Mastercam Announces Winners of 2018 'Wildest Parts' Contest

CNC Software Inc., developer of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, has announced the 2018 winners of its Wildest Parts Competition. The contest, which has secondary and postsecondary divisions, is designed to encourage student interest and participation in manufacturing. Participants receive a Mastercam t-shirt, and winners receive cash awards while their instructors are given shirts, plaques, and other prizes for encouraging students to enter. The Gene Haas Foundation also supports the contest and awards a $1,500 scholarship for continuing education to the first-place winner, a $750 scholarship to the second-place winner and a $250 scholarship to the third-place winner.

In the secondary division, first-place winner Caelen DeVall from Hamilton High School submitted a spiral didgeridoo, which is a large Australian wind instrument. His version of the instrument is wrapped, making it more compact. He applied applied Mastercam’s Dynamic OptiRough toolpath for the inside of the instrument and applied both rough and finish toolpaths for the outside. Grayson Weber from Capital High School placed second with a fly-tying kit, and Zane King from Capital High School placed third with his submission of dirt bike pegs.

In the postsecondary division, first-place winner Andrew Nicosia from Erie Community College submitted a vacuum engine he designed for his Advanced CNC class. It is designed to run off a butane or propane torch held in front of a small hole in the top of the cylinder. A total of 32 mill programs and 5 lathe programs were used to create the 24 different parts in the assembly. Sam Galliart from Pittsburg State University placed second with a gorilla face injection mold.

Submissions are also now open for the 2019 Wildest Parts Competition. Visit Mastercam’s website for more information, along with rules and entry forms.