Expanded 2021 Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge fast approaching

With the support of NFPA Pascal Society donors, this year’s NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge program has expanded to two separate competitions, ensuring that more students and universities can participate, and more industry supporters can connect with these students. Both events will take place in a virtual format. Norgren is hosting one event April 7-9 and Danfoss Power Solutions will host the other April 14-16.

“At Norgren, we’re excited to host the 2021 NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge,” said Kent Sowatzke, VP Engineering at Norgren. “As innovators in motion solutions ourselves, we can hardly wait to see what creative solutions the student teams come up with this year. Norgren believes in fostering the next generation of engineers, designers and technicians, and it’s hard to imagine a more fun way to do that than seeing the competitors’ bicycle designs tested and performed in the three races – sprint, efficiency, and endurance. We look forward to welcoming teams from all over the country to this awesome event. Even though this event will be held virtually this year, we are still able to see the students perform each of the races and hope to host at our facility in the future.”

“Danfoss is pleased to once again welcome students, advisors, and judges to the virtual NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge,” said Jeff Herrin, VP Research & Development at Danfoss Power Solutions. “Even though things have been a bit different this year, we look forward to seeing the results from the creativity, calculations, and practical hands-on problem solving that each of the student teams has been challenged to deliver to this unique application of fluid power.”

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 member industry professionals serve as mentors and judges to guide the students in their learning. Through the program, students learn about fluid power, build a network of peers and industry professionals from all over the country and compete for cash prizes in three separate races – sprint, efficiency, and endurance. Although the event will be taking place virtually, a plan has been put in place to see the vehicles perform each of the races.

Industry members are heavily involved in the program, participating in judging the events, networking with students, and performing career outreach. These companies will receive heightened visibility through this virtual delivery, and they will also have exclusive access to the resumes of the student participants for the opportunity to recruit them.

Thank you to the NFPA Foundation donors who support this program:

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