Price Engineering Hosts 2nd Annual NFPA Fluid Power Challenge

Watch as more than 80 middle schoolers (ages 11-14) comprising a total of 21 teams will compete in National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) Fluid Power Challenge hosted by Price Engineering, Eaton Corporation and Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). Only in its second year, the event and number of teams has more than doubled from its inaugural year.

The teams will each have three hours to construct a fluid power mechanism they have been working on designing during recent weeks. To complete the task, each team will be supplied the same challenge event kit consisting of various wood pieces, corner gussets, wooden wheels, plastic tubing, and glue.

Each team’s fluid power mechanism will then be placed into an 11” square, surrounded by a 1” high by 1.5” thick wall. The goal of the competition will be to see how many objects the fluid power mechanism can pick up from one platform, rotate, and place on another platform in a two minute period without touching any part of the wall.

With additional support from both Eaton Corporation and WCTC, engineers and staff from both organizations will be judging the student team’s fluid power mechanisms and presenting awards in five categories – Overall Champion, Design Champion, Teamwork Champion, Portfolio Champion and Team Challenge Champion.

WHEN:

Friday, March 31, from 9:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
9:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. constructing fluid power mechanisms
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. testing mechanisms in the two minute challenge
2:30 p.m. presentation of awards