St. Cloud State engineering students are, from left, Dan Kezar, Jacob Harper, Heather VanSlyke, James Wicklund, Travis Meyer and Gene Studniski. The Slick Cylinders team modified a Polaris sled that competed in the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge March 6-11 near Houghton, Michigan.
The red, black and white Polaris was of one of 13 sleds in the internal-combustion category. École De Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, and University of Wisconsin–Madison tied for first. University of Minnesota-Duluth earned third.
St. Cloud State earned the Rookie of the Year Award and was one of just two sleds in that category to complete the cold-start competition in single-digit temperatures March 11.
St. Cloud State was one seven internal-combustion sleds to complete the 30.9-mile endurance/fuel economy run. The run consumed 2.38 gallons, which is 13 miles per gallon. Top-ranked Wisconsin notched 17 miles per gallon, consuming 1.82 gallons.
The University of Minnesota sled was among those that could not complete the run.
The competition to create quieter sleds with lower emissions is sponsored by the Society of Automobile Engineers, a professional association and standards-development organization.
In its 15th year, the SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge was hosted by Michigan Tech’s Keweenaw Research Center and Department of Mechanical Engineering –Engineering Mechanics.
Six students teamed with faculty adviser Ken Miller to modify the St. Cloud State sled, working mostly in Headley Hall, Room 23.
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They are mechanical and manufacturing engineering senior design project students Heather VanSlyke (Zimmerman), Gene Studniski (Milaca), Travis G. Meyer (Lakeville), Jim Wicklund (Roseville), Jacob Harper (Sartell) and Dan Kezar (Forest Lake).
Miller chairs the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.
The team, called Slick Cylinders, was led by VanSlyke and Studniski.
Slick Cylinders relied on sponsors. Polaris Snowmobiles, for example, donated a 2015 Rush 800 Pro-S sled. Other sponsors include:
| Woody’s Traction | NGK Sparks | Visualization Lab, St. Cloud State |
| Mimbach, Fleet | Cretex Companies | Northland Process Piping |
| UPONOR | Todd & Kathy VanSlyke | Bikeman Performance Group |
| Up North Sports | Old Capital Tavern | Sportech, Inc. |
| ERX Motor Park | Randall Metalworks | Velocity Streetwear |
| Dynojet Research, Inc. |
The competition near Houghton, Michigan, saw modified snowmobiles compete in events such as emissions, noise, fuel economy/endurance, acceleration, handling, static display, cold start and design.
There were 24 sleds from 18 universities. The diesel category was won by École De Technologie Supérieure. Michigan Tech won the zero emissions category, which included electric snowmobiles.
Heather VanSlyke rides St. Cloud State’s modified Polaris snowmobile near Houghton, Michigan.
