Space Acquisition

Proposal 2015

Author: Michael Tormoen

Scope
Gopher Motorsports has been placed in a position where future success is dependent
upon having adequate space due to necessary renovations taking place within CSE buildings.
The purpose of this document is to present the current and future facilities needs of the team
as well as former assets. In this, we are requesting the Mechanical Engineering department as
well as University administration to consider the team when delegating and finalizing facilities
within the Mechanical Engineering building as well as other CSE facilities and projects.

- [Students] that have participated in programs such as the SAE

competitions have a leg up on other students, as I feel the organization
provides real world skills and experiences that are valuable to employers
-Chuck Berg, Chief Operations Officer, Command Tooling Systems

Previous Facilities
During the 2014 season, Gopher Motorsports had access to a 250 square foot office (ME
459A), a dynamometer lab and engine workspace (4th floor diesel research labs), an 850 square
foot work space (ME 169), and to the forge and cage areas in the basement of the Mechanical
Engineering building. We found these spaces to be adequate for the function of our team, and
had the ability to separate certain functions of the team to be more productive. These facilities
had welding and storage capabilities in the basement, access to ventilated rooms in the 1st floor
for composites, general assembly in ME 169, a large office for computers and CAD work, and
space to run and tune our engine on our dynamometer. These facilities allowed for support of
a large team base so many members could be involved on several projects at once, and
produced the most successful car in recent team history.

However, the team faced difficulties with the informal nature through which we were
allowed to use the locations granted to us. Since these rooms were not officially ours, meaning
there was no University documentation, we lost rooms and space with minimal notice. In
addition, the basement storage was shared with the department and our raw material was left
unlocked. Furthermore, with more cars to store as years passed, our general workspace was
becoming too small to comfortably build a car while storing former cars.

Current Facilities
To meet the space requirements for completing the 2015 car, we acquired three labs
within Tate (79, S72, S9) and a small office within Mechanical Engineering (125D). All of these
spaces are temporary, with our occupancy within Tate terminating in late May of 2015 and our
office occupancy with an unknown termination date. Tate 79 is currently used for engine
assembly and is 526 square feet. Tate S72 is the general assembly room, shared with the new
student group SAE Clean Snowmobile, and is 1484 square feet. The usable area is about 1100
square feet due to former research equipment, including a large magnet-housing room and a
crane. Tate S9 is 1000 square feet and is used for carbon fiber layup work, or composites. S9 is
adequate for composites, but because of the dust that can be produced through carbon fiber
layups, a room with more ventilation would be preferred. The office in Mechanical Engineering
building is 176 square feet, and is unsatisfactory. We own five desktop computers for CAD
work; when they are all in use, the office becomes very cramped and discourages team
member collaboration. Essentially, Gopher Motorsports has sufficient square footage to be
able to perform, but current facilities impede our vehicle construction and teamwork
drastically.
We do not have any access to welding facilities as we have in the past, and we are
relying entirely on sponsors to fulfill this need. This has recently become a major liability, as
failures within the company performing our frame welding have set major delays on vehicle

assembly. Once the frame of the car is welded and shipped to us, we will be unable to weld any
changes on our own. Gopher Motorsports has their own welders which require a 220 volt 50
amp outlet, ventilation, and space enough to move our car in and out. Since the outlets on
campus are unavailable to us, we will be fulfilling this need by using the welding facilities within
a suburban high school. Moreover, the dynamometer space is non-existent, and there are no
spark ignition research labs on campus. This resource is invaluable to the development of our
engine, and any changes and improvements we could make are entirely halted due to the
prevention of tuning our engine. Clean Snowmobile shares this difficulty, and struggles to find
the ability to tune their engine.

Request
Assembly-

This space would be utilized for storage, maintenance, and general assembly of

the vehicle. We would function most efficiently with 1000 square feet, considering car
storage uses up to 250 square feet, cabinets use 75 square feet, work benches use 40
square feet, the tire changer uses 30 square feet, welding uses 150 square feet, and
work space uses the remaining space. This room would need to be secured, preferably
by U-card access for team members only, and could be shared with another student
group if the square footage increases by adding their requested square footage need to
ours. The 150 square foot difference from the former assembly space square footage is
necessary due to the need for safe welding capabilities and a more inclusive
environment for members. The basement of Mechanical Engineering where the cage
was would be an optimal assembly room post-construction because of the accessibility
to a power supply required for our tire changer and welders. The assembly room would
also need door and hallway clearance enough to roll cars in and out of the room and out
of the building. Access to double outside doors without a center divider or a freight
elevator would fill this need.

