Throughout Semester 1, Year 10 STEAM students (Team Harlyn, Prisa and Blue Blazers) have been designing and developing small-scale Formula One cars. Mimicking the world of a Formula One team, our students followed a pathway of engineering and manufacturing disciplines: design, analyse, test, make and race. They were also provided with real-world technology such as 3D printing, 3D CAD engineering design and virtual wind tunnel simulation software. Last week, Team Harlyn, Prisa and Blue Blazers participated in a final presentation of their trade displays and raced their cars on a twenty-metre track powered by CO2 canisters to their university mentors.
This project is based on the international F1 in Schools competition conducted annually by Re-Engineering Australia, in which over 17,000 schools in fifty-one countries compete. In Australia, over 22,000 students compete each year, with countless more completing programs inspired by the competition. This program also aims to develop skills in problem solving, project management, communication, presentation, teamwork, innovation, self-reflection, collaboration, and design: skills in demand by industries the world over.
Thank you Monash Motorsports, Team Swinburne and MUR Motorsports for your support and guidance throughout the semester!
"During STEAM this semester, we were tasked with designing and developing a car, using CAD software and a 3D printer. Each team (Harlyn, Prisa, and Blue Blazers) were allocated an engineering student from a university to assist us as we worked on the assignment throughout the semester.
The majority of us were brand new to the subject at the start of the semester, so beginning this task was challenging. However, as our knowledge expanded, we were able to work through obstacles and overcame conflicts, making our car the best it could possibly be. During the semester, we really connected with our teammates and as a result, we were able to learn about each other's working styles.
Whilst it was an intensive subject, we all enjoyed ourselves and the amazing opportunities we were presented with."
