Natasha Aliabadi / Roundup
On the more quiet side of Pierce’s campus is the machine shop, located in the Industrial Technology building, where Arsam Ivari and his team of seven continue to build an electric vehicle.
Ivari, 35, is undecided in his major but is sure that it will be in the field of electronics and industrial technology.
The idea for a two wheel drive motorcycle is entirely Ivari’s. The group is making the electric vehicle a motorcycle/bike for the convenience of size.
“I knew I wanted to build something that reflects what I’ve learned at this school. And also something fun,” said Ivari.
The team, who has been working on the electric vehicle since late November 2009, is building it for the WestTec competition at the L.A. Convention Center on March 23.
“It is the largest annual machine tool show in the world,” said Ronald Smetzer, a professor of Industrial Technology and the primary advisor for the project.
The WestTec competition is sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and lasts for three days.
According the Smetzer, the industrial technology team at Pierce, which consists of new members each year, has placed first, second or third in the 23 years attending the competition.
The project is so complex that only the drive system will be presented at this year’s convention. The vehicle as a whole will be presented at the WestTec competition in March 2011.
“We realized a couple weeks ago that it wouldn’t be ready by this march,” said Smetzer. “It’s like a light motorcycle or heavy bike.”
Smetzer describes the project as the most difficult and innovative one he has seen in his 29 years as a professor.
“It’s way bigger than anything we’ve ever done before. It’s adventurous,” said Smetzer. “Half of the four-year universities don’t take on anything of this magnitude.”
According to Ivari, the team welcomes new students who study in the field of electronics and who would like to participate in the project.
“I always welcome new ideas. I’m constantly recruiting. The more the merrier,” said Ivari.
The machine shop provides all the materials for the project and each team member makes equal contributions.
The team is at the machine shop a couple nights a week and sometimes on the weekends, usually until the doors close.
“It’s not surprising for students who are in this competition to go on to leadership positions,” said Smetzer. “A couple former students of mine are now teaching in the program.”
Since the electric motorcycle will not be presented for another year, the details of the vehicle will not be unveiled to ensure that the project does not get copied in any way.
“An overwhelming majority say it’s the most exciting college experience,” said Smetzer.
Arsam Ivari and more information on the machine shop can be found at machineshopclass.com.
Arsam Izari, team leader for Pierce College’s Industrial Technology team, Professor Ronald Smetzer and student Bill Greene work on a new electric motorcycle project on March 9. (Victor Stephen Kamont/Roundup)
