A team of Red River College students are designing, building and racing their own battery-powered car in the Shell Eco-Marathon taking place in California in April, 2018. And they need your help!

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Bin Yang with a 3D-printed model of the electric car their student-team are building.

Keeping their eyes on the prize, an ambitious team of Red River College students are building an electric car from scratch to compete in the Shell Eco-Marathon competition in the Electric Prototype Division at the 2018 Americas competition taking place on April, 2018, in Detroit, USA.

“We’re all invested in this,” said Mechanical Engineering student Riley McLeod. “It’s something that we’ve made. It’s our creation.” Read More →

Skills Canada National Competition (June 1-2, 2017)

The 2017 Skills Canada National Competition continued its ongoing objective of highlighting the importance of the nine Essential Skills commonly used in skilled trade and technology careers.

Essential Skills was one of the highlights of the two-day competition. Students and guests engaged in hands-on challenges, presentations, and interactive activities intended to increase awareness of the Essential Skills. In 2017, SCC gave special emphasis to Working with Others.

video credit: Skills Canada (Gloo Studios/Range Road Media)

RRC: from Preparations to Event Proper

RRC Skills Appreciation BBQ (June 15, 2017)

After the very successful culmination of the 2017 Skills Canada Competition that was held in the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg last June 1-2, 2017, Staff, Managers, and Executives alike came together to celebrate.

After all the hard work, dedication, and commitment of everyone who was part and parcel of the preparations for the big event, a BBQ celebration was hosted by the leadership at the RRC Greenhouse last June 15, 2017.

Follow this link to download our  marketing brochure.

Eco Challenge Marketing Brochure

In a previous post, we talked about how Aerodynamics decide the shape of the car body. Since that shape is essential, the other components are system are designed from there.

Shell has specific rules on the car weight, length, width and height. None of the parts can be on the outside of the car, at all.

1. h) None of the body dimensions above must be achieved by design singularities such as ‘stuck-on’ appendages or cut-outs

(Shell Eco-marathon 2016 Global Rules)

The frame, brakes, electrical, and steering must fit inside the car body (the pod), while allowing space for the driver. Their combined weight must add up to no more than the weight maximum of the rules. This includes a minimum driver weight of 140 kg. Since less weight mean less energy, all teams want their driver very close to that number. It’s another tough challenge, but knowing what percent of the weight the driver will take up allows us to consider the other components weights with respect to it.

The driver also has to be able to see! That’s not so easy to adjust for. Keeping the streamlined shape while adding in the cars various systems makes it a tight fit inside. The driver can’t sit up straight, they must be reclined, conforming to the width and height of the rules.

There’s no door to get in or out. Prototype teams design the pod to split in half along the horizontal. It’s the best method for fabricating and eliminating cracks along the side of the body (which can aversely affect aerodynamics.) 

Here’s a visual of how the driver and components are organized in prototype cars:

École Polytechnique, Montréal

The first rule about aerodynamics is it’s a sub-field of fluid dynamics.

And we talk about it; a lot.

In the prototype class aerodynamics are the rule. The entire body of the car is made with the aim to decrease air resistance. We want the air to go right over our driver’s head, down the tail of the car and behind it (where our opponents will be)

The outline of the car body is based on a classic ‘tear-drop’ shape; the most aerodynamic shape for anything slower than the speed of sound. We use that shape to tell the air where to go.

Telling the air where to go

The air should flow easily around the car. The upper streams should meet the lower streams at the tail to smoothly glide away.

Here’s the first draft of our Team’s car:

The shape is similar to a passenger airplane, or the perimeter shape of an airplane wing; and a bit like a shark without fins (sharks can keep their fins)

So Streamy!

That’s the short and fun explanation of why that body shape is chosen. Next post we’ll be sharing more about the Electric Prototype class and its design constraints. Check back soon and often!

What is the Shell-Eco-marathon?

It’s an annual design competition that pits contestants from schools around the world to fabricate the most energy efficient vehicles possible. Our team will represent your college in the North America’s Division, which takes place in Detroit in 2018

Who are we?

Our team is a group of Mechanical Engineering Technology students who love machines! So we’ve started a blog to share our experience of designing an electric car with you.

We’ll be posting regular updates on our progress, challenges and all of the new things we learn while working on this project.

Check back soon and often to see what we’ve been up to!

2016 Technology Alumni Reception

Red River College is hosting a series of receptions this fall to give alumni the opportunity to re-connect and re-engage with one another.

First up is a reception for RRC Technology Program Graduates.

For one night only, we are transforming the Voyageur into a fun and funky retro gaming lounge, showcasing hoe far technology has come over the decades. Graduates can mix and mingle with alumni from industry , enjoy a complimentary beverage , and snack on a few delicious appetizers. The space will feature retro video games and exhibits like RRC’s robot Baxter, the solar car, and instructors’ vintage calculator collections.

This is a free event for the alumni, including RRC staff who have graduated from a technology program. You may also bring a guest, free of charge, but registration is required for all attendees. We encourage you to share this invitation with other alumni, including colleagues and graduates that you keep in touch with.

Event Details:
5:00 to 7:00 PM
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Voyageur | Notre Dame Campus | 2055 Notre Dame Ave.
RSVP Deadline: October 5, 2016
Each guest will receive one complimentary drink ticket | Cash bar to follow

To register, please click here.

It’s already Day 3 for the first year students of the Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Management, and the GIS students. Many of you can remember the anxiety of finding your way around the college, getting to know your classmates and instructors, and wondering if you were in the right program. Do you remember that first week of classes? The orientation day in the South Gym was yesterday, today is the first full day of classes and tomorrow is the GST and Math Diagnostic.

Every Fall students will have the grandest of intensions – diligent study practices, monk-like social habits, and excellent grades but it soon fades. As much as they know what they should do and what their instructors suggest, not much is taken to heart. BUT maybe if the students heard it from those that have lived it, maybe then they would be more inclined to hang on to those suggestions.

I invite the graduates of our programs to share their experiences and advice. What do you wish you did differently? What advice did you hear and wish you had followed? Please share all of this along with when and what program that you graduated from. If you would like, tell us your career path so that students may see some of the diverse options that are out there.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

This 32 month program focuses on the design and construction process of municipal infrastructure. Graduates from Municipal Engineering Technology have the opportunity to continue their education into Year 3 of the Bachelor of Technology, Construction Management program here at Red River College or pursue their Civil Engineering degree at Lakehead University (additional conditions apply).

Municipal Engineering Technology video

Municipal Engineering Technology program information