04 Mar 2016
Dubbo College's Team Zircon of Bryce Cronin, Shiv Ram, Lucas Blattman and Sharik Burgess-Stride has taken a creditable second place in the national final of the 4x4 in Schools competition in Sydney this week.
The boys took out two major awards in the competition including "Best Track Performance" and "Most Innovative Design" for their home-designed and manufactured miniature four-wheel drive vehicle.
The competition was won by Wombat Warriors from Pine River State High School in Queensland , the same team that went to the world championships in London in 2015.
Dubbo College teacher and mentor to Team Zircon, John Miller, said the boys did a great job in the lead-up to the competition and during the finals at Penrith.
"They were excellent and a real credit to themselves, their families and Dubbo College," he said.
"In particular the judges liked our wheels and the design of our car.
"The teacher supporting the Queensland winning team also told our boys their car was worthy of going to the world finals."
2016 is only the second year of the 4x4 competition in Australia, after operating in England for about ten years.
A Dubbo College team has made the finals in both years, with students putting in hours of work participating in the project.
This year the team developed a four-wheel steering car, designing and manufacturing a custom shell, roll cage and wheels.
The vehicle had to include head lamps and a tilt-sensor, with students also adding a towbar.
Like the F1 in schools challenge, the 4x4 technology challenge involves testing of the vehicle in appropriate conditions. The team four-wheel drive completed a course involving three sections of driving, including tackling obstacles, as well as a trailer-towing exercise.
As part of the competition the team was judged on its engineering skills, in particular the electronics governing the lights and tilt-sensor. They also presented a pit display, folio and verbal presentation to a panel of three engineers, before the vehicle and design was scrutineered by more engineers.
Team Zircon received significant financial sponsorship from ARB Dubbo 4x4 Accessories, as well as the Senior Campus P&C. In kind donations have come from a number of other sponsors including Traintasia, Jaycar Dubbo, CR&T, Astley's Plumbing and Hardware, Autobarn, EmbroidMe, Clark Rubber, Barnsons, Monster Signs, Inspirations Pain, The Good Guys and Woolworths. All businesses were very generous in providing time and staff for consultations and advice.