Programs like the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge are made possible in part by the generous support of industry volunteers as well as NFPA Education and Technology Foundation and Pascal Society donors. Support these efforts by making a donation.
The 2023 NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge program expanded again this year with a new race focusing on regenerative braking capabilities. With two separate competition sites, students from 23 universities will have the chance to compete and connect with NFPA Foundation donors.
Norgren, a part of IMI Precision Engineering, will host the first event at their facility in Littleton, Colorado, April 12-14, 2023, and Danfoss Power Solutions will host the second event at their facility April 26-28, 2023, in Ames, Iowa.
These events provide a great connection and recruitment opportunity for NFPA members* who are looking for employees with real-world experience.
“Initially, I did not know whether I would enjoy it since I had almost no experience in fluid power. It was incredibly fun and amazing to see all the different types of solutions and builds that other teams had come up with. It was very inspiring!” 2022 Vehicle Challenge participant
Pascal Society Donors can get involved by judging the Design and Specification Midway Reviews taking place in January 2023 and attending the final competitions in April. You can facilitate and judge the four races at the final competition, evaluate the teams’ final vehicles and presentations detailing their design and engineering process, and recruit students in person.
To get involved with the NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, contact Mary Pluta at mpluta@nfpa.com.
Meet the 2023 Teams
This year’s participating teams come from universities across the country. We are pleased to welcome Tennessee State University as a first-time team and Kennesaw State University as a returning team after a short hiatus.
| Norgren (Littleton, Colorado): April 12-14, 2023 Arizona State University Cal Poly State University Kennesaw State University Loyola Marymount University Michigan Technological State University Purdue University Tennessee State University Texas A&M University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Cincinnati University of Utah Western Michigan University | Danfoss (Ames, Iowa): April 26-28, 2023 Cleveland State University Iowa State University Milwaukee School of Engineering Murray State University North Carolina Agriculture and Technological State University Northern Illinois University Ohio University Purdue University Northwest University of Akron University of Louisiana at Lafayette South Dakota State University |
About the Program
The NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge tasks college engineering students with redesigning a traditional bicycle using hydraulics as the mode of power transmission. By combining this unlikely pair, the Vehicle Challenge creates an environment that results in uncommon connections and breakthroughs while supporting learning and the growth of fluid power industry knowledge.
*This opportunity is reserved for Pascal Society donors, but NFPA members are invited to participate to learn more about the program and one of the many benefits and opportunities associated with becoming a Pascal Society donor. Find out if your company is a donor here.
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