The challenge

Teams of apprentices are challenged to design and make a product for automating an everyday product.  Teams must demonstrate engineering competence according to EC UK-SPEC for EngTech by:

• Designing a product  - a prototype, a working model
• Providing a design specification, manufacturing instructions and user manual
• Providing a business case for the mass production and sale of the product.

Scope 

The scope is as broad as the imagination of the participants. The product must be suitable for mass production.

You are asked to:

• make a full size working concept of your idea
• provide a written report detailing:
  • what your product is
  • how it works
  • how it will be manufactured.

We will not accept a purely software solution to the problem, or something that has an industrial application.

Examples of automation

An example of an automated process in the home is a toaster, which takes bread and creates toast. A toaster would usually come with operating instructions and some information about safe disposal.

Other acceptable examples could include:

• Automated baby gate
• Automatic seeding machine
• Automatic recycling sorter
• Charger built into household surfaces
• Wall painting robot
• Automatic clothes folder - device to fold clothes laid onto the device
• Automatic watering system using rain water harvesting and humidity sensors
• Kitchen surface cleaning system.

Assessment

Your product will be marked based on a 50/50 grading of your final prototype and your report.

Report

Your report must have a detailed specification of what your product is and how it works. You must include details of how to operate your product.

Great consideration must be given to how your product will be mass produced. We expect to see some detail around all the processes that you will consider using to manufacture your product in a safe and economical manner. As part of your report, you must include a business case for your product, detailing:

• costs involved
• target market
• unique selling point of product.

Please also consider the product lifecycle, health and safety surrounding your product, and any other regulations which will have to be adhered to in order for your product to be used in the home.

The Final

The Final is the opportunity for you to present your product to the panel of judges. The event is open to the public giving you the opportunity to showcase your products to a wider audience. This is an amazing opportunity to network with sponsors and wider industry.

The Final concludes with key note speeches and the Awards ceremony.

During the final, judges will be assessing each participating team delivery of key criteria,

• Quality of prototype
• Product functionality
• Team’s depth of knowledge
• Design
• Team’s presentation 

Find out more about key dates for registration and submission.