Student talent shines through at TDI 2019 Final

The final of the Manufacturing Technologies Association’s (MTA) flagship school’s competition, the Technology, Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge has taken place at the European headquarters of Yamazaki Mazak in Worcester.

The long-running competition sees students from across the UK submit either their GCSE, A-Level or BTEC Design and Technology Course Work Projects to be judged by a panel of experts drawn from Industry made up of members of the MTA’s very own technical committee. The students are split into two judging fields of 14-16 year olds and 17-19 year olds. There is also a Group category which recognises extracurricular work.

This year saw a change in the way the final is judged with, as well as overall winners in each age group, prize’s awarded for best use of Manufacturing Technology and Best Innovation. This year, for the first time, there was also a People’s Vote prize awarded by a vote of all those attending the day.

 

Stewart Lane, from Renishaw, who is the Chair of the MTA Education and Development Committee and Chair of the judging panel for the TDI Competition, said “The final of the TDI is always an inspiring event and the standard of entries for this year’s competition were some of the highest we’ve seen. The range of technologies used in both the design and manufacture of the projects was genuinely impressive and the students have to be congratulated in making this one of the most competitive TDI’s we’ve had to judge.”

The winner in each category received an individual prize (including iPads, GoPro cameras, Minirig speakers and drones) as well as up to £2000 of funding for their schools to spend on new Design and Technology equipment for the classroom.

Mike Falconer, Education and Development Manager at the MTA, added “The TDI gives students the opportunity to create something unique and demonstrate to the judges they have considered the whole manufacturing process, from design, to construction and how to market the product.”

“The quality of innovation on show was phenomenal and we’d like to congratulate all the winners and finalist for producing such amazing work.”

Chris Kalogroulis from Sutton Grammar School, who won in the 17-19 category – and is now a two-times winner of the TDI Challenge after winning the 14-16 category in 2016 – said “It was such a big bonus for Flip to win the TDI Challenge, it’s another nice confidence booster. I’m going to try and develop the clock further and see how it turns out and I’m considering trying to sell it. It’s also going to be cool to be able to say I’ve designed two award winning products. This has had a massive impact on my engineering and academic life and played a huge part in the success of my products.”

TDI Challenge 2019 Winners

14-16 – Best Overall

Oscar Chainey Sutton Grammar School – OC Chair Project. The Judges said “It was great to see an environmentally themed project win the top prize, this project was aesthetically pleasing and well finished”

14-16 – Best Innovation

Ella Freeman – Henrietta Barnett School – Sole in One Project. The Judges said “A great idea with a fantastic amount of materials research, testing and evaluation”

14-16 – Best use of Manufacturing Technology

Patricia Cheung – Brighton College – Collapsible Cello Chair. The Judges said “This design showed great use of both hand and machine technology culminating in a simple and elegant solution”

17-19 – Best Overall

Chris Kalogroulis, Sutton Grammar School – Flip magnetic clock. The Judges said ‘‘A professionally presented project, the judging panel all asked when they could buy one!’’

17-19 – Best Innovation

Chloe Lee – Henrietta Barnett School – Hummingbird Assistive device for Parkinson’s sufferers. The Judges said “This was an innovative project that helped with a life-limiting condition. The judges were impressed with not only the technology but the understanding and empathy towards the user base’’

17-19 – Best use of Manufacturing Technology

Georgina Edwards – St Peter’s School, York – A-Cam project. The Judges said “It was great to see a finalist with interests in both technology and sport, this project demonstrated excellent use of design and additive technologies”

Best Group Project

Westcliff High School for Boys – Blakiston Anti-Interference Turret. The Judges said “This was an impressive project which involved a high level of technical understanding in electronics and software”

People’s Vote

Isabelle Clark – Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls – Portable Activity Centre. The Judges said “We loved this idea and thought the project was finished to a particularly high standard”