Kolbenschmidt Pierburg’s North American piston division, Karl Schmidt Unisia, has donated more than $60,000 to the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne to sponsor the university’s Society of Automotive Engineers Mini Baja® Challenge vehicle program.
Mini Baja®, part of the SAE Collegiate Design Series, challenges engineering students to develop an off-road vehicle that will survive rough terrain and harsh environments.
“We’re very pleased to offer our support to this program, which helps to train strong, talented automotive engineers,” said Chris Wiegandt, director of product engineering at Karl Schmidt Unisia.
“This marks the first step in what we see as a long-term commitment to this innovative program.”
The Karl Schmidt Unisia donation to the Indiana Institute of Technology program is valued at more than $60,000, including a cash contribution of $5,000 and engine test lab time valued at more than $10,000. A team of a dozen students also will have at their disposal Karl Schmidt Unisia staff support and advanced finite-element-analysis computer facilities to design and conduct virtual testing on the vehicle and its components, valued at $45,000.
“Our student team welcomes the opportunity to learn using state-of-the-art technology on this very valuable program,” noted Dave Aschliman, chair, mechanical and biomedical engineering at Indiana Institute of Technology. “We really appreciate the commitment Karl Schmidt Unisia has made to encouraging these future engineers.”
SAE’s annual Mini Baja® Collegiate Design Series pits teams from engineering schools across the U.S. in competitions to develop, design, build and eventually race a working vehicle. All student vehicles are designed around a 10-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine. The competition simulates real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges.
Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc. is the North American pistons division of Kolbenschmidt Pierbug, a leading supplier of pistons, automotive oil and water pumps, electric throttle controls, bearings, secondary air systems and electric exhaust gas recirculation valves. Kolbenschmidt Pierburg has three North American units – Pierburg, Inc., Karl Schmidt Unisia, Inc. and KS Bearings, Inc. – with production facilities in Fountain Inn, S.C.; Greensburg, Ind; Fort Wayne, Ind; Marinette, Wisc., and Leamington, Ontario. Its North American sales offices are in Southfield, Michigan.
Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG is a subsidiary of Rheinmetall AG. The company has approximately 11,500 employees at its five automotive divisions. Global sales for its Aluminum Technology, Motor Parts, Pierburg GmbH, KS Pistons and KS Bearings divisions totaled nearly $2.1 billion in 2003. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.kolbenschmidt-pierburg.com.