Providing students
professional experience, education and fun - ASABE, the Society for
Engineering in Agriculture, Food and Biological Systems, is interested
in doing just that. ASABE organized a National Student Design
Competition based upon the concept of designing a 1/4 Scale Tractor.
The design competition is arranged to be both educational and fun for
the students. There will be four main judging categories: a Written
Design Report, a Team Presentation, Individual Design Judging and a
Performance Competition. The performance competition, the highlight of
the event, is comprised of a multi-stage tractor pull using a
progressive sled.
Through involvement in the competition, students will gain practical
experience in the design of drivetrain systems, tractor performance,
manufacturing processes, analysis of tractive forces, weight transfer
and strength of materials. In addition, they will also develop skills
in communication, leadership, teamwork, fundraising and test &
development.
Education & Development
Design
Experience and More
One of the primary concerns of industry today is that many engineering
students (of all majors) are entering the workforce with little or no
practical knowledge or
design experience.
Student design competitions and projects are an important key to help
prepare students to be effective professional engineers.
In the 1/4 Scale Tractor Design Competition, students will be
challenged to harness the power and torque of a specified stock engine
in order to maximize performance in the tractor pull.
Design Fundamentals
Design fundamentals such as strength of materials, statics and power
transfer will be major factors as the students design their frame,
drivetrain, hitch, clutch, weight brackets and other parts. Although
the size and shape of the 1/4 scale tractor is similar to that of a
typical lawn and garden tractor, very few parts will be used directly
from a commercial machine.
Manufacturing Processes
Not only will students gain practical design experience by
participating in this project, they will also obtain invaluable
experience as they manufacture, build and assemble their own designs.
Many a manufacturing department cringes when design engineers simply
throw their designs "over the wall" and assume they can be easily
manufactured. Through hands-on experience with numerous manufacturing
processes, students will gain an awareness of the capabilities and
potential pitfalls in the design for manufacturability and design for
assembly.
Professional Skill
With a project of this size and magnitude, the students' skills in
communication, teamwork and time management will be greatly challenged,
and developed through necessity. This project will graduate students
who can excel and perform under adverse conditions and pressures, with
professional skills valuable to any employer.