Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    Pensacola Christian College News
    • All Articles
    • Academics
    • Campus Life
    • Events
    • Spotlights
    • Ministry
    Subscribe
    Pensacola Christian College News
    Home » All Articles » Challenge Accepted: Engineering Design Contest

    Challenge Accepted: Engineering Design Contest

    April 16, 2019
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    • Two male students working on their robot for the Engineering Design Contest.
    • Male student looking at his team's robot for the Engineering Design Contest.
    • Four male students looking a and working on their team's robot for the Engineering Design Contest.
    • Students gathered around watching two robots play tug o' war on the sand volleyball court for the Engineering Design Contest.
    • Two male students working on their team's robot for the Engineering Design Contest.
    • Two male engineering students standing with their robots facing each other on the sand volleyball court.
    • Engineering students by volleyball court preparing for contest
    • Engineering students gathered on the field as teams line up their robots to race.
    • Engineering students pose with their vehicle robots.

    Most Saturday mornings, Eagle Field lies quietly, save a few eager ultimate Frisbee players. But on April 6, a small, excited crowd had gathered around the volleyball court at the end of the field. Five teams of students each surrounded a small machine. Some had treads and some had wheels, but all had an array of wires and whirring noises emanating from them. These Pensacola Christian College students were preparing to compete against each other in the annual Engineering Design Contest.

    The challenge, discussed and agreed upon by the teams in the fall, was simple—tug o’ war and a drag race on the field. Each team had to design and build a remote-controlled robot that could withstand working against opposing forces without being too heavy to bog down in the sand, but also had enough power and resilience to compete in a race against the other robots.

    Hunter Alexander, participant of Engineering Design Contest

    “The challenge is an extracurricular activity for engineering students to have fun,” said Hunter Alexander (Fr., GA). “Engineering students were encouraged to attend a meeting and pick a team to join. The team leaders volunteered at the engineering seminar last semester.”

    Over the course of the school year, each team worked through budgeting, resource management, and an ever-fluctuating number of team members as other events and responsibilities pulled some away during work nights. In the last weeks before the contest, evenings on the MacKenzie Building’s 5th floor became noisy from drills boring holes into aluminum sheets and plywood, exhausted chatter about how to connect certain pieces together, and belabored exclamations of “What could go wrong?”

    Even though upperclassmen would have more experience for these contests, underclassmen like Hunter still had the opportunity to take up the responsibilities of leadership. “I am a freshman and a team leader, so this provides a fun project that is not based on how long you have been here, but allows for collaboration from all experience levels,” he said. “Being a team leader for something that is strictly extracurricular has aided me in learning how to coordinate with everyone’s schedules to have meetings.”

    Rebekah Schueller, participant of Engineering Design Contest

    Through it all, each team worked hard to prepare for the Engineering Design Contest, but this contest doesn’t come easily for them. “Obviously our bigger goal is to win the competition, as is everyone else’s I’m sure, but at this point I would be very proud of my team if we had a working robot,” said team leader Rebekah Schueller (Sr., MN) a few days before the contest. Many years, there are a few teams whose robot designs don’t quite go as planned. “Having a working robot speaks a lot about your team and about your leader. It means you actually got the work done.”

    At the volleyball field, that struggle was evident. Between RC controller problems, disconnecting treads, and temperamental wiring, only a couple of the remote-controlled vehicles were able to pull their own weight in the shifting sands of the volleyball court. During the race, only three of the five were able to charge forward through the dew-laden grass of Eagle Field, one of them traversing across the entire length of the field and back on its 3D-printed wheels.

    Rusty Gipson, participant of Engineering Design Contest

    “Initially, we knew we would be up against great competition being the only car not on tracks,” said Rusty Gipson (Sr., FL). “We used a simpler method of eight paddle wheels with eight independent motors. We designed our car with a high ground clearance which helped keep our car from bogging down in the sand. The competition was quite frightening!”

    “Our vehicle used a track design that engineered to have the most ground connection at any time—far superior to tires. We have been able to explore different technologies including 3D printing, plasma cutting, and CNC milling,” said Hunter. “If we could redo, I would start ordering and assembling near the end of the fall semester instead of the week of the competition.”

    James O'Connor, participant of Engineering Design Contest

    The co-leaders of the winning team, James O’Connor (So., WA) and Rusty, had a goal for their team from the very beginning, inspired by last year’s winning team’s leader Silas Martin (Engineering: Electrical ’18). “The problem with a majority of vehicles in the design competition is overdesigning. The phrase ‘keep it simple’ was our team’s goal; [our] total design and assembly time was probably 10 percent of what other teams did,” said Rusty.

    The team of contest winners, who are congratulated with the 2018–2019 Robert McLaughlin Memorial Engineering Design Award, will have their names engraved and displayed on a plaque on the 5th floor of the MacKenzie Building. Their accomplishment will be formally recognized during PCC’s 2019 Commencement Program.

    Engineering Students
    Previous ArticleKwame Selver: Building Others Up through Evangelism
    Next Article Software Expo: Developing a Simple Experience

    Related Posts

    Criminal Justice: Protect and Serve

    April 17, 2025

    Students Get a Head Start with Dual Enrollment at PCC

    March 20, 2025

    Shaping Christian Leaders

    January 23, 2025
    Recent Posts

    The Biblical Worldview: Solid Foundation for Belief

    May 8, 2025

    In Memoriam David Grant

    May 6, 2025

    Nate Drushinin: Painting for the Master Artist

    May 1, 2025

    Criminal Justice: Protect and Serve

    April 17, 2025
    Watch PCC Anytime Anywhere
    Experience PCC -  Experience life on campus firsthand! Visit us
    The Update
A magazine for alumni and friends of PCC - View latest issues and subscribe
    About
    About

    Throughout the year, there’s always something happening at Pensacola Christian College, whether it’s a long-loved tradition or a brand-new event. Read up on our students as they engage college life, get to know our faculty, and celebrate alumni who are influencing their world for Christ.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    Contact Us

    850-478-8496

    250 Brent Lane
    Pensacola, FL, U.S.A.

    info@pcci.edu

    Subscribe to PCC News

    Keep up to date on recent news and events at Pensacola Christian College.

    Copyright © 2025 • Pensacola Christian College. All rights reserved.     Privacy Policy • Notice of Liability • Terms of Use

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Subscribe to PCC News

    Keep up to date on recent news and events at Pensacola Christian College.

     

    Loading Comments...