October 2, 2013 – Mouser Electronics, Inc., a leading engineering resource and global distributor of semiconductors and electronic components, is pleased to announce that John Schuch of Mesa, Arizona, is the grand prize winner in the second round of the 2013 Mouser 500 Engineering Challenge.
For the second straight year, Mouser challenged car racing fans, design engineers and inventers throughout the United States to help the Mouser/KV IndyCar Racing Technology Team find innovative solutions to two racing-related engineering problems.
The second leg of the 2013 Mouser 500 Engineering Challenge called for the creation of a Load Cell Test and Recalibration Rig. The idea is for a device that measures and easily controls the amount of load in pounds being transferred from the tires into the chassis of a race car.
Schuch is a consulting manufacturing engineer, lifelong hobbyist, and blogger who enjoys building personal projects from both new and salvaged parts.
“It’s really a fairly straight-forward measuring device,” said Schuch, “The trick was getting the required resolution out of the system.”
“Interest was strong based on the number of entries we received,” said Kevin Hess, Mouser Electronics Vice President of Technical Marketing. “John’s entry was a standout. His inventive solution is sensitive enough to provide a high level of accuracy while being rugged enough for the demands of IndyCar racing.”
“Engineering is a field that, while greatly satisfying, doesn’t often bring accolades,” said Schuch. “So it’s very rewarding to be recognized by such industry leaders as Mouser and KV Racing…I build things all the time simply for the pleasure of building something good and sometimes useful. Still, it’s nice to have someone else, or even a top-notch outfit like Mouser, appreciate what you do.”
The top five solutions to each challenge were reviewed by Mouser and engineers from the KV Racing Technology Team. The two winners (one per challenge) each received an iPad Mini and an official Mouser racing photo.
As an official partner of the 2013 KV Racing Technology #11 IZOD IndyCar, Mouser is committed to advancing technology on and off the racetrack. The KV team won the famed Indianapolis 500 with Tony Kanaan in the driver’s seat. The 500 Mouser Engineering Challenge will help the racing team solve a pair of racing technology problems that ultimately will advance the science behind the extreme sport of IndyCar racing.
The first round of the 2013 Mouser 500 Engineering Challenge was won by Nick Winston, an electrical engineering student at the University Of Tennessee Knoxville, who designed a Pit Stop Camera/Fuel Readout system. Winston’s innovative design featured a small camera that is easily activated and mounted to read the racecar’s fuel level.
Mouser first sponsored IndyCar in 2011 as an innovative way to communicate its performance-driven business model and promote the newest technologies and how they affect the high-tech world of IndyCar racing.
Since every advanced, sophisticated component that goes into an IndyCar is all about precision and gaining a performance edge out on the track, IndyCar provides the perfect vehicle to build top-of-mind awareness for Mouser and its industry-leading manufacturers. Joining Mouser as co-sponsors this year are: TTI, Sager, Amphenol, BIVAR, ebm-papst, Fluke, Hammond Manufacturing, Harwin, LEMO, Molex, Murata, NKK Switches, Ohmite, and Phoenix Contact.
For the latest updates on Mouser’s IndyCar news and Tony Kanaan, visit http://www.mouser.com/indy-racing/.
With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser caters to design engineers and buyers by delivering What's Next in advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 20 global support locations and the latest, most technologically advanced components for their newest design projects. Mouser Electronics' website is updated daily and searches more than 10 million products to locate over 4 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser.com also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.
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