Saint Louis Students Compete in a Project MFG Additive Manufacturing Competition Held at Saint Louis University

St. Louis, Missouri —The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center St. Louis (AMICSTL) hosted a Project MFG Additive Manufacturing Competition on February 20, bringing together 12 high school teams from across the St. Louis region. Held at Saint Louis University, the event challenged students to apply STEM and problem-solving skills in a real-world manufacturing challenge, designing and producing components using advanced 3D printing technologies.

Participating schools included 

• Affton High School
• Althoff Catholic High School
• Belleville East High School
• Clyde C. Miller Academy
• Freeburg High School
• Hazelwood West High School
• Oakville High School
• Pattonville High School
• Spark! Engineering from Parkway High School
• St. Charles Community College
• St. Louis CAPs (Center for Advanced Professional Studies)
• Triad High School

The Challenge

As part of the 2025 Project MFG Additive Manufacturing challenge, student teams were tasked with manufacturing and assembling a 5-axis robotic arm using specifications provided by Project MFG. Teams also designed and 3D-printed a “stick man” component that was subjected to tensile strength testing, pushing students to think critically about material selection, print orientation, and structural integrity. Scores from both challenges were combined to determine overall team rankings.

“This competition gives students a true look at what modern manufacturing demands—precision, creativity, and the ability to solve complex problems under pressure,” said Mick Jagears, the Community Development Specialist at Project MFG. “Watching these teams collaborate, iterate, and bring their designs to life shows just how capable the next generation of manufacturing talent already is.”

The competition not only tested technical skill, but also emphasized teamwork, time management, and communication—mirroring the expectations students will face in today’s advanced manufacturing workforce.

Event Sponsors

This year’s competition was supported by sponsors committed to strengthening the region’s talent pipeline:

Pioneer Sponsors:

• The Boeing Company
• Saint Louis University
  Innovator Sponsors: MOHELA
• Missouri Scholarship and Loan Foundation
• Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville
• Greater St. Louis, Inc.
  Maker Sponsors: Anders
• Daniel & Henry
• Fifth Third Bank
• Harris-Stowe University
• Missouri Works
• National Tooling & Machining Association
• St. Charles Community College
• St. Louis Community College
• SWIC Belleville Campus
• SWIC East St. Louis Campus
• Technology Partners
• University of Missouri–St. Louis

“Project MFG is proud to partner with AMICSTL to bring real manufacturing challenges to students,” said Brent Griffith, the Additive Manufacturing Subject Matter Expert. “This competition pushes students to think critically, adapt quickly, and work as a team—exactly what real manufacturing challenges require. We’re excited to see the regional winners advance to the National Championship.”