UM Students Won First Prize at the 4th Central South China, Hong Kong and Macao Undergraduates’ Creative Design and Manufacturing Competition

The 4^th Central South China, Hong Kong and Macao Undergraduates’ Creative Design and Manufacturing Competition was held in Guilin University of Electronic Technology in Guilin, China from 13-15 November 2009. UM team’s project won the first prize out of 121 projects from 36 famous universities including Huazhong University of Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Wuhan University, Hunan University, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, etc. for its ability to ensure technical operators’ safety and increase manufacturing enterprises’ cost effectiveness.

UM students Cao Nan, Chio Chon Kit and Tou Un Hong from the Department of Electromechanical Engineering of FST, won the first prize with their project “Applied RFID and Virtual Reality Technology in Professional Training System for Manufacturing” that is supervised by Dr. Wong Seng Fat (Chief supervisor) and Dr. Yang Zhixin (Co-supervisor). This project applies RFID and Virtual Reality Technology to Knowledge-based Training System and can help technical operators quickly master the processing techniques of various kinds of non-standard parts as well as the applicable scope and operation methods of machine tools, thus minimizing safety accidents and waste of materials due to artificial negligence, greatly reducing training time for professional technical operators, and increasing the cost effectiveness of manufacturing enterprises.

This is the first time UM has participated in this competition. Through fierce competition against 120 entries in the project demonstration and Q&A sessions, UM’s project won the first prize. In addition, UM has also been elected as a member of the Metalworking Education Association of Central South Area and Hong Kong & Macao SAR.

The competition aims to cultivate college students’ team spirit and their creative thinking, design, and manufacturing abilities, enable them to practice what they learn in reality, and encourage greater participation in extracurricular activities. The rule is that all entries must be innovative project related to manufacturing techniques. Manufacturing with NC processing technique and other special processing techniques are encouraged.