Conestoga student Riley Ogilvie has won the International Student Robotic Welding Competition. Sponsored by the American Welding Society (AWS), the competition required participants to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in industrial robotics, welding technology and industrial safety.
AWS is a non-profit organization that serves more than 70,000 members worldwide. With a global mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding, the Society supports thousands of industry professionals including welders, manufacturers, vendors, associations, educational institutions and students.
The competition included written examinations and practical demonstrations where students had to create a welded steel mailbox; each contestant was provided with materials and instructions to construct the mailbox in a series of four operations, each performed on a different brand of robot.
Ogilvie finished in first place with a $1,000 prize beating Lu Quan Li and Huang Li Cong of China, who placed second and third. Industry experts judged the competition and reviewed comprehension, ability and accuracy of the robot execution as well as the quality of the completed steel mailbox quality when scoring.
The competition, held December 5 to 8 in Huntsville, Alabama, is the first student welding challenge hosted by the AWS. Competition results were released in the March issue of the AWS monthly magazine, Welding Journal.
Ogilvie has completed the second year of the Welding Engineering Technology - Inspection program and is now on a co-op work placement at BOS Innovations, a robotics and automation integrator in Dorchester, Ontario. The company ensured Ogilvie’s participation in the event by sponsoring his travel to Alabama.
Conestoga’s Welding Engineering Technology - Inspection advanced diploma program prepares students to combine theoretical knowledge and practical skills in a variety of operational areas such as selection and application of welding processes, troubleshooting of welding equipment, the operation of welding robotics and automation.
Visit the program page for more information.