A team of engineering students certainly have designs on success. The University of Central Lancashire students impressed judges at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Design Competition. The team, made up of Abbas Hussain, from Bury, Rabia Muzzafar-bibi, from Farnworth , and Mishel Daluwattage, won the Judges' Design Award at the national finals.
The annual event sees engineering students from university technical colleges and universities test their skills against each other by designing, building, and testing a device to complete a specific task. This year, students were required to build a device to simulate an autonomous vehicle, such as a driverless truck used in confined areas, and test its ability to move in this type of setting. Throughout 2024, students competed in regional heats and finals, with the University of Central Lancashire winning and going on to represent the North West in the national final.
Teams delivered presentations to a panel of judges, showcased their computer-aided designs, and tested their vehicles. They were scored in several categories: poster competition, presentation competition, design review, design excellence, and a main challenge. The University won the Design Excellence award and came second in the main challenge.
Mr Hussain, a 23-year-old motorsports engineering student, said: "Winning the Judges' Design Excellence Award feels incredibly rewarding and humbling. "It’s an acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication that .
