Mastercam contest for students

[KathieK]

From the Mastercam website:
Are You the Next Innovator of the Future?
The Innovator of the Future contest gives one lucky student an opportunity of a lifetime, and helps introduce students to real-world manufacturing by asking them to produce a specific part that will be judged by a special guest from the manufacturing industry. CNC Software is excited to invite experienced manufacturers as judges. The first guest judge will be Boyd Coddington, of Discovery Channel's "American Hot Rod," the legendary hot-rod builder and designer. The theme for the first Innovator contest is a car wheel (specs on website). The Innovator of the Future contest is open to any individual student in the continental United States using Mastercam. The winning part will be chosen by the guest judge.

The deadline for entry on the first contest is December 31, 2005. The part is a 17” X 9.5” hot rod wheel at 1/4 scale. Three contestants will be chosen to go to the final round, and then the "industry judge" will determine the final winner. All entrants will receive a Mastercam T-shirt for participating and all prizes will be awarded in March 2006.

The winner will receive a $1,000.00 scholarship to the school of their choice. They will also have their part proudly displayed in the Mastercam booth at a national trade show. The winner and a chaperone will be a guest of CNC Software for a day at the show. The winner will get the opportunity to explain at a student summit in front of other manufacturing industry students how they made their part. The winning wheel design will be part of Boyd Coddington's wheel line.

[Cory]

While this sounds really cool, I'm kind of not seeing what this is hoping to achieve.

How many high school students have access to both mastercam, and CNC machine tools?

Probably not too many...

[Andrew Blair]

Not complaining or anything, but 1000 bucks doesn't seems that much to have so many designs (the draft and the design done for you), put in front of you. Seems like a good deal for Boyd.

[teamtestbot]

I wonder if the winner gets royalties?

Because if not, this is quite a deal for Boyd!

[techtiger1]

Looks fun I must say. I might just have to work on this, since I am one of those ppl who goes to a school that has access to mastercam 10, a cnc mill and lathe.
I will keep everyone reported,
-Drew

[Elgin Clock]

That looks pretty cool..

And just to prove that making wheels in CAD can be done with some time and patience, I am attaching something that I did last year.

Granted I did reverse engineer the actual wheel, and it's not my design at all, but... it can be done in a day or so.. once you have a nice design thought out.

Here is a pic of the original American Racing brand Wagon Wheel style for reference:



And attached below is my wheel I made in SolidWorks with a tape measure, calipers, and some time and patience. It's not perfect, as the depth is a little off and makes the triangle shapes look weird, but it's a start.

[ghansel]

What's vaguely amusing is that a copy of Mastercam is a significant fraction of the $1000 prize. Money for MasterCAM goes to CNC Software, and then to RAGE, located in Hartford, where NEMO presumably finds its 'headquarters'. Vaguely amusing in only the most nonapparent of ways. It's a good deal for Coddington too.

[Joe Johnson]

Originally Posted by ghansel

What's vaguely amusing is that a copy of Mastercam is a significant fraction of the $1000 prize. Money for MasterCAM goes to CNC Software, and then to RAGE, located in Hartford, where NEMO presumably finds its 'headquarters'. Vaguely amusing in only the most nonapparent of ways. It's a good deal for Coddington too.

Are you seriously implying that the there is something wrong or improper going on here?

If so, I think it is shear silliness. The connection takes more twists than a Rube Goldberg Mechanism.

I think that a more likely scenario is that a Chief Delphi member found out about a contest she thought other Chief Delphi members would find interesting and perhaps even rewarding in terms of a college scholarship.

Occam's Razor as well as my general faith in mankind makes my choice of which explanation is most likely correct pretty straightfoward.

Joe J.

[David Guzman]

Does anyone know how to inport the wheel into mastercam after having it in Inventor 10? If you do please share.

Dave

[Rich Kressly]

Originally Posted by ghansel

What's vaguely amusing is that a copy of Mastercam is a significant fraction of the $1000 prize. Money for MasterCAM goes to CNC Software, and then to RAGE, located in Hartford, where NEMO presumably finds its 'headquarters'. Vaguely amusing in only the most nonapparent of ways. It's a good deal for Coddington too.

I know Dr. Joe already replied, but I just feel compelled to ask a question.
You think RAGE and NEMO are realizing monetary benefit from this?

