Design a Cookie Cutter: Announcing the 2nd Annual Zachary Richard Podkul ’18 MET Design Challenge

Cookie cutter example, in the machine, and in design.

You Could Earn an MET Student Scholarship for Fall 2022!

Are you a mechanical engineering technology student in the Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology at Michigan Tech? Design a Michigan Tech cookie cutter to be used by the department to send to MET prospective students, employers and alumni. Also, provide an assembly of the automated process used to manufacture the cookie cutter. See an example of the manufacturing process.

The cookie cutter design should conform to the size of the manufacturing fixture, provided as an NX CAD model to get you started. (See the related Canvas Course for a model download.)

The top-rated design (Blue and Green parts) for manufacturing the cookie cutter will be 3D printed using the Stratasys Fortus 400 MC which uses Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process of extruding plastic filament. NX CAD software must be used for this contest.

Watch the Video Introduction

Judging Rubric

  • Parametric—3D CAD model(s) utilizes sketches fully constrained with parametric features and fully constrained parts in the assembly – 5 points
  • Originality—Unique and innovative design – 5 points
  • Optimized—Minimized use of material not compromising strength – 5 points
  • Manufacturability—Ability for part to be easily formed in manufacturing fixture – 5 points
  • Ease of use—The manufacturing design is ergonomic and simple to operate – 5 points

Note: designs not meeting the fixture size and software will be disqualified from judging.

Awards

1st Place of $1000 and 2nd Place of $500

The winners of the competition will be awarded the Zachary Richard Podkul Memorial Scholarship for the fall of 2022 semester. The designs will be highlighted in MMET online publications in memory of Zachary Podkul, who graduated from MET in 2018. It’s a nice way to build your resume or have a great talking point during an interview, all while helping lower the cost of your tuition for next year.

Timeline

Challenge is posted/released—December 8, 2021
Entries due—April 1, 2022
Winner announced—April 19, 2022

To Submit Entry: Join this Canvas course and submit your file.

More about Zachary

Richard T. and Catherine F. Podkul established an endowed scholarship in honor of their dear son, Zachary Richard Podkul, who passed away in 2020 from Crohn’s disease at age 25. Zachary shared a love of cooking, the outdoors and nature, writing and poetry. Learn more here.