[Design and Technology] CO2 Dragster Project Advice

[Katie Harris]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking at running a CO2 dragster project with my year 9 CAD students (we use Solidworks) but was curious if anyone with experience in the F! in Schools or similar projects could provide any advice for me? I'm planning on eventually having the dragsters CNC machined, but will first need to design them and test aerodynamics.

Would a term (3.5 hours a week) be long enough to design, build and race our dragsters? I'm not so much interested in competing, I just want to keep an in-school race record.

Obviously we'd be using Solidworks, and they have a CO2 Dragster curriculum (all in imperial units, grr!), but I was hoping some of you might be able to advise me on any problems you've had, or teaching ideas that have really worked well? Even any suggestions for good places to use for CNC routing would be very much appreciated, though I know some people have this facility at school. Also, is it worth investing in a little wind tunnel for testing, or  just to check aerodynamics within Solidworks?

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Kind Regards,

Katie Harris

Head of Faculty - Technology
Aitken College
1010  Mickleham Rd
Greenvale
93339179

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