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Holding a Fluid Power Challenge

NFPA Fluid Power Challenge LogoInstructions for Holding an NFPA Fluid Power Challenge

  Holding an NFPA Fluid Power Challenge Event
  Classroom Exercises
   Instructional Webcast for Challenge Facilitators

Any middle school, college, university or fluid power company can hold an NFPA Fluid Power Challenge event! All you need is a big enough space, teams of middle school students and a desire to have fun while learning about fluid power.

The following web pages contain instructions and forms that you
can use.

Note: These instructions and forms are guidelines only. You
will need to customize and adapt them depending on your situation.

TIP: To make the process easier, read through all the instructions first, and then take them step by step. If you have any questions, please contact Carrie Tatman Schwartz at ctschwartz@nfpa.com, or telephone: (414) 778-3347. Good luck with your Challenge!

      What is the NFPA Fluid Power Challenge?

Generally, a Challenge Event is organized by a coordinator. The Workshop and Challenge days are run by a facilitator, with the help of judges.

      Coordinator’s duties          
      Facilitator’s duties          
      Judge’s duties 

 

 Coordinator’s duties                                                                                        

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8-10 months before event

  • Find a location to hold your event. See Finding a Challenge location. 

  • Schedule Workshop and Challenge days (preferably 3-5 weeks apart; avoid conflicts such as state-wide testing days.)

  • Set registration fee (The registration fee will depend on the amount of corporate/sponsorship support. It is recommended to charge a nominal fee, at least, so that schools/teams make a commitment to participate.)

  • See Sample budget – Sample budget for Challenge.doc 

8-9 months before event

4-5 months before event

3-4 months before event

  • Order kits, T-shirts, trophies
    Once you have received all the team registration forms and know the total number of teams/students, order the following items:

    •  NFPA Fluid Power Challenge kits (1 per team) (Required)
        Available from: 
        Mechanical Kits Ltd.
        Toll free telephone: 1-877-430-4549
        E-mail: support@mechanical-kits.com 

    These items may be purchased from local stores or ordered over the Internet:
    •  T-shirts (Suggested)
        Choose any color you like.
        Use this artwork to imprint the Official NFPA Fluid Power Challenge logo on the front 
        of the T-shirt, and your list of sponsors on the back:

Image      

Description

Format

 Download
      

Examples of T-shirt art, front and back (PDF).

 Download file
   

NFPA Education and Technology Foundation logo (EPS format — Click "Download file." Select "Save." PC users, be sure to change extension from .ps to .eps when saving file.)

 Download file
   

NFPA Fluid Power Challenge logo (EPS format — Click "Download file." Select "Save." PC users, be sure to change extension from .ps to .eps when saving file.)

 Download file
   

NFPA Education and Technology Foundation logo (TIFF format) (JPEG format)

 Download file
   

NFPA Fluid Power Challenge logo 
(TIFF format) (JPEG format)

 Download file


•  Medals (with ribbon for around the neck) (Optional)
    Each student receives a medal and/or certificate—everyone who participates is a winner!

•  Trophies (Suggested)  
    Typically, 5 trophies are awarded, one for each of these categories. It is recommended
    to award only one trophy per team:
    - Overall Champion (First place)
    - Portfolio Champion
    - Team Challenge Champion
    - Design Champion
    - Teamwork Champion

             

 

 Facilitator’s duties                                                                                          

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The facilitator runs the Workshop and Challenge Days. The facilitator is someone who is knowledgeable about fluid power, preferably an instructor from a university or an engineer from a fluid power company.

2-3 months before event

 Judge’s duties – Challenge Day                                                                         

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If you have 20 teams at your event, you should have 4-6 judges. Judges are usually engineers who work in the industry and are knowledgeable about fluid power. They could also be educators at colleges or school district supervisors. Judges are encouraged to attend the Workshop Day (but not required).

  • Head judge – calculates totals
    Assigns other judges to specific tasks

Morning judging requirements

  • 2-3 judges for Portfolio Rubric

  • 2 judges for Teamwork Rubric (casual observation – doable with 1 judge)

  • 4 judges for Interview Questions (1 question for each judge) – if possible. If less than 4 judges, divide questions accordingly

Afternoon judging
All judges participate in competition to move the objects.

  • Head judge announces teams and counts down time

  • 2-3 judges for Design Rubric

  • 1 judge to place canisters

  • 1 judge to remove dropped objects

  • Remaining judges keep count of moved objects and points

Download and print these forms to use for judging:
   Challenge rubric.doc 
   NFPA Judges Rubric 2012.pdf (2 per team)
   Judges score sheet blank.xls 

After all the teams have competed, judges should come together, total the scores and determine the winners of each trophy category.

Awards ceremony – award the trophies to the winning teams, and hand out the medals/certificates to the students. Give each team a copy of their score.
Be sure to take a lot of pictures!

Tell us how it went!
Send your pictures, along with a brief story about your Challenge event, to Carrie Tatman Schwartz at ctschwartz@nfpa.com. We welcome your suggestions and feedback.


Finding a Challenge location – (can be a school, university, local company)

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What you will need Workshop Day Challenge Day
An area large enough for up to 20 tables, with 4 chairs at each. (Tables can be covered with cardboard or paper to prevent damage). ♦  ♦
A registration table
Have everyone fill out a “Hello my name is” name badge.
Supplies to have on hand: First aid kit, pens, scissors, tape, etc.		 ♦ ♦
An area for lunch. ♦ ♦
Plenty of garbage cans. ♦ ♦
An area with chairs, set up with a laptop and projector for students to watch “Fluid Power: A Force for Change,” available at http://www.nfpa.com/education/LearningResources-TVPrograms.aspx  ♦  
2 tables set up as hot glue gun stations.   ♦
A place for students to fill syringes with water.   ♦
2-3 tables set up with layout for students to practice.   ♦
1 large table set up with layout for the competition.   ♦


    

 

Disclaimer:
By agreeing to use the NFPA Fluid Power Challenge instructions, you are part of an online community of Challenge organizers that is using and testing these materials, and providing feedback for improvement. The National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) cannot be held responsible for the outcome of your Challenge event.

Check back often: In order to make these instructions as comprehensive as possible, we will modify and change the material from time to time as we receive feedback and suggestions from our users.


Do you want to teach fluid power in your classroom? Three classroom exercise kits—a Lifter, Rotating Base and Clamp—are designed to introduce the concepts of fluid power.


Students work in pairs to build the classroom kits, and learn math, science and engineering in the process. The only supplies needed are a pair of scissors and wood glue, and the exercises can easily be incorporated into fluid power lesson plans.

 

Using the kits is also a great way to experiment with hydraulics and pneumatics before entering teams in a Challenge Event.

 

Classroom exercise kits and supporting materials are available from: 

    Mechanical Kits Ltd.
    Toll free telephone: 1-877-430-4549
    E-mail: support@mechanical-kits.com 

 

   
Lifter Kit —
Demonstrates linear and rotary motion.		 Rotating Base Kit —
Demonstrates rotation.		 Clamp Kit —
Demonstrates linear movement.


To learn more about the Challenge, please contact Carrie Tatman Schwartz, Program Manager at ctschwartz@nfpa.com  or (414) 778-3347.

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