In 2009, the NFPA Fluid Power Challenge was expanded
to four locations:
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
Harper College
Palatine, IL
Milw. School of Engineering
Milwaukee, WI
Marquette University
Overall
Champion Brookfield Academy
Brookfield, Wisconsin
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Overall Champion Mitchell Middle School, Team A
Racine, Wisconsin
Altogether, 47 teams competed—a total of 200 eighth grade students from 26 middle schools. At workshops in early November, the students were given the assignment of designing and constructing a fluid power mechanism to perform a defined task. The mechanisms were required to use fluid power (hydraulics and pneumatics) to pick up weighted objects, and then place them on a platform for various point totals.
After working for five weeks, the teams came together again to compete against each other in a two-minute competition. Engineers from area companies served as judges, who graded the teams and presented awards in five categories—Overall Champion, Design Champion, Teamwork Champion, Portfolio Champion and Team Challenge Champion.
“We learned that it is fun to design
and build things and to work as a
team,” said one student after the competition.
This video highlights the winning team, Highland Park
Junior High, in
the 2009 NFPA Fluid Power Challenge held at the University of Minnesota
and hosted by the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power.
Thank you sponsors!
2009 NFPA Fluid Power Challenge
