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The Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge is bigger than ever before, and we need your help. This university-level design/build competition has grown from seven participating schools in its first year to thirty-two teams this year.
This December and January, the NFPA will host virtual FPVC Midway Reviews, where student teams present their first designs and get feedback from industry judges. Please consider judging these presentations and getting to know the students early in the competition year.
Each review is just 45 minutes, plus 10 minutes of Q&A and you can judge as many (or as few) as your schedule allows. As a judge, you can speak directly with each team and provide valuable feedback as they begin the next stage of their project. Contact Mary Pluta at mpluta@nfpa.com to sign up as a Midway Review Judge today.
This spring, teams will be competing at the following sites. Mark your calendar now to judge at a location near you!
Sun Hydraulics: April 8-10, 2026, in Sarasota, Florida
- Arizona State University
- California Polytechnic State University
- Drexel University
- FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
- Kennesaw State University
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Pennsylvania State University
- Tennessee State University
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Western Michigan University
IFP Motion Solutions: April 15-17, 2026, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Colorado School of Mines
- Iowa State University
- Michigan Technological University
- Murray State University
- Oakland University
- State University of New York Polytechnic Institute
- South Dakota State University
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Houston
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne
- University of Utah
IMI plc: April 22-24, 2026, in Rockford, Illinois
- Bucknell University
- Cleveland State University
- Loyola Marymount University
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Minnesota State University – Mankato
- Northern Illinois University
- Purdue University
- Purdue University Northwest
- Texas A&M University
- University of California-Irvine
The Vehicle Challenge is an undergraduate program that requires engineering students to redesign a traditional bicycle using hydraulics as power transmission as a senior capstone design project or as an extracurricular activity. Students experience real-world engineering under strict deadlines for designing, building, testing, and demonstrating their designs. NFPA members serve as mentors and judges to guide the students in their learning.
*This opportunity is reserved for Pascal Society donors, but NFPA members are invited to participate to learn more about the program and one of the many benefits and opportunities associated with becoming a Pascal Society donor. Judging is an easy, virtual way to get involved and see what these emerging engineers are working on in their capstone projects.