SME 2018 Digital Manufacturing Challenge seeks student designs

Dearborn, Mich.-based SME has announced its 2018 Digital Manufacturing Challenge. Now in its 10th year, this annual student competition seeks innovative automotive aftermarket parts, chemicals, equipment, and accessories designs that integrate and implement the best of digital design and additive and subtractive tools and technologies.

Using an additive manufacturing process known as direct digital manufacturing (DDM), previous winners have created many notable designs, including customized golf grips, drones for bridges, prosthetic legs for dogs, handgrips, rechargeable remotes, and surgical knee braces.

Students from high schools and colleges/universities are invited to submit designs. The two categories are judged separately by a panel of industry experts based on:

• Functionality and durability.
• Cost-benefit/value analysis.
• Utilization of DDM material and processes.
• Design integration and innovation.
• Marketing.
• Social and environmental impact.

The winning team(s) will receive a travel stipend, complimentary student memberships, and conference passes to SME's RAPID + TCT event, April 23-26, 2018, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Design submissions are due Feb. 26, 2018. Complete details are available at www.sme.org/digital-manufacturing-challenge.