Northern College Hosts 3D Printing Competition for High School Students

Northern College’s Department of Applied Research, Entrepreneurship and Innovation completed its first annual 3D Printing Competition at the Timmins Campus. The event showcased the creativity and technical skills of regional high school students.

The competition began on March 7 and included participants from ten high schools: Timiskaming District Secondary School, Englehart High School, Kirkland Lake District Composite School, Roland Michener Secondary School, Timmins High & Vocational School, Hearst High School, Kapuskasing District High School, Cochrane High School, and Iroquois Falls Secondary School.

Students submitted project concept descriptions with sketches. By April, CAD designs were evaluated by Keith Deslaurier, Applied Research, Entrepreneur and Innovation Research Officer, and Christian Smith, Mechanical Research Technologist. Prototypes were printed at each high school using Bambu Labs P1S 3D printers donated by Northern College. Final prototypes were produced at the College’s 3D Printing Lab and judged on originality, complexity, and functionality or artistic expression.

The competition concluded with an event on June 3 at the Timmins Campus. Awards were presented in two categories: Creative and Functional. Guest speaker Alireza Pasha, Public and Education Sector Manager at CAD MicroSolutions Inc., discussed current 3D printing technologies and future trends in Ontario industries.

In the Creative category, the grand prize went to Andrew Cull from Timiskaming District Secondary School. In the Functional category, the grand prize went to James Buller of Englehart High School. The grand prize winners received Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D Printers, while runners-up received custom engraved Yeti mugs.

Runners-up in the Creative category included:

• Nicholas Sikkema – Englehart High School – 80s Style Beach
• Hailey Field – Englehart High School – Ocean Scene
• Devon Hayes – Englehart High School – Camper
• Emily Mauro – Iroquois Falls Secondary School – Clown

Runners-up in the Functional category included:

• Nicolas-Xavier Racicot – Kapuskasing District High School – Airless Football
• Aaron Mowbray – Englehart High School – Drawers
• Ross Levesque – Roland Michener Secondary School – Lock Box
• Madison Heavens – Englehart High School – Black Projector