Schools from Around Texas Compete in an Additive Manufacturing Competition Hosted at Texas A&M University

College Station, Texas — On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, Project MFG kicked off the first of three additive manufacturing competitions starting at Texas A&M University, bringing together seven talented high school and college-level teams from across the state. The event offered students a hands-on opportunity to apply advanced manufacturing skills in a fast-paced, real-world challenge.

This first round of the series featured seven teams, including Bryan ISD CTE Center (Bryan, TX), John Jay High School (San Antonio, TX), LBJ High School (Austin, TX), Ben Barber Innovation Academy (Mansfield, TX), Farmersville High School (Farmersville, TX), Keller Center for Advanced Learning (Keller, TX), and host Texas A&M University (College Station, TX). Each team showcased impressive problem-solving abilities and precision manufacturing skills in a challenging, fast-paced environment. Their primary task: manufacture and assemble a fully functioning 5-axis robotic arm based on detailed specifications provided by the Project MFG competition team.

The Challenge

For the 2025 Additive Manufacturing project, teams were tasked with manufacturing and assembling a 5-axis robotic arm based on specifications provided by the Project MFG competition team. In addition to the assembly challenge, students were required to print a “stick man” component that would undergo a tensile strength test. The goal was to design and print the strongest possible version of the part—an exercise that pushed students to consider material behavior, print orientation, and structural integrity. Scores from both challenges were combined to determine overall team rankings.

Brent Griffith, Project MFG’s Additive Manufacturing Lead, highlighted the importance of events like this, saying:

“Students participating in hands-on competitions like the Project MFG Additive Manufacturing Competition not only gain valuable experience using cutting-edge technology, but it also helps them develop a deeper understanding of modern manufacturing as a whole and exposes them to rewarding career options.”

About the Competition Series

The Texas event marked the first of three regional rounds in Project MFG’s 2025 Additive Manufacturing Competition. Following the kickoff in College Station, the series will continue with regional events in West Virginia and St. Louis, Missouri. Each regional round follows the same format, challenging students to apply additive manufacturing techniques, problem-solving, and design under real-world constraints.

At the end of each regional competition, the top three teams earn a spot in the Project MFG National Championship, where they will compete for the title of national champions in Additive Manufacturing. As the first regional event of the series, Texas has officially set the bar for what promises to be an exciting and highly competitive season ahead.

Acknowledgments

This event was made possible through the support of our partners: The Gene Haas Foundation, Mastercam, and the TEES Facility for Advanced Manufacturing. Project MFG extends sincere appreciation to our partners, instructors, and participating schools for contributing to a successful and inspiring kickoff to this year’s additive manufacturing series.