Peoria, Illinois—Records are made to be broken, and sometimes they provide motivation toward further heights.
Such was the case for North Carolina State University, who topped their own best-ever finish, achieved just last year, to take home the 2024 championship trophy in the ASABE International 1/4-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition.
In 2023 the Pack Pullers celebrated a third-place finish, the team's highest finish in their history of competing.
Rounding out the top five finishers in the 2024 contest were runner-up Kansas State University, followed by South Dakota State University, Purdue University, and the University of Missouri. Twenty teams from the U.S. and Canada competed in the 2024 event.
Along the way to its championship win, NC State picked up the top award for their oral presentation. Other winners in individual competition categories are as follows.Best Appearance—University of Wisconsin – Madison
Jim and Darcy Schmidt Family Teamwork – University of Georgia
Sportsmanship— University of Tennessee – Martin
Craftsmanship—University of Wisconsin – Madison
Manufacturability— South Dakota State University
Serviceability—Purdue University
Test & Development—Purdue University
Safety—University of Kentucky
Ergonomics—South Dakota State University
Defense of Design—Iowa State University, University of Kentucky, South Dakota State University (three-way tie)
Team Presentation—North Carolina State University
Written Design Report—Iowa State University
Maneuverability—North Dakota State University
Durability—University of Missouri
Tractor Performance—University of Missouri
Most Improved—University of Illinois
In addition, seven teams participated in the competition's X-Team competition, which allows underclass students to modify their school's 2023 tractor and compete in written design report, oral presentation, and tractor pull events. The X-Team contest offers a way for students to get familiar with the 1/4-scale competition without the demands of the main competition.
The 2024 X-Team Competition Winner is the University of Nebraska.
Sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the contest provides a realistic 360-degree workplace experience. It is a popular recruiting event for many sponsors, who find among the participants practiced, high-achieving prospects with strong technical, communication, and leadership skills honed by competition experience.Teams are given an engine and a set of tires; the tractor is theirs to design and create. Through involvement in the competition, students gain practical experience in the design of drive train systems, tractor performance, manufacturing processes, analysis of tractive forces, weight transfer and strength of materials. They also sharpen critical “soft” skills—communication, leadership, teamwork—as well as gain experience in fundraising and test and development.
Sponsors of the 2024 competition include: CNH, John Deere, New Holland, Kubota, Agco, Titan, Briggs & Stratton, Danfoss, DSS SolidWorks, Catalytic Combustion, GSI, Kawasaki, Thomson, Linak, Vermeer, Mac Don, RCI Engineering, Igus, Miller, Kondex, Hydro-Gear, Precision Planting, and Medeiros. Other supporters include AC McCartney Farm Equipment, Blunier Implement, Campbell Scientific, Caterpillar, Dewesoft, Electrex, Inc., HarvestMaster, Kelly Sauder Rupiper, SJ Smith Co., Star Equipment, and Walz Scale.
ASABE is an international scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems.