Some schools participate in “traditional” Fluid Power Challenge events and classroom activities, but some teachers break the mold and take fluid power to a new level. That’s what happened at Franklin High School in Franklin, WI when the Tech Ed teacher there used the Fluid Power Challenge pneumatic arm kit in his Engineering Systems Class.

The culminating fluid power design challenge had nine teams with three students on each. The goal of the activity was to create a team of students with proficiency in rotating, clamping and lifting, using the classroom kit first before tackling a large design problem. Students used calipers and micrometers to reverse engineer and then draw their designs on Autodesk Inventor software.

To help classrooms in your area benefit from Fluid Power Challenge events and materials, contact Carrie Tatman Schwartz at 414-778-3347 or ctschwartz@nfpa.com.