|
|
The
team elected new officers friday September 9'th and the new officers
are as follows:
Project Manager: Tyler Coverdale
Mechanical: Wayne Messbarger
Electrical: Eli Parke
Business: Matt McCune
The site is getting some much needed updates and
we would like to say a BIG thank-you to all of our sponsors.
Please check out the new photos from the race this summer
here.
|
It's official, Paragon has
test miles! Previous cars have shown up at races with absolutely
zero test miles and in several pieces. As Paragon is approaching
completion we finally have a chance to run the car and shake out
all of the bugs, as well as get the drivers acquainted with the
car. This weekend Paragon ventured out to the football stadium
parking lot to run through several scrutinizing events, including
the infamous braking test. Everything was successful, and we look
forward to NASC.
|
The term break is not in the
vocabulary for the team. Even though it is summer, many members
of the team are working around the clock to get the car ready
for the race in July. There are only a few more jobs to finish
up, and the car will be ready for testing. Qualifying for the
North American Solar Challenge will start on July 11 in College
Station, TX. The cross-country will start on July 17 in Austin,
TX. The route will continue north stopping in Topeka, KS on the
19th or 20th, and finishing in Calgary, Alberta on July 27.
For more details check out the Formula
Sun Grand Prix and the North
American Solar Challenge websites. |
Over the past few weekends
the team finished the upper and lower body lay-ups. Lots of late
nights were spent out at the shop. The upper body lay-up was a
19 hour process while the lower body was only 12 hours. With the
nice weather we have had, we were able to grill dinners out at
the shop while we worked. The local convenience store raised their
prices on slushies due our late night raids of their store for
snacks.
|
It's always
sad to see people graduate and move on from a solar car team.
It happens every year, but it's different when that person has
been with the team since its inception in 1995.
Team advisor Dr. Norm Dillman recently retired
from teaching at Kansas State University. He has since moved to
Florida in order to have permanent residence closer to his children.
Even though he lives a thousand miles away, Dillman is still a
part of the team. The team corresponds with him constantly. Many
e-mails get sent and there is the occasional phone call when he
is not out in his boat or with his grandchildren. He finds extreme
gratification in letting the team know how nice the weather is
in Florida, meanwhile here in Kansas we are shoveling through
the snow to get to the storm shelter before the tornado hits.
Dillman and his wife Phyllis have both had a
huge impact on the team. Both have traveled with the team on multiple
cross country races. When K-State build their first car, Phyllis
graciously allowed the team to use her electric kitchen knife
to dig out the foam mold from the body layup when the releasing
procedure went wrong.
Throughout his time here at K-State, Dillman
molded many students into the people they are today. He was not
only a professor but he is a friend.
Dillman, thanks for everything!
|
 Second
semester is in full swing and team members are working night and
day to get the new car, Paragon, ready for its unveiling at the
K-State Open House on April 8, 2005.
Recently, mechanical team members have been working at the shop
for hours on end on the plugs and fiberglass molds for the body
of the car. The fiberglass layups for the molds were completed Sunday
January 30. This work included sanding, sanding, and more sanding.
The team will soon be doing the body layup. Special thanks goes
to Harlow Aircraft for their help machining the body molds.
 The
electrical team is beginning to test the solar cells and sort them
by their maximum power output. By doing this they will be able to
build an array of the highest efficiency possible. Tests are being
conducted on the rear view camera, turn signal system, and bypass
diodes The battery pack, as well as its protection circuitry, is
under construction as well. |
It
took us a while to get it done, but it's finally here.
K-State Solar Car is proud to announce the launch of the all new
team website. Since we've been busy building a car, the website
kind of got put on the back burner. All those involved in solar
car racing knows what I'm talking about.
Thanks goes to webmaster Brad Larson and Lindsay
MacAdam for their had work on getting the website designed and
content updated. |
|
