Local schools win at MSOE's Fluid Power Challenge

MILWAUKEE, WI (12/18/2013)(readMedia)-- Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) held a Fluid Power Challenge on Dec. 9 at MSOE. Teams of eighth-grade students competed to solve a fluid power challenge by designing and constructing a mechanism that used fluid power technology. Twenty-four teams participated, making it the largest competition to date.

Participating schools included: Bruce Guadalupe Community School, Milwaukee; Carter's Christian Academy, Milwaukee; Fox River Middle School, Waterford, Wis.; Golda Meir School, Milwaukee; Humboldt Park School, Milwaukee; Lake Shore Middle School, Mequon; Lincoln Center of the Arts Middle School, Milwaukee; Luxemburg-Casco Middle School, Casco, Wis.; Mitchell Middle School, Racine, Wis.; Oak Creek West Middle School, Oak Creek, Wis.; Silverbrook Middle School, West Bend, Wis.; Starbuck Middle School, Racine, Wis.; and Steffen Middle School, Mequon, Wis.

Congratulations to all who participated. The winners were:

Overall Champion: Mitchell Middle School, Team B, coached by Keith Kohlmann

Portfolio Champion: Starbuck Middle School, Team A, coached by Phillip Kiley

Design Champion: Luxemburg-Casco Middle School, coached by Joe Kempke

Team Work Champion: Carter's Christian Academy, coached by John Wamser

Team Challenge Champion: Mitchell Middle School Team A, coached by Keith Kohlmann

Honorable Mention: Bruce Guadalupe Community School, coached by Adam Reynolds

At a workshop in November, the students were given the assignment of designing and constructing a fluid power mechanism to perform a defined task. The mechanisms were required to use fluid power (hydraulics and pneumatics) to pick up weighted objects, and then place them on a platform for various point totals.

After working for four weeks, the teams came together again to compete against each other in a two-minute competition. Engineers from area companies served as judges, who graded the teams and presented awards in six categories-Overall Champion, Design Champion, Teamwork Champion, Portfolio Champion, Team Challenge Champion, and Honorable Mention.

The program is designed to introduce students, and their teachers, to the world of engineering and careers in fluid power. Through the Fluid Power Challenges, the NFPA hopes to encourage students to select more mathematics and science courses in their high school curricula to keep their options open for technology-based post-secondary studies.

MSOE School of Engineering and its Fluid Power InstituteTM would like to congratulate all of the students and teachers who were involved in the competition. To learn more about the NFPA Fluid Power Challenge, call (414) 778-3347.

NFPA provides a forum for the fluid power industry's channel partners-manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, customers and educators. Its 330+ U.S. and multinational members work cooperatively in advancing hydraulic and pneumatic technology through the association's many programs and initiatives.

MSOE is an independent, non-profit university with about 2,600 students. MSOE offers bachelor's and master's degrees in the engineering, business, mathematics and nursing. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; extremely high placement rates; and the highest starting and mid-career salaries of any Wisconsin university according to PayScale Inc. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.