Georgia Tech Off-Road is a student-led team founded in 1998 that participates in annual Baja SAE competitions. The team currently has 40+ undergraduate members with students majoring mostly in some form of engineering. Students on the team are provided with an opportunity to work on a large scale and time-constrained engineering project. They learn to not only design and analyze vehicle components, but also to develop communication and teamwork skills in ensuring proper integration between designs.
The North America Baja SAE competitions take place at three event locations each year and have upwards of 100 teams at each event. Student teams are tasked with designing and fabricating a high-performing single-seat off-terrain vehicle to sell to the enthusiast market. Teams compete in a set of static and dynamic events that span evaluations from vehicle designs to business models. Professionals from industry are involved with the competition and serve as judges to assess the student teams.
If you're a GT student looking to join our team, it's a simple process! It doesn't matter what major or year you are. Just fill out this Interest Form and come during any of our shop times. We'll gladly show you around!
We're also a VIP (Vertically Integrated Project) team, so you can also join this way and receive credit. For more information about VIP, go here.
You can take the green route to get here - just get off at the bus yard. Since shop times go a little late, you can also take the stingerette back to campus after the green route stops running.
Midnight Mayhem Rankings 2019 (Out of 98 teams)
Overall 8/98Subsystems are smaller groupings of the team for design and building.
The drivetrain subsystem responsible for transmitting power to the wheels. This is accomplished with the standard, unmodified Briggs & Stratton 10HP engine paired with a custom gearbox and electronically controlled variable transmission.
The suspension subsystem connects the frame of the vehicle to the wheels and allows the vehicle to traverse rocks, logs, and mud-pits with ease. The vehicle has four wheel independent suspension, implementing double a-arm design in the front and a three link (trailing arm) design in the rear.
A custom tubular frame is designed and fabricated each year. The chassis subsystem works to ensure that the strength and geometry of the frame satisfies the requirements set by Baja SAE competition rules.
The driver controls subsystem is responsible for the design of all driver to vehicle interfaces, including steering, braking, and throttle control. Lightweight design and ergonomic considerations allow the driver to have quick, comfortable, and effective control of the vehicle.
The data acquisition subsystem services the data gathering, and processing needs of the team to test and validate the car and its design. This subsystem is at the forefront of the team’s research and development efforts and is instrumental to the yearly improvements made to the vehicle.
The vehicle dynamics subsystem develop full dynamic models and performs simulations of our vehicle in the ADAMS Car software, giving us crucial data and analysis to guide our design and to validate in our testing.
The manufacturing subsystems is chiefly responsible for the annual fabrication of our custom components (95% of the vehicle). The manufacturing subsystem implements many processes to deliver quality parts on a tight schedule, including welding, composites work, manual milling and turning, CNC milling and turning, and wire EDM.
The business subsystem manages the team’s budget and resources. In addition, the business subsystem is responsible for new member recruitment and interfaces with company sponsors/partners.
The IT subsystem provides assistance and technical support with various team resources, softwares, and online communication platforms, allowing for the other subsystems to focus on their work without being bogged down by technical issues.
40
SHOPNIGHTS PER SEMESTER22
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE47
UNDERGRADUATE TEAM MEMBERSGTOR 2020/2021 Season Subsystem Leads
Dr. Cunefare serves as the Georgia Tech faculty advisor for GT Off-Road. Dr. Cunefare received a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with specialization in acoustics from the Pennsylvania State University in 1990. He received the Acoustical Society of America’s Hunt Fellowship to perform post-doctoral research at the Technical University of Berlin, Institute of Technical Acoustics. He joined the Mechanical Engineering faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1991, where he teaches classes in acoustics, noise control, vibrations, and design. Dr. Cunefare serves as the Professor in Charge of the Integrated Acoustic Laboratory, a state of the art facility dedicated to acoustics and vibrations. Dr. Cunefare is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and is a member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering, and SAE International.