The next innovation on wheel design may be sitting in young minds of classroom students.
Accuride, through a partnership with the University of Evansville, is hoping to pull those ideas out.
Accuride’s Henderson, Ind. Operations-based Engineering department – led by Vice President of Engineering Craig Kessler – will serve as engineering and design resources to UE student teams during Innovation Week as they apply innovation and collaboration to address a commercial vehicle wheel design challenge posed by Accuride’s engineers.
The teams, charged with developing a lightweight aluminum wheel, will work on their designs this week, with the winners selected and announced Friday. Teams are tasked with developing a conceptual design that meets numerous technical requirements.
Accuride will provide a $1,000 scholarship donation to the University, to be shared by the members of the winning team.
“Given today’s intense interconnectedness, rapid pace of change, and growing complexity of global challenges, innovation is essential for progress and success for our future graduates and our civic, public, and private sectors,” said Katie Ciccarelli, executive director of the Institute for Global Enterprise. “We hope that Innovation Week inspires our students and community members to make an impact by developing global and entrepreneurial mindsets.”
Throughout the week, students will work closely with UE faculty advisors, learn to use a 3-D printer, hear from guest speakers, gain insight from a midweek feedback session with Accuride, and build a proof-of-concept model.
