For years, the AIChE Chem-E-Car Competition has been a crucial experience for chemical engineering students. This annual challenge, overseen by AIChE’s Student Chapters Committee (SCC), marks a significant step for undergraduates transitioning into professional AIChE members. The 2023 AIChE Annual Student Conference celebrated the 25th year of the Institute-level competition finals, highlighting the ingenuity and teamwork of aspiring engineers.
A Rite of Passage for Future Auto Engineers
Over its history, the Chem-E-Car Competition has involved countless chemical engineering students globally. It has become essential in teaching teamwork and safety in engineering design and application. These are principles that are incredibly relevant when thinking about automotive engineering and even the design of the back part of a car, where safety and structural integrity are paramount. Understanding how different systems interact, much like in a Chem-E-Car, is vital in ensuring the reliable performance and safety of a vehicle, from its front to its rear.
David Dixon, an AIChE Director and long-time member of the Chem-E-Car rules committee, was impressed by the students’ innovative approaches. “The creativity of the teams in finding new reactions and building sophisticated cars was exciting,” said Dixon. “It was great to see them challenge themselves to design vehicles with better and more accurate performance.” This drive for improved performance and accuracy is directly applicable to automotive engineering. Just as these students strive for precision in their Chem-E-Cars, automotive engineers focus on the precise design and functionality of every car component, including those crucial elements at the back part of the car like the rear lights, bumpers, and exhaust systems.
Beyond being educational, the Chem-E-Car Competition originated from AIChE leaders’ desire to showcase the wonders of chemical engineering to the public. This vision placed student engineers at the forefront, demonstrating complex principles in an accessible and engaging way. Similarly, understanding the engineering behind even seemingly simple car parts, like those at the back of a car, can reveal the marvels of engineering to the everyday driver and encourage a deeper appreciation for vehicle design and maintenance.
The Starting Line: How Chem-E-Car Began
In the early 1990s, AIChE, in partnership with the Partnership for Plastics Progress, launched an undergraduate Plastics Recycling Competition. This initiative challenged students to develop processes for recycling mixed plastic waste into usable products. This early competition sparked significant interest and inspired AIChE to seek a signature annual event to bring positive public attention to chemical engineering, much like the well-known egg-drop contests and cement canoe races in mechanical and civil engineering. This pursuit of public engagement through innovative challenges mirrors the automotive industry’s constant drive to innovate and improve vehicle design, including advancements in the materials and construction of the Back Part Of Cars to enhance safety and sustainability.
In 1998, AIChE turned to its student members for fresh ideas. The Institute challenged undergraduates to propose novel competition concepts that would demonstrate chemical engineering principles to a broader audience. One standout idea came from Washington State University students: a small, chemically powered car. This concept, demonstrating controlled chemical reactions to power a vehicle, resonated with both students and professionals at that year’s Annual Student Conference. This focus on innovative power sources and controlled systems is highly relevant to modern automotive engineering, particularly in the development of electric vehicles and advanced fuel systems, which also impact the design and functionality of the back part of the car, housing batteries or fuel tanks and related emission control systems.
Green Light for the First Chem-E-Car Competition
Guided by AIChE leader H. Scott Fogler, the Student Chapters Committee refined the concept for what was initially known as the Student Chapters Competition. The challenge was to create autonomous model vehicles, no larger than a shoebox, powered by precisely controlled chemical reactions. These vehicles had to carry a variable load over a variable distance. Student teams competed to stop their cars as close as possible to a target distance announced just before the start. This emphasis on precision, control, and performance mirrors the critical engineering considerations in designing every aspect of a car, including the back part, where components must function reliably under varying conditions to ensure overall vehicle performance and safety.
At the 1999 Annual Student Conference, the first Student Chapters Competition, featuring a select group of “Chem-E-Car” participants, was won by the University of Michigan. General Mills sponsored the prizes, and in 2008, Chevron began its long-standing engagement as a Competition sponsor. The response from both students and professionals was overwhelmingly positive. The Chem-E-Car Competition quickly became a popular and anticipated highlight of the Annual Student Conference, cementing its place as a key activity for student members and a powerful demonstration of chemical engineering principles in action, principles that are fundamentally linked to the broader field of automotive engineering and the continuous improvement of vehicle design from front to back.
