St Joseph, Michigan, and Peoria, Illinois—Teams from across the US and Canada are set to compete in the International 1/4-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition.
The event will take place May 30 – June 1 at the Peoria (Illinois) Expo Gardens for the 2024 contest. The event is free and open to the public.
- On Friday, May 30, teams will undergo weigh-ins and technical inspections.
- Pulling will take place on Saturday, May 31, from 1 to 5 pm and will be followed at 6 pm by opportunity to take practice laps on the durability course.
- Maneuverability and durability events will take place on Sunday, from 9 to 11 am.
All times are subject to change due to weather and track conditions.
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.
Kawasaki Engines is a new sponsor in 2025, and this year’s competition is the first to incorporate their engine.
"The change in engine suppliers comes with a shift from a horizontal crankshaft to a vertical crankshaft, more consistent with small power equipment," says competition co-chair Michael Holland. "I am eager to see how teams respond to this engine configuration update. Additionally, the new engines provide a great opportunity for teams to develop mechatronic skills. These fuel-injected engines feature electronic throttle control, requiring further electronic and CAN integration on the tractor. This is a great example of how ASABE IQS prepares student competitors with real world experience."
Teams are given an engine and a set of Titan tires; the tractor is theirs to design and create. A panel of industry experts judges each machine for innovation, manufacturability, serviceability, safety, sound level, and ergonomics. Teams also submit a written design report in advance of the competition. Onsite, they must sell their design, in a formal presentation to industry experts playing the role of a corporate management team. Finally, machines are put to the test in three performance events—tractor pulls, a maneuverability course, and a durability course.
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 2025 competition include: Kawasaki Engines, Class Foundation, CNH, John Deere, Kubota, Danfoss, DSS Solidworks, Titan, Catalytic Combustion, Agco, GSI, MacDon, Linak, Vermeer, Thomson, Krone, SpaceX, Igus, Medeiros Machine & Manufacturing, Miller, Scale Tec, Konnex, Precision Planting, Matex, and DeweSoft. Other supporters include AC McCartney Farm Equipment, Blunier Implement, Caterpillar, Electrex, Inc, HarvestMaster, Martin Tractor, SJ Smith Company, 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.