In a new challenge from GrabCAD, your dream(s) of designing a steering wheel for a supersonic car are about to come true. We covered the 1,000 mph speed of the Bloodhond SSC back in 2008, so it’s nice to see where the Bloodhound team has taken the project, that Cisco has become their main networking and video partner and that they’re taking the tech to school with an education program (Youtube video) aimed at introducing and teaching children about the goodness of science, technology, engineering and math. Now, you can be part of the team that guides it to new land speed records.
Bloodhound SSC Design Challenge
The Bloodhond SSC may be the most amazing straight-shot thrill ride to hit South Africa’s Hakskeen Pan this year, but even more, it’s an amazing feat in design and engineering.
BLOODHOUND SSC is the result of remarkable engineering that allows the ultimate racing car to accelerate from 0 – 1609 km/h and back to zero in just 120 seconds, while sagely handling the phenomenal forces and loads acting upon it such as 47000 pounds thrust (equivalent to 180 F1 cars) generated by its jet and rocket engines; 30 tonne suspension loadings; air pressures on the bodywork of up to 10 tonne per square metre and solid aluminium wheels, each weighing 105 kg spinning at 10,200 rpm and generating an extraordinary 50000 G at the rim.
Still, someone has to hang onto a steering wheel while all that accelerating and torquing is taking place. Which brings in you. The challenge is to design a steering wheel for the supersonic car that incorporates triggers to light up and increase power of the rocket and to shut the rocket down with one button to deploy the airbrake and two buttons to deploy brake chutes (main and backup). Up for it? If so, and you win, the prize pack includes $1,000 cash, a free pass to the Product Innovation (PI) Congress (normally $1,967) in, a copy of solidThinking Inspire 3D conceptual design software and a GrabCAD tee and coffee mug.
The GrabCAD challenge is already in full effect with 70+ entries and two weeks to go. Get your grip pads and trigger layouts together and submit your entries tagged “BLOODHOUND” when you upload your design at GrabCAD.
