So close: SDSU comes up just short for quarter-scale tractor threepeat

By the narrowest of margins — two points out of more than 2,000 — the SDSU Quarter Scale Tractor Team came up just short of winning its third consecutive national title.

Competing at the 27^th annual International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition at the Expo Gardens Fairgrounds in Peoria, Illinois, the South Dakota State University team placed third out of 21 teams. SDSU scored 2,164 points out of 2,405 possible points. North Carolina State won the event with 2,166 points while Kansas State was runner-up with 2,165 points. 

The top five teams were separated by just six points.

The club’s adviser, Douglas Prairie, a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, called the team’s accomplishment a “testament to their continued focus on setting the bar higher every year for both themselves and for the competition.”

He was especially proud of how the team rebounded from adversity.

Apart, together again in less than 12 hours

On the morning of June 1, the second day in the three-day competition, the frame of the tractor was severely bent during the durability contest. That involved completing as many laps as possible in 20 minutes on a 250-foot course that included 80 feet of loose sand and 80 feet of rough conditions with a random array of six-inch bumps. The tractors also were pulling a cart loaded with 4,000 pounds.

That did a number on the SDSU tractor, which the team dubbed “Phantom.” The entire tractor, which is about the size of a large riding lawn mower, had to be disassembled, reinforcements welded to the frame and reassembled. Using welding equipment the team brought along, the mission was completed, and Phantom was running again by that evening.

Phillip Black, of Gibbon, Minnesota, who served as president of the club in 2022-23 and 2023-24 as well as being team captain, said being able to take apart and reassemble the tractor that quickly was the highlight of this year’s contest for him.
On June 2, the team then competed in the pulling contest.

Finish continues strong SDSU tradition

SDSU had perfect scores in the defense of design and design judging categories as well as placing fourth in the pull and durability contests. The team also won awards for ergonomics and manufacturability.

Prairie said, “You can see from the results that SDSU once again had a very strong team whose members contributed tons of hours to maintain the club’s strong tradition. The entries in the 2024 contest were some of the best I have seen in recent years and made for a fun competition.” 

In addition to winning the 2022 and 2023 titles, SDSU also won the title in 2018 and was runner-up in 2017 and 2019. COVID-19 canceled 2020’s contest. The 2021 contest was a hybrid adventure with SDSU only competing online and finishing fourth.

In the contest sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, all teams are given a 31-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine and a set of Titan tires. The tractor is theirs to design and create.

Black said what the club did to make its 2024 entry unique was place an emphasis on the electronics. It was designed with custom electronic control units for the engine, lights, air system, steering and transmission “and they all have to talk to one another using a CAN (controller area network) Bus network like what is used on modern day agriculture equipment,” Black said.

Black said judges “loved our custom-made seat and the ergonomics of the tractor. They loved how much we had done with the tractor, they could tell we were passionate about it.” Among the special features were an air ride seat with customer leather upholstery, a 13 ½-inch screen for operator’s display of gauges and fully electronic steering.

In addition to this class, there is an X-class in which new club members can revamp an existing tractor.  That SDSU entry placed second overall and was first in written design reports.

Team from throughout Midwest

The 23-member Quarter-Scale Tractor Team consists of: