CNC Software, Inc. has announced the winners of the 2018-2019 Wildest Parts Competition. The Wildest Parts Competition is held each year to encourage student interest and participation in manufacturing. The competition is open to students at the secondary and postsecondary levels to create parts, demonstrating creativity and technical skill using Mastercam. The Wildest Parts Competition has been revamped, adding a new division for professional Mastercam users to enter parts they created.
In the Secondary Division, Riley Traver from Van Buren Tech won first place for submitting a sprinting spike base plate. Sports are a big part of Traver's life. He has been running track since 7th grade and will continue into college next year. Traver said that making this part was hands down the most challenging project he has even undertaken in his two years in the Advanced Manufacturing program.
Sebastian Johnson from Hamilton High School placed 2nd with a Da Vinci Cryptex. Savannah Schneider, from Capital High School, placed 3rd with her submission of custom stirrups.
In the Postsecondary Division, Colin May from Erie Community College won first place for submitting an engine block. May wanted to make an aluminum V8 engine block for a while, and he comes from a family that has been in the manufacturing industry for more than 50 years. He had to juggle work, school classes and finding the time to work on his engine block.
Robert Englehart from Washington State University placed 2nd with an oil pan. Ryan Speidel, from Erie Community College, came in 3rd with a BMX stem.
In the Teams Division, Seth Culp's group from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College submitted a steam engine. Their USS Monitor Steam Engine was a challenge, and they had less than a semester to design in SOLIDWORKS and finish the part in Mastercam.
Tyler Dorsey and teammates from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College placed 2nd with their shark bottle opener. Blake Bishop and Jeff Harper from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College placed 3rd with their complex gears.
In the Professional Division, Lee Yung Cheng from Shih-Cheng Precision Technology submitted a bone plate. Because of the need to fit the human bone accurately, there were many challenges to overcome such as irregular complex surfaces, multi-angle drilling and more.
Zane Decker, an instructor from Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, placed 2nd with a logo puck that he used to demonstrate 2D toolpaths for his students.
Every entrant in the competition receives a Mastercam t-shirt, and the winning entrants receive cash awards, certificates and other prizes for their placement in the competition.
Even as this year's winners are announced, it is time for teachers, students and professionals to start thinking about what they will submit for the 2020 Masters of CAM Wildest Parts Competition. Submissions must be received before the June 30 deadline.
Manufacturing Day Event
CNC Software recently hosted a Manufacturing Day event at its Tolland, CT, facility. The celebration catered to students interested in manufacturing and acted as a showcase for opportunities within the industry.
According to the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA), manufacturing within Connecticut employs more than 160,000 people and adds almost $30 billion to the state's annual GDP. However, nearly one fifth of the workforce is nearing retirement age, and the manufacturing sector is still growing. The 2017 Survey of Connecticut Manufacturing Workforce Needs found that 98% of surveyed companies were planning to hire full-time employees in the near future but were concerned that there was not enough training or interest to fill these positions.
Attendees at CNC Software's Manufacturing Day event were shown how to start their careers in manufacturing. A panel with representatives from various departments within the company spoke to students about their jobs and backgrounds and answered questions. Students watched a "Design then Cut" demonstration that followed the process of designing a part within Mastercam all the way to cutting the part with a CNC machine. The students also had the opportunity to get a close-up look at the University of Connecticut's Formula SAE car, an example of student-led design and engineering. In their downtime, the students ate pizza and had a chance to interact with each other and members of the SAE team to ask any questions about the program.
For more information contact:
CNC Software, Inc.
671 Old Post Road
Tolland, CT 06084
800-228-2877
info@mastercam.com
www.mastercam.com
www.mastercam.com/en-us/Competitions/WildestParts
Manufacturing Day
www.MFGday.com