The cars that will be rolling down the track at this year's New Mexico Electric Car Challenge will be carrying not only a payload, but also some 3D-printed parts.
Sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories, the annual competition is a high-energy, hands-on engineering challenge where middle school students from across New Mexico design, build, and race their own electric cars. It's teamwork, science, and engineering all rolled into one competition.
This year, teachers got a first-hand look at 3D printing capabilities during their pre-competition workshop at Sandia's Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation. CAMINO helps accelerate hardware design, rapid prototyping, and technology transfer for the nuclear security enterprise. For teachers helping students build electric cars, the workshop showcased the advantages of 3D-printed parts including part consolidation and functionality.
Teachers helped build 3D-printed parts and had the option of taking them home for their team's use. They also learned ways to use upper intelligence tools, also known as artificial intelligence tools, to enhance engineering instruction in their classrooms
"Rather than limiting STEM learning to a single event, teachers gained practical tools and experiences they could bring back to their classrooms, extending the impact of the program to students across the state," said Deb Menke, Sandia's K-12 STEM program manager. "Students are now applying those lessons as they design, build, test, troubleshoot, and race their electric vehicles."
Almost 250 students from more than a dozen New Mexico schools are expected to participate in this year's competition. The event will include engineering design interviews, research presentations, student and educator interviews, and the head-to-head races.
This year, a new People's Choice Award will allow students, families, coaches, volunteers, and guests to vote for their favorite student-designed vehicle.
The event will also feature an expanded showcase connecting students with organizations and professionals working in science, engineering, technology, and innovation. Organizations exhibiting hands-on STEM education activities for students and families include Sparing Curiosity in Quantum Science, PNM, UNM STEM-H Center, UNM Motorsports, Explora, Sandia Labs scientists, R4 Creating, the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, and other STEM partners from across New Mexico.
Students will put their cars and skills to the test Nov. 7.
