REGINA — All of Canada’s agricultural engineering programs made it into the top 10 in a recent quarter scale tractor design competition, but Manitoba’s team was most improved.
Universities from across North American compete annually for top 10 finishes in the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers quarter scale tractor design competition in Peoria, Illinois.
Students at the University of Manitoba improved to fifth place from 17th last year, with first place wins for overall appearance and craftsmanship and seconds in pulling capacity and overall design.
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“We were told that our tractor looks like a tractor,” said Tobias Becker of Whitemouth, Man.
“Most of the 26 entries look like small dune buggies. We took the approach that this is a tractor competition. It should go and show just the way farm tractors do.”
Graduation has ended Becker’s participation on the Manitoba team. He will now return to his family’s farm and work part time at the Versatile factory in Winnipeg.
Team member John Yokimas of East Selkirk, Man., also graduated. He said the entries each had a 32 horsepower, standard engine, which meant the Manitoba team needed an edge to win in the pulling category with its 800 pound tractor.
“We had the right transmission. We used a centrifugal clutch transmission, but we over-rode it by adding a manual control that allowed us to rev the engine into its maximum torque position prior to engaging the drive-line.”
It was that inventiveness that set Manitoba apart and caught the interest from large equipment makers looking for tomorrow’s farm equipment designers.
Adam Reid of Versatile said his company sponsored the team this season because it felt a machinery builder has a vested interest in developing future engineers.
“These Canadian prairie students get seen by perspective employers,” he said. “And during the competition, Versatile gets attention from the next generation of engineers from across North America. We all win.”
