A total of 27 students of Mechanical Engineering (ME) or 6 project teams from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) undertook Capstone Design Project to propose and showcase their innovation by designing, analysing, building ad testing a prototype of Amphibious Trash Collector (ATC) which can collect the simulated trash from the water and ground course respectively, recently. The competition, which took place in front of Fluid Mechanics laboratory at the FET building started with a design and dimensional check, followed by a slalom (zigzag) test in order to test the maneuverability and structural integrity of the prototype.
The ATC subsequently proceeded to collect land and water trash in which a reliable pick-and-place and a floating mechanism were required to allow the trash to be collected successfully, especially on the water. The ATC was also required to pass through a narrow and straight passage in order to ensure its motion synchronisation and drivability.
At the end of the competition, the ATC showed its capability of disposing of the collected trash at a designated trash collection point. The competition was judged based on the prototype design, creativity, functionality, and the quality of the workmanship. The competition and the project assessments were evaluated by the course lecturers – Dr. Lim Boon Kian, Dr. Liew Kia Wai, and Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Ng Poh Kiat.
Three winning teams were each awarded with a uniquely designed and 3D-printed award plaque and certificate of awards. Throughout this project and the competition, the students learned the skills and the experience related to the engineering product design process, in which they applied their engineering knowledge and soft skills to solve near real-world complex engineering problems.
Well done!
