SAE Central Illinois Section

SAE with BMWCCA is hosting an Autocross this weekend in Mossville

The registration and up-to-date event details can be found at www.SAE-CIS.org

The event is limited so first-come, first-serve via registration

Spectators are welcome throughout the day.

Cost is $30 per day

All proceeds to benefit the Children's Hospital of Illinois!

So you have heard all the 'buzz' about 3D printing with thermoplastics, but did you know there are printers capable of additive manufacturing using metal powder? Harvest Technologies out of Texas will be presenting their technology on May 22 at Caterpillar Tech Center Building A in Mossville, IL. Come out and learn about this exciting technology while enjoying a dinner with fellow engineers.

Thomas Klier, senior economist in the economic research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago discussed today’s U.S. auto industry, which is tightly clustered in a region commonly referred to as "auto alley", extending south from Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico, with fingers reaching into Ontario.

The first Engineering Day at the Peoria Riverfront Museum drew nearly 1,800 visitors Sunday.

Our next event has been planned for April 10, 2013 at Bradley University. Come out and meet Thomas Klier, senior economist in the economic research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Mr. Klier will discuss today’s U.S. auto industry, which is tightly clustered in a region commonly referred to as "auto alley", extending south from Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico, with fingers reaching into Ontario. His presentation will highlight the evolution of the industry's footprint in the context of manufacturing technology and globalization, two major forces that have influenced plant location decisions in that industry over the course of several decades. Hope to see you there!

Participant in the National Engineering Day at Peoria Riverfront Museum builds her very own air powered cart with the help of SAE volunteers.

Design teams competed to see whose trebuchet could throw a tennis ball the farthest out of three throws. In addition, each team voted on the other teams’ trebuchets for quality of engineering to decide the Best Design award. Cash prizes were awarded based on performance.

A Look Inside the National Transportation Safety Board’s Materials Laboratory
Organized by the ASM Emerging Professionals Committee
Date/Time: 12PM ET, Thursday, September 20, 2012
Topic: “A Look Inside the National Transportation Safety Board’s Materials Laboratory”
Presenter: Joe Epperson, Senior Metallurgist, Materials Laboratory Division Office of Research and Engineering - NTSB

Abstract: Have you heard of the National Transportation Safety Board, and wondered what does it do? Would you like to see inside the world’s leading accident investigation agency? Are you interested in failure analysis and curious if you have the experience and training necessary to be considered for employment with this prestigious organization?
Then, mark your calendar, and prepare yourself for a conversation with one of the NTSB’s leading metallurgists as he discusses investigations including the crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 (2000) and the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis (2007).

Link to Register: http://asm.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0yNjA0MDg1JnA9MSZ1PTEwMTY4NTY1ODAmbGk9MTMxMDQyNjY/index.html

EPC Webinar - NTSB Overview

On March 28, 2012, the Central Illinois SAE chapter hosted Dr. Don Hillebrand, Director of Transportation Research at Argonne National Laboratories. Over 40 people had dinner and listened to Don’s presentation about the future energy demands of American citizens and the potential issues with meeting that demand.

Don outlined several possible technologies that could serve this demand, such as the development of a Lithium-Air battery that his lab has been investigating. Another option discussed was corn-based ethanol, which Don shared makes the most sense to produce in regions of the United States where water is freely accessible. Argonne’s research determined Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio as states that can produce a great deal of corn while consuming very little irrigated water – making them prime candidates to continue producing corn-based ethanol. Following Don’s presentation, Joe Mikulecky, recently appointed Chairman of the Bloomington-Normal Electric Vehicle Task Force, discussed the pros and cons of electric vehicle ownership. Joe leases a Nissan Leaf and hearing his personal take on the challenges of range anxiety and driving dynamics was entertaining.

Central Illinois SAE would like to thank Bradley University for hosting the event and Uftring Nissan of Peoria for providing a new Nissan Leaf for attendees to view.