May 10, 2004

Tractor Design Competition Showcases Collegiate Talent

- from ASAE

St Joseph, Michigan—The 2004 ASAE International 1/4-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition will take place June 3–6, 2004, at the Quad City Downs in East Moline, Illinois. The popular competition, now entering its seventh year, boasts an impressive field of university teams from the United States and Canada. Making its first appearance in the contest will be a team representing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The 1/4-Scale Tractor contest gives participants a 360-degree engineering design experience. Students must not only take a high-tech product from concept to manufacture, they must also address marketing, production, and risk considerations throughout the process. Teams spend most of an academic year designing, building, and testing their machines. No materials or funds are supplied to the participants except for a stock 16-horsepower Briggs & Stratton Vanguard engine and a set of Firestone tires.

Teams compete in four judged areas: written design report, team presentation, static design judging and a multi-stage tractor pull. The team presentation is given at Deere & Co world headquarters.

 “In college, students gain the technical knowledge they’ll need in their careers,” says 2004 contest co-chair Larry Gruenberger, of Briggs & Stratton, “but in this competition, they’re forced to refine all the non-technical skills that will make them successful, like teamwork, leadership, and time management. And they gain an appreciation for the marketing considerations that can make or break a product.”

A detailed schedule of events, a complete list of regulations, and other information can be found at www.asae.org/students/tractor/asaecomp.html.  Interested persons can also contact Dolores Landeck, ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd, St Joseph MI 49085-9659; 269-428-6339; landeck@asae.org.

The 1/4-Scale Tractor Design Competition is made possible by AGCO, Briggs & Stratton, Case, Caterpillar, Deere & Co, Kubota, and New Holland.  Additional support is provided Campbell Scientific, Central City Scale, Claas, Design Technologies, Bridgestone/Firestone, Great Plains, Midwest Super Cub, Miller Electric, Snap-On, and the National Corn Growers Association.

The American Society of Agricultural Engineers is an educational and scientific organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems. Founded in 1907 and headquartered in St Joseph, Michigan, ASAE comprises 9,000 members representing more than 100 countries. For further information about the Society, contact Dolores Landeck at ASAE, 269-428-6339, landeck@asae.org.

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Media Contact:
Dolores Landeck
269-428-6339
landeck@asae.org 

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