UW-Madison team wins tractor design competition

The Wisconsin student branch of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers captured first place in the first ASAE National 1/4 Scale Tractor Student Design Competition, held May 30-31 in the Quad Cities area.

In this competition, a team designs and builds a tractor around a standard 16-horsepower engine and a set of tires. The team is judged on its tractor’s design, a formal presentation, and the tractor’s pulling capacity.

The Wisconsin team was directed by Brian Hitt, a senior agricultural engineering major. Team members Andy Jirovec, Jon Wuest, Kelly Schmitz, Ben Mahalko, Craig Wiedemier, Tanner Brethorst and Brian Huenink represented the Agricultural, Mechanical, and Industrial Engineering degree programs at the UW–Madison. Seventeen schools from the United States and Canada competed.

In addition to winning the overall championship, the UW–Madison team also captured the following championships and awards: Written Design Report Champion, Oral Presentation Champion, Safety Award, Manufacturability Award, Craftsmanship Award, Best Appearing Award, and First Place 800 lbs., Class A.

Support for the design team was provided by the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Weasler Engineering, Midwest Super Cub, Nelson Industries, Polygon Engineering Council, BMD Clutch Company, Golden Sands Salvage, Top Promotions, and Associated Students of Madison.