Tractor competition
The Illini Pullers from the University of Illinois took top honors for the second year in a row at the 13th Annual ASABE International ¼-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition. Sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the competition gives college students a design experience in which they must build a tractor from the ground up. Participants document their market research, testing, and development, present the design to a mock corporate management team, and then demonstrate the tractor in a live tractor pull. Each team receives a 16-hp Briggs & Stratton engine and a set of Titan tires. The team is responsible for acquiring all other components for their design. All tractors run on a 10% ethanol fuel blend.
Rounding out this year’s top five (in order) were the University of Kentucky, Nicholls State University, University of Saskatchewan, and Purdue University.
Additional prizes were awarded for teamwork – Ohio State University; craftsmanship – University of Saskatchewan; best appearance – University of Saskatchewan; sportsmanship – University of Wisconsin-Madison; innovation – Université Laval (for the shield interlock and annunciation panel); and most improved performance – University of Wisconsin-Madison.