Dear Bridge Diary
(6/21/10) – Well, that’s it. We ended up 13th this year. Right now we have the chance to think about everything that happened and enjoy the best parts. Before we know it we will be back at the grind and working on improving on this year’s results. But before we break for the summer, thank you to all that helped out this year in any means. We would not be able to do this without you.
(2/3/10) – It was nice to see such a good turn out for the kick-off meeting. Seeing old and new faces was good as we need all the help we can get this year. We even had someone who asked permission to skip class to attend. That is what I call dedication. Well, to end that meeting we showed off the previous year’s summary video. For those of you who would like to see it click the following link and enjoy. Hope to have some good news soon.
(1/28/10) – Well, everything is starting to get back on track. In the last month, we finished drawing the model, had a nightmare or two, and finally came out in the end with a brand new bridge. Now we are begining those nice finishing touches. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will have had a practice and gave the bridge a little test. And sorry for the delay with thank you letters. Hopefully, you have all received them by now.
(12/15/09) – With the end of the school year approaching, everything is coming together. Only one more week with just a bit more work remains with class work and to keep on track with bridge. Next time we chat hopefully the naming controversy will be over and the bridge will back home, safe and sound. For those of you who are interested in helping with fabrication or anything else, just drop us an e-mail. Enjoy the holidays and the break, soon it will be back to work double time.
(12/8/09) – This past week we stepped up our design time and decided that we liked where the bridge was going. As a result , we finished up the steel order and send it on out. Now we got to get moving on the shop drawings. SAP was nice to us in only losing the license a couple times, so it is AutoCAD’s turn to do the same. No losing the license every thirty minutes this year, well at least hopefully not. But no worries, we will soon have snow all over the place to cheer us up. On a different note, next time we talk hopefully we will have decided on the naming rights of the bridge. Some people are pretty determined on their name, but we will see. We will see….
(11/29/09) – Thanksgiving has come and passed and with it has come an even better bridge. Before long we will finishing up with SAP, but before that is an important week of modifications and decisions. Between school and Steel Bridge, we will try to keep/ ourselves calm, cool, and collected, but no promises. To our past and current sponsors, we would like to make it clear that we haven’t forgot your amazing help this past year. We will be sending you your promised items very soon. But for now it is back to work. Work, work, work. Work, work, work. Work, work, work. Hello SAP, have a good night’s rest, I missed you.
(11/22/09) – It was a nice break from design taking an excellent afternoon tour through Endres Manufacturing with Sam Ballweg. It was interesting to see the guys there hard at work despite the Waunakee football team winning state and deer hunting about to begin. Before too long we will have our opportunity to test our craftsmanship while working on this year’s bridge. Speaking of the bridge, it is starting to look so beautiful. With SAP making such amazing music during the analysis, we are getting jazzed up and ready to go.
(11/15/09) – This past week we had a great opportunity to introduce Steel Bridge to a group of students from Racine. Not only was it nice to be able to share our interest with others, but also to see so many kids exciting about engineering. Now with the last Badger home football game finished, that is one less thing that can distract us. Looking ahead, this Friday we will be taking a tour of Endres Manufacturing and will get to see a few interesting things including the burn table. If anyone else wants to come along you are more then welcome, just please let us know by Thursday night so we can have enough transportation.
(11/6/09) – After the hectic Halloween weekend, it is back to work as usual. Looking ahead we have about a month left to get that final design finished. It is about time to start having those cozy evenings in the computer lab; just us, SAP, and a dream.
(10/13/09) – Things are starting to get rolling now. With the team having reviewed SAP, the next big step is to get the design going. We will need to improve greatly from our latest design of $3,000,000,000 but there is still time. Hopefully, next time we have some good news to discuss.
(9/18/09) – It has been such a long since we last talked, so much has happened. We ventured to Gainesville and Las Vegas, but now we are back in Madison and set for the year to get going. With the rules now out, it is time to get down to work and start SAPing. We have started the quest for our first overall NSSBC championship. Maybe this will be the year.