Career

Level Up – The supplier role of the Engine Developing team of SZEengine is expanding

2024. 06. 27.

The SZEengine Engine Developing Team that is sponsored by Audi Hungaria has reached a new level of their performance since they became one of the Óbudai University Racing Team’s suppliers.

The SZEngine Engine Development Team was established in 2008 through the initiative of the Audi Hungaria Internal Combustion Engine Department and the students of Széchenyi István University. Audi Hungaria has been a supporter and sponsor of the Győr team since the beginning.

The engine developers currently have 44 active members working on unique, innovative projects that help students expand their knowledge and experience alongside their studies.

They place great emphasis not only on the collaboration between their seven technical divisions – Leadership, Management, Design, Test Bench, Hybrid Drivetrain Development, Thermodynamics, Testing – but also on building and leveraging synergies with their sponsors, such as Audi Hungaria.

Róbert Pap, the team leader of SZEngine, and alumni team members Bence Bánfalvi and Viktor Fehér, encounter engine projects not only in their racing team duties but also during their internships. The experiences they have gained in the Corporate Quality Functional Systems Otto Engines area at Audi Hungaria give new momentum and perspectives to their activities at SZEngine. Simultaneously, their experiences from the racing world provide new insights not only for themselves but also for their colleagues in their four-ringed work environment.

"It is important to highlight that the interns working in our departments are also building sport motorcycles, experimenting with technical aspects, and continuously expanding their knowledge outside the company's walls. They can utilize these experiences within their work at Audi and we are always open to insights and suggestions from the racing and motorsport community. Together, we are laying the foundation for the next generation of engineers," emphasized Gergely Simon, head of the department and a participant in the roundtable discussion at the SZEngine introductory event. "In addition to their work at SZEngine and their university studies, they can also gain insight into and work on projects at our company that not only broaden their technical perspective but also develop their project management skills. Our internship team works on premium engine projects daily, such as supporting Automobili Lamborghini from a quality assurance perspective. The technical, customer-focused, project-based mindset present at our company and the resulting knowledge and experience can bring new directions to SZEngine's engine development plans."

The team succeeded in opening a completely new dimension in 2024.

"We are continuously developing our own engine, and the model introduced this year is not only more reliable but also consumes less fuel. The most important element of our portfolio expansion is that from this year, we are supplying the Óbuda University Racing Team with a turbocharged racing engine. Thus, besides our core activity of engine development, we have also become suppliers. This is a significant factor for the future of SZEngine, as our long-term goal is to supply working engines to as many teams as possible," explained Róbert Pap about the team's main focus areas. "The knowledge and experience I gained during my internship significantly contribute to achieving these goals, as I can rely on them in my construction work and my tasks related to my position as team leader."

"During my time as an intern at Audi Hungaria and a team member at SZEngine, I built up expertise and professional background that I have been able to and continue to utilize on both platforms," added Bence Bánfalvi, a former SZEngine student and former intern of the department, who currently strengthens Gergő's team as a parts responsible engineer. "I believe this continuous exchange of know-how creates a win-win situation for both parties - both the company and the team."

"I can also confirm what Bence and Robi said. I can leverage my experiences from SZEngine daily during my internship work, and the theoretical and practical knowledge I acquired at Audi has always been beneficial to the team. As an alumni member, I continue to support the active team members," added Viktor Fehér. "I would also like to highlight the great interest and professional advice from our department towards SZEngine, as the ideas received during such discussions and exchanges are always carried forward with Robi to be implemented in the team (e.g., construction ideas, leadership skills). I believe that everyone involved in this collaboration benefits from the joint work."

"I think the influence of the four-ring company's mindset on the team's dynamics is noticeable, and we want to strengthen this unity further in the future. As Robi also highlighted, we place emphasis on providing insights into the basic operations of Audi Hungaria's management program and defining the leadership role. The team strategy and future planning play a crucial role in enabling SZEngine to plan from a new, elevated perspective," added Gergely Simon in his closing remarks on the topic. "I currently believe that the SZEngine Motorsport Team holds a strong position in the field, excelling in their professional and team management activities."

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