2016 HUNTER VALLEY STEM FESTIVAL

Student Instructions

Note: The F1inSchools Paper Car Challenge was developed and is managed by Re-Engineering Australia Foundation

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Project Rationale

The STEM Primary School emersion day is part of RDA-Hunter’s Mini ME program. It

provides links with schools and industry groups in an endeavour to engage students in STEM

based activities. Being a single day program, it is an intense introduction to STEM (Science,

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) which will see teams build a paper F1 car, apply

graphics, test aerodynamics and race their cars!

The skills that students develop through their involvement in STEM projects are real world

skills in problem solving, communication and collaboration; skills that are clearly identified

and in demand by industries the world over.

Another key component of this program is that primary schools are linked to an Industry

Partner, fostering an environment of collaboration between schools and the broader

community.

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Safety Instructions

The components that make up the F1 in Schools™ Paper Racer project have been designed

and tested with a focus on user safety.

To prevent accidents the following directions must be strictly adhered to:

The components that make up a car must be folded and assembled exactly as shown

in these instructions.

A competent adult must check that the resultant car assembly is correctly folded and

assembled.

Racing is to be closely supervised by a responsible adult at ALL times.

Under no circumstances are canisters containing more than 8 grams of CO2 to be

used to propel the Paper Racer.

Additional strengthening of the chassis, CO2 housing and body can be undertaken via

the application of glue, staples or tape at the discretion of the supervising adult.

Paper Racers MUST be fixed to the track via the tether line inserted through the two tether

line guide holes at each end of the chassis.

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Session 1 – Team Organisation and Planning

The first thing that you need to do is to organise yourselves into teams, consisting of a

group of 4. Groups of three will work, but five is too many. When you have organised your

teams, you should assign the following roles;

Team manager: _________________________________

Graphic Designer: _________________________________

Engineer: _________________________________

Race Technician: _________________________________

Each role will have specific duties throughout the day as outlined below.

Team Manager

Your duties are as follows:

1. Ensure everyone else knows their roles and duties

2. Ensure that your team meets deadlines (refer to timeline)

3. Book in testing time with the wind tunnel

4. Book in starter testing for your Race Technician

5. Assist the other team members in completing their jobs

a. You might need to help yourself

b. You might need to get one of the other team members to help others

c. You could use teachers or visiting members from PWC, REA, or RDA Hunter

for clarification of tasks or simply get advice

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Graphic Designer

Your duties are as follows:

1. Establish your team colours

a. Consult with your team members

b. Design the colour scheme of your car

2. Identify your ‘sponsors’ including PwC, REA, Mini ME Program, UoN

a. Establish how you will acknowledge sponsors on your car

b. Incorporate sponsors into the graphic design of the car

3. Apply the graphic design to your car

Engineer

Your duties are as follows:

1. Become familiar with the construction process

2. Build the car

a. Work with the Team Manager and the Graphic Designer to establish time

frames (the graphic designer will need to have the body for graphics work at

some stage)

b. Work with the Race Technician so they understand the relationship between

the chassis and the tether line

3. Test the car’s rolling resistance, making it as low as possible (make the wheels spin as

freely as possible)

4. Work with the Race Technician in wind-tunnel testing and look for design

modifications (if allowed)

5. Assist the Race Technician during racing

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Race Technician

Your duties are as follows:

1. Become familiar with the racing process

a. Start positioning procedure

b. Launching procedure

c. Tethering of the car

2. Work with the Engineer to ensure a clear tether line path

3. Work with the Engineer to minimise wheel resistance

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Session 2 – Car development and testing

Components

You will be provided with the following components (parts of the car). This is all that you

need to make a working car.

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When assembled, each component will look like the following images.

Engine Housing

Chasis

Body

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The following diagrams should assist you in constructing your vehicle.

Construction - Engine Housing

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Construction - Chassis

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Construction – Body

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Final Assembly

Session 3 – Racing

Racing

1. Each team will get a practice race to become familiar with the racing procedure

2. Each team will get a qualifying time race with their name places on the Leader board