Basic Utility Vehicle Team finishes second in BUV Design Competition

The Alfred State Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) Team recently took second place in the annual BUV Design Competition held April 25 in Batavia, OH.

The team, which consisted of mechanical engineering technology students Brendan Sheridan, of Staten Island, and David Parker, of Whitesboro, competed against groups from Purdue, the University of Cincinnati, Trine University and Baylor University. The object of the competition is to design a low-cost vehicle to be built and used in third-world developing countries.

This year, teams were tasked with building a farm vehicle capable of transporting water over a rough terrain. During the event, the schools competed in a six-hour endurance test, loading their BUV with one to three full 55-gallon barrels of water and completing three laps around a 2.2-mile course through mud and rough terrain.

Teams then had to unload their barrels, refill them from a pond, and repeat the process. Points were awarded for the number of barrels transported, as well as the number of laps completed.

Dr. Edward Tezak, faculty adviser to the BUV Team, said his students were “nip and tuck” with Purdue during the whole event and were in first place by seven minutes after more than five hours, when the throttle cable broke. Tezak said this was “disheartening,” but added that after a quick on-course repair, the students were back in second place, where they remained for the rest of the competition.

Parker said he enjoyed driving the course, overcoming various obstacles, and seeing how well Alfred State’s vehicle stood up against those from other schools. He said despite not having the crew or the finances that the other squads had, he is very pleased with how his team performed and how its vehicle competed with the others.

“The BUV competition was an excellent experience,” he said. “It was great to combine everything that I have learned throughout my years here at Alfred State and apply it to a real-world problem.”

Sheridan said, “The thing I found most fun about the competition was being able to put the vehicle that I had put so much time in to work as it was intended, and in some ways it exceeded my expectations.”

Tezak, chair of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Department, said he is especially proud that his team was given the Innovation Award for its design of the water-pumping system “that far exceeded any design in previous BUV events.” He said the competition was a great experience for the students.

“The project is in line with Alfred State’s emphasis on project-based learning, where a real-world challenge is presented and students have to address it,” he said. “Considering that only two students were involved, along with having a close-to-a-zero-dollar budget, I believe that they did a commendable job against institutions that have much more financial support.

Tezak added, “For our students to compete favorably with the likes of Purdue and Baylor is a testament to the quality of education available here at Alfred State.”

Pictured above are Basic Utility Vehicle Team members and mechanical engineering technology students Brendan Sheridan, of Staten Island, left, and David Parker, of Whitesboro, along with their entry into the annual BUV Design Competition. Sheridan is holding the engraved disks denoting the team’s second-place finish and Innovation Award, while Parker is holding the Innovation Trophy.