Automation design contest’s grand prize is won

This year, the 79 teams that earned a place in the final contest included 62 teams from China, eight from Taiwan, three from Thailand, three from India, two from Vietnam, and one from the newly participating the Netherlands - Fontys University of Applied Sciences. After the fierce competition, the winners of the Grand Prize, the highest honour, went to three schools, including Fontys University of Applied Sciences from the Netherlands, Sun Yat-sen University from Taiwan, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University from China.

Tim Lee, Head of Industrial Automation Business Group at Delta Electronics Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, stated: “We are excited that this year Fontys University of Applied Sciences from the Netherlands made its debut at the Delta cup. We have been collaborating with Fontys for educational programs since 2016, and we’re happy to see them participating in this contest, which also makes it the first time ever that a school from EMEA joining the contest.

“The Fontys team was not only overwhelmed by being recognised as one of the winners of the Grand Prize, the team was also amazed by the variety of creative and advanced automation technology. To be able to interact with students from all countries is also a precious and unique experience.”

Kevin Lu, Technical Head of Industrial Automation Business Group at Delta Electronics, EMEA Region, said: “The Smart Wrist project from Fontys adopts a Codesys motion control system to drive two sets of servo drives and motors, and controls the 360 degree rotation of two independent wedge disks mounted on bearings.

“The ROS robotic system achieves robot joint motions and precise horizontal control. It is flexible and extendable. The wrist can be applied in medical surgeries and the robot arm extends the end axis. The advanced robotic technology and highly flexible extendibility is regarded as a practical and potential solution.”

Andy Liu, the General Manager of Delta’s Industrial Automation Business Group, added: “The Delta Advanced Automation Design Contest is an important event for Delta to fulfil corporate social responsibility and cultivate new talents with industry-university cooperation.

“Through the contest, Delta helps students majoring in industrial automation to utilise their creativity and theory learning in real applications. The demos of the 6th-year event showed many innovative designs and demonstrate that this contest uncovers student potential. We believe these participants will become top talents in their future careers.”

During the 4-day final contest, contestants needed to pass two stages including a team competition and a championship contest followed by a proposal introduction, a demo kit display, and a direct Q&A session with the judges. At the team competition, all 79 contestants presented their ideas and demonstrated their demo kits’ functions and features to all the judges. Finally, after thorough review, 15 teams out of the 79 were chosen to compete in the championship contest, where they conducted a project presentation, an on-site demo, and a Q&A session.

Delta also organised a variety of activities and keynote speeches during the contest, including a tour of a smart demonstration line and laboratories at the Delta Wujiang Plant, a teachers’ seminar for experience sharing, and a career forum. Through these activities, Delta hoped to create opportunities for more interaction between colleges and industry, and information exchanges between teammates as well as other contestants, for a positive influence on future talent cultivation and development.

As a world-class provider of smart manufacturing, Delta has improved industrial technology while sharing its experience and techniques with talented students and academics through Delta’s Advanced Automation Design Contest every year since 2014. Delta is dedicated to finding and cultivating more talent for its ‘Automation for a Changing World’.