Composites- This space would be utilized for preparation, storage, and laying of carbon fiber
molds. We would perform efficiently with 500 square feet of ventilated space,
considering cabinets use 40 square feet, work benches use 60 square feet, storage uses
40 square feet, and work space uses the remaining space. This room would need to be
secured preferably by U-card access for team members only. This space could be a
common space for other student groups requiring carbon fiber layup space if storage for
our molds, tools, and materials can be accounted for in our assembly or storage space
(100 square feet).
Engine Room- This space would be utilized for maintenance, mechanical improvement, and
storage of engine equipment. We would perform efficiently with 700 square feet,
considering cabinets use 45 square feet, work benches use 50 square feet,
dynamometer uses 200 square feet, and workspace uses the remaining 205 square feet
of space. This room would need to be secured, preferably by U-card access for team
members only. This space could be shared with general assembly if square footage
increases to 1500, but cannot be share with composites due to the particulates inherent
to carbon fiber layup mold prep. Engine workspace would be difficult to collaborate
with another student group due to the delicate nature of engine assembly and the
difficulties surrounding sharing a dynamometer. The increased square footage is largely
affected by our concern for safety; proper shielding and equipment demand the most
room.
Dyno Lab-

This is an invaluable resource we would like to have for the future. We would

perform efficiently with at least 200 square feet as long as the dynamometer and its
related equipment are entirely separate from the engine room. The related equipment
include a consideration of running water, safety shielding, engine exhaust exit, and
building safety code consideration for spark ignition gasoline engine operation.

Office-

The office would be used for CAD work and team discussions. We would
perform efficiently with 250 square feet, considering computers and tables using 50
square feet and common space using the remaining area. Our current office is
adequate, and if we cannot move to a larger location we would like to stay.

Welding-

Gopher Motorsports recently purchased a TIG welder as welding is critical to the

function of the team. We would need a space large enough to weld and use the teams
4 x 88 welding table with a car chassis. We request a space to permanently house the
table with a doorway big enough to roll in and out our welding equipment and car.
Having welding ability within our assembly room would be optimal.
CNC-

The ME machine shop has outdated CNC equipment, and we request an update
on both the CNC mill and the CNC lathe. The current machines are over 20 years old,
while industries around the Twin Cities typically use equipment no older than 5 years.
Our designs require up-to-date software, including MasterCam and other CNC programs
in order for our team to be competitive. Gopher Motorsports has observed the
departments emphasis on rapid prototyping. As science and engineering students who
work closely with industry, we understand that rapid prototyping does not teach
manufacturability. Therefore, we would like to see the University recognize the current
industrial demands of Mechanical Engineers and supply us students with the tools
needed in order to be prepared for modern manufacturing.

- In order to produce engineers of the more desirable variety, the

University must support hands-on fabrication education and experience
-Lucas Crist, Project Engineer, McNeilus Companies

Priorities
1. Assembly
a. This is our most crucial asset. Without a large (1000 square feet) assembly and
storage facility secured by Gopher Motorsports, we cannot function efficiently.
Tools, cars, and components are all stored within this space. Preferably has
welding capabilities.
2. Dynamometer Lab
a. We have had this need since March of 2014 and it has not been fulfilled. In
order to modify our engine, we need space to run our engine dyno to tune the
fuel injection, ignition, and shifting systems to incorporate those changes in
order to optimize peak output and fuel efficiency. We have the equipment to do
so, including the dynamometer, but we need the facilities to safely
accommodate. With an aging engine model, this space will be needed soon.
3. Office
a. A space to house our CAD desktops and for general team work. Our current
office is sufficient, but a bigger office would support a larger team base.
4. Composites Room
a. Composites should be separated from the rest of the functions of the team
because of their dusty nature, especially engine assembly. This separation also
supports a large team base and sanitation for the engine sub-team.
5. Engine Room
a. The engine room is used for building and disassembling our engines separate
from the rest of the car. This space would be most effectively paired with the
dynamometer lab or in a separate room because of the delicate nature of engine
assembly and cleanliness. Separation of engine and composites is an absolute
necessity.

6. CNC
a. One of the major challenges we face every year is determining how to
manufacture our components through sponsors. This year, we have faced many
delays in production due to sponsors own internal delays that we cannot
control. Our challenge should be how we could teach as many members as
possible to use the departments own CNC equipment to manufacture our own
parts rather than relying on sponsors. This would be made possible through
updating the CNC equipment available to students.

