2027 Forging Competion | Project: Crate Hammer
The 2027 Forging Competition challenges students to creatively design and forge a functioning crate hammer.
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This year, teams will forge a crate hammer. The maximum weight requirement of the crate hammer is 5lbs. Crate hammers should not exceed 24” in length. Each crate hammer will be put through a series of tests appropriate to the application. All submissions should include your crate hammer, a project video and technical report documenting the design and manufacturing process.
The crate hammer, or "box opener," is a specialized, multipurpose hand tool that originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Designed specifically for the logistics and grocery industries, it was used by merchants, delivery drivers, and warehouse workers to quickly pry open and disassemble wooden shipping crates and pallets.
COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS
Teams will perform all aspects of creating crate hammer via the forging manufacturing process from design conception to performance. All four (4) components of the project should be submitted. All teams must:
1. Provide a preliminary plan (one page)
- Rough outline of steps
- Tentative timeframe
- Questions/issues needed to be addressed
- Preliminary decisions made (material chosen, forging process, etc.)
2. Make a version of a crate hammer
- The crate hammer should weigh no more than 5lbs
- The crate hammer should not be longer than 24”
3. Document the project with a professional Technical Report of less than 10 pages supporting the team’s decisions.
4. Produce a project video, not to exceed 5 minutes, that documents the project.
All project components submitted for the competition become property of FIERF.
TEAMS
1. Student teams who will design, build, and test their crate hammer. Teams are limited to 8 members.
2. A faculty sponsor to help the team.
3. An industrial partner familiar with forging. If a partner is not identified by the team, FIERF will look for an industry partner.
AWARDS
Each entry will be eligible for 4 awards and a Grand Prize:
- Clear Plan
- Showed/shared their process
- Educational value
- Had fun
- Practiced safety
- Showed/shared their process
- Educational value of the video
- Items will be on display at Forge Fair
Grand Prize is based on the overall rankings from each category.
IMPORTANT EVENTS & SUBMISSION DATES
Thursday, July 30, 2026 Contest Announcement for FIERF’s 2027 Forging Competition
Friday, December 11, 2026 Proposed teams, and preliminary plan due
Friday, April 16, 2027 Project video, technical report, and crate hammer due
May 18, 2027* Performance testing and awards at Forge Fair (Cleveland, OH)
*For the testing, teams and mentors are highly encouraged to attend and compete with their crate hammer.
All electronic submissions should be sent to Amanda Dureiko at [email protected].
TECHNICAL REPORT MUST CONTAIN:
Your technical report must not exceed 10 pages. (This will include your cover page and resources pages so clear and concise writing is necessary)
- Must use the outline of this cover page.
- State the reason for the competition: “FIERF has created this competition to encourage students to learn about making metal products using the forging process and applying the latest technology available”. This should be in the introduction of your Technical Report.
- *The reason you chose the specific material for your crate hammer.
- *Your design process and the steps you took to get to your final product.
- *Your final results should show that it meets contest requirements (state the final length and weight).
*Present each in the one-page executive summary as part of your technical report.
- What metallurgical decisions were made with respect to your crate hammer?
- What type of forging process was selected, what led you to that decision, and the forging process steps you used?
- What kind of inspection and testing was your crate hammer subjected to before submission?