Middlesex University wins IMechE Design Challenge

This year’s competition saw teams designing an electrically-powered line launcher to simulate transferring goods between ships on the high seas. As well as being judged on their accuracy to launch a squash ball at a target from six metres, entrants also had to produce a poster and deliver a presentation to explain their concepts.

“The competition required our students to follow the complete design engineering process, from conception through design and implementation to operation,” said Dr Aleksandar Zivanovic, the Middlesex team leader.

“They worked really hard as a team to develop their device and were successful on the day. The experience will stand them in good stead as they develop their engineering careers."

Universities representing six regions (Greater London, North East, North West, Wessex, Midlands and Yorkshire) took part in the Challenge. The competition, set up almost a decade ago, is open to teams of up to five first year engineering students.

“We set up the Institution's Design Challenge to show first-year students that their academic studies had real life application,” said Dr Colin Brown, director of engineering at IMechE.

“We want to build on their interest to study the subject into an interest to subsequently follow an engineering career. The Challenge adds the further real life experience of competition and highlights the need to perform on the day. The winning teams are invariably the ones who have taken the most professional and structured attitude to solving problems. They give us great confidence for the future of engineering in the UK.”