Sponsor Testimonials
McNeilus Companies
To whom it may concern:
It has been brought to my attention by the Gopher Motorsports team (UMN Formula SAE
Series team) that there would be a significant decrease or elimination of fabrication resources
available for students at the University of Minnesota. Most notably, these resources include
the ability to perform machining and welding on the grounds of the University campus. I
sincerely hope that this information was in error and that students will continue to be able to
gain valuable hands-on experience with these operations at the school that I am proud to be an
alumnus of.
I find the most significant challenge to overcome, when bringing in a newly-degreed
engineer, is teaching them to have a fundamental understanding of the materials with which
they design. In the age of CAD, drafting, and other design tools, basic understanding of bend
allowances, weld sizing, and designing parts and assemblies for manufacturing are becoming
skills that industry professionals must teach on the job. If the University of Minnesotas
engineering programs would like to continue to have a good reputation within industry, then
this knowledge of manufacturing is a critical subject matter that cannot be overlooked.
Even when I studied at the University of Minnesota, the shop resources were relatively
anemic, judging by the standards of comparable institutions. It saddens me that a student can
get a degree in mechanical engineering without even a passing acquaintance of how to choose
the number and placement of fasteners. I understand that much of the focus of the University
of Minnesota continues to be on theory and high-level research, but the large majority of your
graduates are moving on to work in industry where knowledge of this type is critical.
I have the pleasure and privilege of working as a Project Engineer for McNeilus Truck &
Manufacturing, located in Dodge Center, Minnesota. We are the states largest consumer of
steel: the tonnage of scrap we produce each week is greater than the tonnage of raw steel
purchased by the next five largest consumers in the state. We consume over 40,000 pounds of
welding wire every week, and are the industry leader in the concrete placement and refuse
body industries. We are also a division of Oshkosh Corporation, a Fortune 500 company,
alongside Jerr-Dan, Oshkosh Defense, JLG Industries, and more.
Our teams are growing by leaps and bounds my own workgroup has more than doubled
in size within the last year. Our engineering team is continually seeking top talent and

10

enthusiasm in our new hires, and though internships and co-ops are valuable additions to a
students resume, participation in teams such as Gopher Motorsports or the Solar Vehicle
Project are sometimes worth more to us. On these teams, a student will gain experience in
fabrication, materials selection, functional design, design for manufacturing, and many other
skills that are best learned from doing rather than simply reading about them.
There is a widening gap between schools and programs granting degrees to aspiring
engineers. There are programs who provide a basic understanding of design and whose
graduates can hit the ground running. There are also programs whose engineering graduates
lack this and must be trained in basic elements of manufacturing and design. The former are
those that companies like us look to hire. The latter are considerably more resource intensive
to train to the point where they can produce functional designs. In order to produce engineers
of the more desirable variety, the University must support hands-on fabrication education and
experience. There are precious few ways for a student to gain this knowledge, and the
University provides the perfect venue through which to learn these skills where they can be
couched in the concepts that they learn in the classroom.
I would be happy to discuss this in further detail with you, providing any relevant examples
that I have encountered to more effectively illustrate the needs of enterprises in our line of
work. You may feel free to contact me at your convenience by phone at (612)310-5206, or by
email at LDCrist@gmail.com or LCrist@McNeilusco.com.
Best regards,
Lucas Crist
BAEM, MBA, CQIA
Project Engineer - Alternative Fuels
McNeilus Companies
Desk: 507-374-8465
Cell: 612-310-5206

SAE FORMULA

JANUARY 15, 2015

RESOURCE TESTIMONIAL

PRESENTED BY: CHUCK BERG

COMMAND TOOLING SYSTEMS, LLC
13931 SUNFISH LAKE BLVD
RAMSEY, MN 55303

This statement has been prepared with the intention to support the SAE Formula students in
their efforts to acquire resources from the University of Minnesota.
I recently visited the students that are involved in the SAE Formula project. I attended an
impressive presentation by the students requesting support for their competition endeavors.
As I also participated in the SAE Formula competition as a U of M engineering student over 20
years ago, I have a special interest with the program.
The students gave us a tour of the facilities after the presentation. I was a bit disheartened to
see that the facilities and the available tools for the students hasnt changed much in over 20
years. As a leader of a local manufacturing business, we recruit and hire engineering students
both for product design, and manufacturing. Candidates that have participated in programs
such as the SAE competitions have a leg up on other students, as I feel the organization
provides real world skills and experiences that are valuable to employers. Antiquated
resources make it difficult for the students to be competitive.
As an industry professional, I have had the opportunity to see many college technology
programs in Minnesota, as well as the rest of our country. The U of M has not taken the
initiative to provide much needed machinery, equipment, and facilities to keep the
engineering program competitive with other schools. The investment for the entire school in
general is impressive, but for some reason, the Institute of Technology seems to be the last to
receive funding and improvements.
Our most recent engineering hires here at Command Tooling Systems have been local
candidates that have attended other colleges, the last attended MSOE (Milwaukee School of
Engineering). This university has incorporated the SAE competitions into their senior
engineering electives. I was impressed with their facilities, program requirements, and the
overall experience that the students received in their mechanical engineering coursework. We
have also recently hired graduates from Dunwoody College of Technology. We have one of the
first graduates from their newly accredited 4 year industrial engineering program. Again, I
believe that the resources available to students there are superior to those currently in place
at the U of M.
Our local manufacturing industry is growing. To remain competitive in the global market, we
are all making investments in more complex machinery and automation. Professional
candidates that have training and experience with the latest machinery, software, and
automation will ultimately repopulate the core engineering roles as our industry struggles to
replace an aging and under-qualified workforce.
Chuck Berg
Chief Operations Officer
Command Tooling Systems
T 763-576-6300
F 763-576-6911
M 612-280-3294
www.commandtool.com
EWS Group / Urma AG

1/15/2015

Resource Testimonial