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Evaluating qualifying round projects for Advanced Manufacturing
Tomorrow, we will be evaluating and score the projects submitted during the qualifying round of our Advanced Manufacturing competition series! This year, we had 60 schools sign up to compete from across the nation. However, only four teams will advance to our national championship scheduled for spring 2025. Interested in discovering more about the scoring process and what takes place in each round? Keep scrolling to learn more!
about the project
This year’s Advanced Manufacturing series focuses on the theme of space. The mission for this year? To create components for a CubeSat that could be launched into orbit.
A CubeSat is a compact satellite designed to a standard size and shape, commonly utilized for research and educational purposes. The typical dimensions of a standard CubeSat are 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm, known as “1U.” Multiple units can be combined to form larger CubeSats, accommodating up to 24 units. These versatile satellites serve various functions, such as scientific research, technology demonstrations, and Earth observation.
For the qualifying round, all teams were tasked with creating an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tracking system. The project is 6 parts using a variety of mill machining processes. 3D-printed gearboxes and electrical motors are used for actuation.
SCORING PHASE 1 & 2
Phase 1: Virtual Check-In
The first scoring phase of our Advanced Manufacturing qualifying round took place right in the middle of the competition, serving as a casual checkpoint. We asked teams to share their files and photos so we could get a feel for how complete their projects were and how much progress they had made up to that point. At this stage, we’re not getting into the nitty-gritty; we’re just making sure everything is organized and that teams are on track with the requirements. The big goal here is to identify which projects need a closer look in person so our awesome sponsor and partner, Zeiss, can use their Duramax machines to measure components. This step is especially important this year because we have a ton of competitive projects on our hands!
Phase 2: Physical Measurements
Our partner, Zeiss, will be on-site to take precise measurements of each team’s projects, allowing us to assess their manufacturing accuracy.
In Phase 2 of our evaluation process, we analyze the inspection results to identify the top 18-28 teams from the initial 60 that registered to compete. This phase is critical, as it allows us to select the top teams that will progress to the regional rounds of the competition.
So keep an eye out! Once we complete our evaluation of these incredible projects, we will announce the 16 teams that will progress to the next rounds of our Clash of Trades Advanced Manufacturing competition series!
Watch Clash of Trades season 4 now!
Interested in discovering more about our Clash of Trades Advanced Manufacturing competition? Head over to our YouTube channel to watch Season 4’s reality-style episode series, featuring the top 16 teams as they demonstrated their talents in three different regional cities across the U.S. The competition intensified, culminating in an epic showdown where the top four teams faced off for the title at the Stewart Haas Racing facility in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Don’t miss the thrill—tune in to find out who claimed the $100,000 grand prize and earned the title of Season 4 champions!
