Michigan Tech’s sparked ignition (SI) team took home first place overall as well as first place in the design phase of competition in the SAE International annual Clean Snowmobile Challenge earlier this month. Michigan Tech’s Clean Snowmobile Challenge team entered two sleds in this year’s competition at the World Championship Derby Complex in Eagle River, Wisconsin: one in the SI category and one in the compression ignition diesel utility snowmobile (CI) competition.
The Michigan Tech team came in second in the CI category, which is being phased out. This year’s challenge included 14 teams from the United States and Canada.
The SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge team at Michigan Tech, part of Tech’s Advanced Motorsports Enterprise, is a multidisciplinary student organization that works toward improvement on emissions, noise reduction, and performance of current production snowmobiles. The team is entirely student-run, from engines and electrical to project management and finances.
The annual challenge, which for more than 15 years had been hosted by Michigan Tech at the Keweenaw Research Center, is a culmination of years’ worth of teamwork.
The team’s co-presidents, Sophie Bollin, mechanical engineering graduate student, and Jared Ott, mechanical engineering senior, were thrilled with the team’s performance this year and grateful for their experiences.
“I am beyond proud of the team and the hard work they’ve put in over the last year,” said Bollin. “As my fourth and final year on the team, I couldn’t have pictured a better way to end.”
Ott said every team member’s contribution made a measurable difference. “This team gave me the opportunity to further my career, learn how to manage a project, and grow as a leader,” he said. “Throughout this year our team and advisors have put in an incredible amount of work to set us up for our win.”
Jason Blough, chair and distinguished professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Scott Miers, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, both serve as faculty advisors for the team. Their support was integral to the team’s success this year.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” said Bollin.
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