1-7-97
Contacts:
Stewart Melvin, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering,
(515) 294-1434
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917
LAB WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE LATEST ENGINES
AMES, Iowa -- Renovation of Iowa State's engine laboratory will allow students to learn the dynamics of the latest engines used in agriculture. The John Deere Engines Laboratory will be dedicated today (Jan. 7) at 4 p.m. in 147 Davidson Hall.
The laboratory will include the latest in large agricultural engines and advanced equipment and tools, said Stewart Melvin, head of the agricultural and biosystems engineering department in ISU's Engineering and Agriculture colleges.
"In the lab, our students will have all the tools necessary to learn about the dynamics of large agricultural engines," Melvin said. "They will disassemble and reassemble some of the latest engines available on the market today. They will also test the performance of the engines under various loads, learn more about their performance characteristics, fuel consumption and operating dynamics, and they will learn the theory and design principles of the whole engine system."
The $174,000 lab renovation is made possible by a $145,000 gift from the John Deere Foundation, Moline, Ill. Deere provided $100,000 for renovation of the lab space and $45,000 in gifts-in-kind (engines and engine stands). The remainder of the funds were provided by ISU's Agricultural Experiment Station, Melvin said.
"This is a very important renovation that directly benefits our students," Melvin added. "They now will be working on state-of-the-art engines, they will learn about modern technology used in today's tractors and they will work in a laboratory that is very similar to what is found in industry today."
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Editors:
Reporters are welcome to attend the dedication ceremonies,
which begin at 4 p.m. in 147 Davidson Hall on the northwest
side of campus.
Diana Pounds, University Relations, dpounds@iastate.edu
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Revised 1/7/97