National Fluid Power Association Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge brings together student teams to develop and race fluid power-based vehicles

Hydraulics

Record Number of Student Teams Participating in NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge

Nov. 25, 2024

A record 26 university teams are participating in the 2024-25 NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge.

The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) reports a record-breaking 26 university teams are participating in the 2024-25 edition of its Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge.

This competition challenges student teams to design a fluid power-based vehicle by applying hydraulic and pneumatic technologies to a bicyle. Final vehicles are then raced against one another to see how each team's design fares against those from other teams.

Through the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, NFPA aims to introduce university students to fluid power while also providing an opportunity to get hands-on experience with the technology. Doing so is increasingly important to help attract more people into the fluid power industry, which like many sectors is facing a shortage of skilled workers.

Read "NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge Provides Real-World Engineering Experience" to learn more about the vehicle challenge.

Students compete in NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge — Student teams pit their fluid power-based vehicle designs against one another during final competition events held near the end of the school year.

This year's teams are:

Cal Poly State University
Cleveland State University
Colorado School of Mines
Florida A&M – Florida State School of Engineering
Iowa State University
Kennesaw State University
Michigan Technological University
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Minnesota State University Mankato
Murray State University
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
Northern Illinois University
Ohio University
Purdue University
Purdue University Northwest
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
South Dakota State University
Tennessee State University
Texas A&M University
University of Akron
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of California – Irvine
University of Cincinnati
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Utah
Western Michigan University

NFPA said the influence and excitement around the vehicle challenge continues to grow, as demonstrated by the number of teams participating in the current edition. Besides the excitement shown by students is the ongoing support for this initiative from members of the fluid power industry.

Donations of money, supplies as well as time as mentors and judges has also helped the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge grow over the years. The association is currently seeking industry professionals to serve as judges for the 2024-25 Midway Reviews which will take place via webinars in December and January. Judges will offer feedback to the students to help them achieve their final designs.

With the continued growth of the program, for the first time there will be three final competitions held in 2025 hosted by IMI plc April 9-11 in Rockford, IL; Danfoss Power Solutions April 23-25 in Ames, IA; and IFP Motion Solutions Inc. April 30-May 2 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Fluid power industry members help judge NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge — Members of the fluid power industry can act as volunteers throughout the year to provide guidance to teams participating in the NFPA Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge and help judge final designs.

Editor’s Note: Power & Motion's WISE (Workers in Science and Engineering) hub compiles our coverage of workplace issues affecting the engineering field, in addition to contributions from equity seeking groups and subject matter experts within various subdisciplines.

About the Author

Sara Jensen | Executive Editor, Power & Motion

Sara Jensen is executive editor of Power & Motion, directing expanded coverage into the modern fluid power space, as well as mechatronic and smart technologies. She has over 15 years of publishing experience. Prior to Power & Motion she spent 11 years with a trade publication for engineers of heavy-duty equipment, the last 3 of which were as the editor and brand lead. Over the course of her time in the B2B industry, Sara has gained an extensive knowledge of various heavy-duty equipment industries — including construction, agriculture, mining and on-road trucks —along with the systems and market trends which impact them such as fluid power and electronic motion control technologies.

You can follow Sara and Power & Motion via the following social media handles:

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