors of the economy, so the specialization is of no consequence.

Q. Is there a much heavier work load for students on the FSAE team?
A. Of course, it is hard work designing and building one race car per year for an international competition. Formula race cars represent the pinnacle of automotive engineering, requiring an extremely high standard of engineering. A Formula race car experiences tremendous forces on the track. Very often something goes wrong which needs immediate attention. Any procrastination could lead to further damage. When lives are at stake, there is little room for error. The annual FSAE event in USA is a mega-contest on Design and Technology, rather like an Olympics of Engineering.

Q. Can poly diploma holders join the FSAE team?
A. Of course. Many of our most competent team members are poly diploma holders as they have much experience in practical engineering.