1/4 Scale Tractor Student Design Competition

2009 Competition
Date and Location
A-Team Rules - PDF
X-Team Rules - PDF
1/4 Scale Team Resource List
Competition Handbook (First Release) - PDF

2008 Competition
Competition Results
Competition Schedule of Events - PDF
Web Site Design Competition Rules
A-Team Rules - PDF
X-Team Rules - PDF
Results Press Release - Word
Team Photos

General Information

1/4 Scale Informational Brochure - PDF
How to Register (HTML)
Individual Sponsorship
Education and Development
Sponsorship Benefits
Contacts
Past Results
Sponsors
Important Information
Sponsor Tours
 Sled Configuration

Consider Giving to the 1/4 Scale Tractor Student Design Competition

2008 saw the 11th Annual International 1/4 Scale Tractor Student Design Competition.   As the competition has grown through the years, it has become more and more challenging. It has given thousands of students hands-on, real-world engineering experience, something that is often not available in the classroom. Perhaps you have benefited firsthand from involvement in this event or know someone who has. While we rely heavily on our corporate sponsors -- AGCO Corp., Bridgestone/Firestone, Briggs & Stratton Corp., CLAAS, CNH, Caterpillar, Deere & Company, eServ, igus Inc, Kubota, MacDon Industries, New Holland North America, SolidWorks and Sukup Manufacturing -- for support, we need your help, too. Won't you please consider becoming an individual sponsor for 2009? Any amount is greatly appreciated! Checks may be written to ASABE and mailed to:

ASABE
2950 Niles Rd.,
St. Joseph, MI 49085

Attn:  Mark Crossley

Thank you in advance for your generosity.  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE and FUN

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 an International 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 five main judging categories: a Written Design Report, a Team Presentation, Individual Design Judging, Maneurvability 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.

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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 Student 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 valuable 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.

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Please note:  HTML (hypertext markup language) documents contain links and you may view an HTML document with any browser.  Microsoft Word is required to view Word files. 

Click here to down a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader   to view the PDF files.

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Sponsorship Benefits
Sponsorship is more than just a demonstration of a company's investment in the community or a show of their commitment to educational development. Corporate sponsorship is an investment in a company's future.

Students who participate in this design competition and others like it, are highly sought by major corporations because they will accomplish the following:

• Receive hands-on experience in both design and manufacturing processes.
• Learn how to manage, finance and document a design program from start to finish.
• Learn how to communicate professionally with peers, industry and professional engineers through fundraising and competition events.
• Enhance team building skills as they design, build, and test their tractors.
• Develop time management and multi-tasking skills as they balance their rigorous school load with the demands of an in-depth design project.

Sponsorship is an excellent way to identify and establish contacts with some of the most highly skilled engineering students in the country, students who are already interested in the Power & Machinery division of Agricultural Engineering. As you may know, Power & Machinery students take most of the standard Mechanical Engineering coursework but specialize in Agricultural applications such as Off Road Machinery and Lawn & Turf equipment.

Also, as a Sponsor, you will receive immediate promotional benefits as listed in the accompanying sponsorship chart. 

Interested in a becoming a sponsor? Please contact Mark Crossley at crossley@asabe.org

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•					Sponsor logo will be displayed on three sides of each team's tractor to maximize visibility when pictures of the tractors are used in publications. Approximately 5" x 5" in size.
•	•	•			Sponsor's name and/or logo will be present in promotions, advertisements, TV, radio, news media publications and announcements for the event.
•	•	•			Sponsor will receive a resume book of student participants prior to the event.
•	•	•	•		Sponsors logo will be displayed on two sides of each team's tractor.
•	•	•	•		Sponsor will be provided space for a display at the competition.
•	•	•	•		Sponsor will receive the Winning Written Design Report and a DVD with competition highlights.
•	•	•	•		Sponsor will be provided the opportunity to display banners at the event. Platinum = 4; Gold = 2; Silver & Bronze = 1
•	•	•	•		Sponsor name and/or logo will appear in all ASABE publications pertaining to the competition.
•	•	•	•	•	Sponsor will receive and appreciation plaque (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) or certificate (Site).
•	•	•	•	•	Sponsor logo (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) or name (Site) will appear on annual competition T-shirt and in competition DVD.

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Contacts

2007 Results
2006 Results
2005 Results
2004 Results
2003 Results
2002 Results
2001 Results
2000 Results
1999 Results
1998 Results

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Sponsors
(Each logo links to a sponsor's Web site.)