At a glance
The victory marks the fifth time an Alfred State team has finished first in the competition. The college has also come in second four times since first entering the event in 2006.
For the third consecutive year, Alfred State College’s Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) Team came out on top in the annual intercollegiate BUV Design Competition in Batavia, OH.
The victory marks the fifth time an Alfred State team has finished first in the competition. The college has also come in second four times since first entering the event in 2006.
The contest is a combination of a race and manufacturing design competition. Other schools that competed include Purdue University, Baylor University, Trine University, University of St. Thomas Minnesota, and University of Cincinnati.
This year’s team consisted of Justin Niver (mechanical engineering technology, Penn Yan), Devan Albrecht (mechanical engineering technology, Lyons), and Thomas Moracco (mechanical engineering technology, Waterloo). The team was accompanied by Academic Support Technician Ray Gleason and Steven Martinelli, professor in the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Department, who served as the team’s adviser.
According to Martinelli, each team’s vehicle was judged prior to the competition. Points were awarded at the onset of the competition, with respect to safety, innovation, and construction. The Alfred State team received all points possible at the inspection.
As for the competition itself, each team’s vehicle was required to haul three 55-gallon drums full of water three times around a 2.2-mile course through mud, rocks, and other natural obstacles. Upon completion of the three laps, the teams then had to empty the drums, refill them, and repeat the exercise for seven hours. Points were awarded for each barrel filled and emptied, each lap completed, and during the inspection.
Offering his thoughts on the victory, Martinelli said, “The team overcame many mechanical difficulties and were very effective in their problem-solving abilities. I am proud of the way they performed and the fact that they were able to achieve another first-place finish in this competition for Alfred State.”
