Mitchell Middle School wins Fluid Power Challenge at MSOE

MILWAUKEE, WI (12/17/2012)(readMedia)-- Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) held a Fluid Power Challenge on Dec. 7 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 teams participated, making it the largest competition to date. Participating schools included: Silverbrook Middle School, West Bend, Wis.; Mitchell Middle School, Racine, Wis.; Starbuck Middle School, Racine, Wis.; Steffen Middle School, Mequon, Wis.; Lake Shore Middle School, Mequon, Wis.; and Waukesha STEM Academy, Waukesha, Wis.

Congratulations to all who participated. The winners were:

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

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

Design Champion: Silverbrook Middle School, coached by Keith Miller

Team Work Champion: Silverbrook Middle School, coached by Keith Miller

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

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 five categories-Overall Champion, Design Champion, Teamwork Champion, Portfolio Champion and Team Challenge Champion.

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 2,500 students. MSOE offers 20 bachelor's degrees and nine master's degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, building and infrastructure engineering, health-related engineering, computer, business and nursing fields. 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 average 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.