Over the past 6 months FTL have been working on a project run by the EDT (Engineering Design Team) with 4 students from Oldham Hulme Grammar School which concluded on the 15th April with a Celebration Assessment Day (CAD), held at the University of Liverpool. The project was to design a carrier to transport, store and process PCB assemblies at elevated temperatures and had to be compliant with ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) control standards. The FV430 Control PCB Assembly was chosen as the vehicle as it provided challenges with both large size of components and close proximity of components to the edge of the PCB, precluding the use of commercially available carriers. During this period FTL Engineers - Rob Wormald and Tony Duffy - worked with the students, as mentors, with Ann Sharphouse providing input from the Manufacturing perspective.
Following the Workshop at Liverpool University last December, the prototype unit, manufactured from MDF, was reviewed on E-Floor and comments made for inclusion in the final design which was drawn up, using CAD software and manufactured in our own workshop. The students then worked on a Final Report, submitted at the end of March and prepared for the Celebration Assessment Day (CAD).
The students, were tasked to give a 20 minute presentation to a panel of assessors to address the problem, the project and planning tools utilised, the results of prototyping and the final solution. In addition a display board was also on show, along with the prototype and final product, for assessors to visit and ask further questions. After the assessments the poster displays produced by all 21 School/Company teams taking part were open for general viewing by parents and special guests. During the day all participating students were tasked to vote for their favourite display stand.
The students performed a very impressive and confident powerpoint presentation in front of the panel of 4 assessors and answered all questions, without any intervention from ourselves. The display board was entirely their own work with all other Schools demonstrating significant input from their sponsoring companies. The feedback from the assessors was very positive. Since this event was the first time for both Oldham Grammar School and FTL we did not know what to expect and we were all very surprised when Oldham Hulme Grammar School received an award for the ‘Students favourite display stand’ at the Presentation Ceremony.
01/08/2010