SMTA Bright Manufacturing Challenge Enters Its Second Year With 30 Teams

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

SMTA’s second annual Bright Manufacturing Challenge kicked off July 1 and will end at SMTAI in October as college students from 30 teams (nearly double from the first year) compete to build a robot from the design to fabrication to assembly. Finalists will watch as the robots they built race for the first-place award. SMTA’s Tara Dunn talks about the program and this year’s challenge, what they’ve learned, and how excited the students are to be involved.

Marcy LaRont: Tara, congratulations on the Bright Manufacturing Challenge. How is this new program resonating with the engineering community?

Tara Dunn: Thank you. It's just such a testament to the uniqueness of this challenge and the fun that we're trying to bring. Importantly, this draws significant attention to the electronics manufacturing industry at a time when we know we need to nurture our next-gen workforce.

LaRont: Tell me about the teams entered in the competition. Where are they from and how are they connected with SMTA?

Dunn: We have 30 teams representing 14 schools participating. We require a faculty advisor, and we have a good mix of technical colleges and universities represented, which is what we want. Some schools have multiple teams because so many students are interested. As for our outreach efforts, we do our best to get the word out to students and put information about the Bright Manufacturing Challenge in front of people.

LaRont: How often do your student teams meet with a mentor or advisor?

Dunn: Right now, we're doing weekly meetings. As we enter the fabrication phase of the competition, and as the new school year ramps up, those meetings won’t be as frequent. But we meet consistently with students throughout the entire challenge to make sure we are offering as many learning opportunities as possible.

LaRont: Tara, tell me about the challenge itself. What are students asked to do?

Dunn: It's a longer-term challenge for students that comprises PCB design, PCB assembly, and performance. Students have three months to go through the different stages or rounds to the finals in October. Right now, we are in the first round, and this year, that performance is based on controlling a line-sensing robot. Once it’s designed and built, each team’s robots will race head-to-head, competing on their speed.

LaRont: So, each student team is designing a version of the same end product, and then they'll compete with one another in the finals?

Dunn: Exactly. July is the design phase. Altium has graciously sponsored its software for students to use in creating their designs. We gave the teams a schematic, bill of materials, parameters for the size, the required number of PCB layers, and the materials they have to use for the circuit board. They have to use the entire BOM. Then they start designing.

LaRont: How do they know how to start? Have some of them already done PCB design, or are they working hand in hand with mentors who are helping them learn it?

Dunn: All the above. Some of the team members are familiar with Altium and have used it. Some are not, but are familiar with tools more generally, and some are just learning as they go. We try to connect them with experts and answer their questions the best we can.

Altium offers several great programs, training videos, and resources to support students' learning. We also have an ongoing group discussion where students can ask open questions, which helps all the teams learn, because it is quite a short timeframe to learn how to design a circuit.

They get some leeway in terms of the shape of the board, but it must meet the required size parameters and layer counts. They have complete control over the routing and component placement, such as the sensors, microcontroller, and battery.

LaRont: It sounds like the layout of the board will be completely on them.

Dunn: Yes, it’s completely theirs. To add to the fun, each team can add one feature they think will improve the robot's performance. It’s 100% up to the We’ve been hearing some of their conversations, and it's really fun to see what they are planning.

LaRont: What are the specific deadlines and the overall schedule for reaching the finish line at SMTAI?

Dunn: This first phase finishes July 31, after which the entries will be judged, and the winners of round 1 and the 10 finalists will be announced. We wanted anyone who wanted to participate to be able to. At the same time, we know that not everyone can travel to Chicago for the finals. Round one is held remotely, and the 10 selected winners will advance to the next two rounds.

These 10 finalists will then begin to work with fabricators. We go through real-life situations where students run a DFM, ask for changes, and gain that experience; then we'll build those boards. At SMTAI, they will have a challenge of assembling those boards on the show floor, and finally, the robot competition.

LaRont: So, all 10 finalists from the design phase will do the fab phase and assembly phases?

Dunn: Yes, on Tuesday evening, when the show floor opens, they will have three hours for the assembly challenge. We have mentors there to help and give advice. Last year, people came to watch the students, and that added to the excitement. The robot race and final phase of the competition will take place on Wednesday at SMTAI.

LaRont: I remember the students last year at SMTAI, with their heads down, and working so earnestly. Will the robot competition be part of the show’s agenda?

Dunn: Yes, and we will have heats throughout the day. Last year, we learned that the teams really enjoyed the opportunity to add a special feature to their designs, so this year, they will get to explain that particular feature in a poster-style session. The teams will be displaying their robots on the show floor and will be available for questions and discussions at their posters.

We have created a People's Choice Award for the coolest looking robot, just purely what people think looks cool and who gets the most votes. We'll have a bragging rights kind of prize, and that brings in a real-world element. Something may look really cool, but if it’s too heavy, if you're slowing down your robot, you’ll lose the competition. I really appreciate that the teams have to consider all of those different things.

LaRont: Who judges throughout the program and during the final competition?

Dunn: The judges are industry volunteers, and I am happy to say that there's no shortage of them. Everybody's willing to jump in and help wherever their area of expertise is needed.

LaRont: We tend to learn some things when we start something new. What did you learn from the inaugural event and what have you changed for this year’s program based on those observations?

Dunn: We learned last year that the way we had it structured was pretty hard on the students. It is a challenge, and it’s not meant to be easy. But we're trying to be more mindful this year by adjusting the structure so students have more opportunity to interact with the industry, network with attendees, maybe attend a conference session, and walk through the expo. Making more space for students to make connections was one of our biggest takeaways.

LaRont: I had the pleasure of meeting members from one of the teams last year who were able to present at the Advanced Packaging Conference. Some of them were graduating and looking for jobs, so, the networking piece is key.

Dunn: Yes, we are happy to be creating more intentional space for that, and we're looking forward to the competitions at SMTAI. This first phase has been busy for those students, as they are getting to know each other, building out their teams, and understanding the design they must create. Now we start to see that magic happen as the designs start to come together.

LaRont: Tara, it’s a great program. Congratulations on doubling your participation this year, have fun and good luck to the teams.

Dunn: Thank you, Marcy. We will be making a big announcement around the second week of August with our round one winners, so stay tuned.