The Manufacturing Technologies Association’s (MTA) flagship Technology, Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge competition has continued to showcase the imagination and design skills of a new generation of young engineers.
The TDI Challenge 2023 encouraged students between 16 and 18 years old and enthusiastic about engineering and science, to demonstrate their creative talent to an industry that relies upon vision and innovation.
Entrants are tasked with devising an original design for a product or concept, explain its application and produce a video, no longer than two minutes, to demonstrate how and why their invention would benefit users.
Judges were once again flooded with entries and then had the hard task of whittling down the submissions to a manageable shortlist. Those shortlisted were invited to Finals Day at the Yamazaki Mazak facility in Worcester where they got the opportunity to pitch their idea to the judging panel, with the winner being chosen on the day.
Stewart Lane, of Renishaw Plc, who chaired the judging panel, said: “The TDI Challenge continues to demonstrate the talent present in our aspiring engineers and once again the standard of entries was so high that judges struggled to choose which submission was the best. Each finalist should be congratulated on their achievements.”
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern, in Penylan, Cardiff continues to be a fertile breeding ground for TDI Challenge success with students claiming both the runner-up position and third place to follow on from its success when 2022 when student Rhys Wijeratne also claimed third place. Students will be hoping to go one place further in 2024 and take top spot.
The 2023 TDI Challenge individual winners are:
1st PLACE: Bhavy Metakar
Project: Bionic Arm
School: Westcliff High School for Boys
2nd PLACE (Runner Up): Elin Carter
Project: Door knobs/handles
School: Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern, Penylan, Cardiff
3rd PLACE: Sonny Normansell
Project: Doorbell system
School: Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern, Penylan, Cardiff
In the Group category, first place went to Benji Warburton and Miles Waterworth, of Brighton College for their Electric Car platform.
Students won a range of prizes including a day out to watch a Cup Motorsport Race Day with the University of Wolverhampton Racing Team, while the winning schools also received prizes to spend on D&T and Engineering equipment and activities.
The MTA’s Education and Development Committee also commended the students on the quality of their designs and thanked their various teachers for their support.
Details of the 2024 TDI Challenge will be announced later this year.
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About the TDI Challenge
The MTA’s TDI Challenge exists to help teachers and lecturers promote the great work being completed by their Design and Technology (D&T) and Engineering students and to celebrate the creativity and innovation taking place inside the curriculum.
In turn, the competition helps the manufacturing technologies industry to better understand the challenges that education is facing and how it can assist through collaboration.
The competition is open to all young people aged 16-19. It is an opportunity for them to showcase their creative talent to an industry that relies upon vision and innovation.
For more details, visit the website – www.thetdichallenge.co.uk
For more details on the MTA, please visit www.mta.org.uk