The 2018-19 National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge is off to an exciting start! Coinciding with their senior capstone design courses, 15 universities have registered to compete in this year’s program.
In the first semester of the Vehicle Challenge, teams gain knowledge in fluid power components, circuits, and systems, and their use in controlling force and motion. They are introduced to the industry judges and mentors, order components from the parts suppliers, and begin planning for the Design and Specification Midway Review. During this review, students present their initial design and mechanical drawings that illustrate the fluid power control circuits to be created for the vehicle as well as the results from their analysis of fluid flow and expected performance.
University Teams
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
- Cleveland State University
- Colorado State University
- Iowa State University
- Kennesaw State University
- Montana State University
- Murray State University
- Purdue Northwest
- Purdue University
- University of Akron
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Denver
- University of Utah
- West Virginia University Inst. of Tech.
- Western Michigan University
Judges and Mentors
- Danfoss Power Solutions
- FORCE America Inc.
- Gates Corporation
- HydraForce Inc.
- Iowa Fluid Power
- Parker Hannifin Corporation
- Price Engineering
- Trelleborg Sealing Solutions
- Woodward Inc.
Program Sponsors
- Bimba Manufacturing - Final Competition Event Host
- EATON Corporation - Parts Supplier
- LubeTech - Fluid Supplier
- Parker Hannifin Corporation - Program Sponsor
- SunSource - Parts Supplier
- Source Fluid Power - Parts Supplier
NFPA offers many thanks to the Final Competition event host, Bimba Manufacturing, program sponsors, judges and mentors. This program is made possible through their generous support.
Bimba Manufacturing Company is a gold-level donor in the NFPA Foundation’s Pascal Society. Bimba is a part of IMI Precision Engineering and the competition will be held at the IMI Norgren facility in Littleton, CO, next April.