I'd really love to hear your explanation of EXACTLY how that is happening as you make pretty bold and scathing claims, but please do it in a PM so not to take up more space (or hurt more feelings) here.

I'm wondering how well you know Kathie Kentfield and the concept behind NEMO. Headquarters? NEMO leadership is positioned throughout the country. There's no one that I know of "going to work" every day at NEMO HQ and, thus there are no overhead costs. I'll go WAY out on a limb here and venture my best educated guess here, since I know many involved with NEMO, and state that I don't believe there is a bank account anywhere on this planet associated with NEMO. So unless someone is handing over unmarked bills in brown paper bags .... you get the point.

If you really feel strongly about this, please PM me your detailed thoughts. If there is a misunderstanding, I'd like to see the record set straight.

[KathieK]

Neither I nor NEMO nor RAGE have anything to do with this contest. We will not benefit from it, but I hope a FIRSTer will.

[Jeff Rodriguez]

Originally Posted by ghansel

What's vaguely amusing is that a copy of Mastercam is a significant fraction of the $1000 prize. Money for MasterCAM goes to CNC Software, and then to RAGE, located in Hartford, where NEMO presumably finds its 'headquarters'. Vaguely amusing in only the most nonapparent of ways. It's a good deal for Coddington too.

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

If you really feel strongly about this, please PM me your detailed thoughts. If there is a misunderstanding, I'd like to see the record set straight.

I would also like to hear your thoughts about this contest, via PM.

I can assure you that RAGE is NOT benefiting from this contest in any way.

I would also like to thank CNC Software and Mr. Mark Summers for all the support and encouragement they have given to RAGE.

[RoboMom]

<drifting off-topic a bit but can't help it>
NEMO HQ?? A little history lesson here. In the spring of 2004 I noticed that there were posters in CD who sounded like me. Two in fact; Cheryl in Calif and Kathie in Ct. We started emailing, talked about creating a support group and info exchange. Thus NEMO was born in May 2004. CD was gracious enough to give us a private forum, not to be exclusive, but so we could have some constructive threads by adults. ANYONE is invited into NEMO, and we have made exceptions for some students who ask nicely. We'd love to have a representative from your team join. Just pm me.

I am appreciative of all the work Kathie does to support NEMO (check out many of the white papers facilitated by her). She supports mentors everywhere and her efforts are appreciated by many.

We first met at a Dunkin Donuts while I was on the road. The second time we met was at the Chespeake, watching her son on one side of the field, and mine on the opposite (and both being watched by their elderly grandmothers and great-grandmothers on NASA TV). The 3rd was at the Championship. She and I are the CEO's, COO's, board of directors, queen and princess with great powers (Brandon promoted me to my level of incompetence and let me be a "moderator.") Cheryl is taking a break from FIRST.

NEMO receives no funding, nor do we ask for any. CD covers communication, and all of you do the rest. FIRST was nice enough to put a link on the website. We had a meet and greet at the Championship. About 7 of us met on the plaza, shook hands, talked a bit, took some pictures. It was fun, free and great to connect the faces.


But I am open to taking suggestions for a HQ! Hawaii sounds pretty good to me today. Just had to cancel meeting with all the Baltimore City rookie teams due to pesky weather. But I will be following up with all of them, including giving them packets of NEMO-generated white papers.

[KathieK]

OK, one more explanation and then I'm going to ask that this thread be closed because it went awry. I think that an astute observation was made here, but the implication was incorrect.

I love CAD (had I not been discouraged in the early 70s from pursuing drafting as a career because I am a female I would no doubtedly be working in the field now) and love Mastercam and check their site often. I saw the contest, thought it might interest someone here on CD and posted it.

I learned a lot as a mentor on RAGE for 4 years; left the team in June to devote more time to NEMO and to the other FIRST committees that I am on. Like many of you, I retain strong ties to my "alma mater" team. That is why you see me mentioning them in my postings frequently.

I applaud the strong support that CNC Software and CEO Mr. Summers have given to FIRST. Mr. Summers (a fellow alum of Rockville High School) has devoted hundreds of hours of his personal time tutoring students, as well as providing financial support.

NEMO is a virtual organization with a virtual headquarters and virtual bank account.

So, yes, in a roundabout way, Mastercam, CNC Software, RAGE and NEMO are all connected through me, but we will not benefit by this contest.

End of discussion.

[Mike Martus]

I am closing this thread at the request of the originator.