Grand Prize

The Grand Prize across all categories with an award of $5,000 was given to Mark Butterfield and Dick Hinkel of Magnode Corporation in Trenton, Ohio for a light bar assembly used in emergency vehicles. Their design utilized extruded aluminum components. The base piece was designed with a special wind resistance fin to hold the light assembly tightly onto the top of the vehicle as speed increased. The computer console housing was made of extruded aluminum and held the computer components.

Each First Prize Winner in the following professional categories was awarded $2,000.

Building & Construction

This portable ramp, ideal for physically disabled individuals, won First Prize in its category. The design, submitted by T.E. Kenville of DT&J Roll-A-Ramp in West Fargo, North Dakota is remarkably lightweight and utilizes many extrusions. The aluminum extrusion process allowed the designer to offer a strong, flexible, and lightweight product with a variety of options in length, width, and strength for home, office, or vehicle use.

"It's amazing to see an 80-year-old woman come to my show booth and thank me for the freedom this product has afforded her," explained DT & J's Tom Kenville. "People have even asked to have the Roll-A-Ramp anodized to match their house!"

Transportation

A motorcycle frame used on the 2001 Honda Goldwing won Project Manager William C. Brennan of Kaiser Aluminum First Prize in the Transportation Category. The aluminum frame provided a weight-savings of 25 pounds over the previous steel design. In addition, "the aluminum frame offers an incredible 119-percent increase in lateral rigidity, plus a 77-percent gain in torsional rigidity," according to the manufacturer. Design Competition judges were impressed with the design of the frame components. "This double bend is tough to do," commented Richard Ziehm, observing the frame component extrusion sample. Joe Benedyk stated "It's impressive to extrude with this alloy (7003)."

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Industrial

David Ifft, Product Manager for General Extrusions, Inc. in Youngstown, Ohio won First Prize for a heatsink used in a conveyor motor. The complex design of the heatsink highlights the extrusion process with its many tiny voids. The designer explains his design: "The aluminum extrusion process allows the designer greater flexibility in combining form and function through the use of a complex shape. This design not only allows for efficient heat transfer, but greatly simplifies the installation/assembly of other component parts, as well. It is also more cost-effective to use a one-piece aluminum extrusion as opposed to multiple piece designs. The low cost and quick turnaround time makes this an ideal application for the aluminum extrusion process."

Commercial

First Prize was awarded to John J. Jaqua III, Director of Design at Tellus Furniture in Orleans, Indiana for his design of a base/hinge clamshell assembly used in the manufacture of a power/data raceway. Mr. Jaqua used aluminum for the design because of its durability, aesthetics, and function and the extrusion process for its strength and economy.

"I wanted to break away from the typical box-like raceways of other office furniture manufacturers and I knew I could design the necessary functionality into the shapes for movement and attachments," explained Mr. Jaqua. "Aluminum has the durability to withstand abuse. This combined with the functionality designed into this raceway, eases the job of the furniture installers," he continued. "Using extrusions also took many steps out of the manufacturing process as compared to more traditional steel products."

Residential

The First Prize in this category was shared between the manufacturer, Caframo Limited in Wiarton, Ontario and the extruder, Magnode Corporation in Trenton, Ohio. The Eco Fan AirPlus uses a two-piece anodized aluminum extrusion assembly. The fan is used in residential applications to distribute heated air. This unique design, using no external power source, uses heat from the stovetop to economically and effectively circulate warm air.

Honorable Mention

"From a design and die standpoint, this profile is a challenge to extrude due to its heavy and lighter sections. This would be pretty difficult to extrude," explained Competition judge Frank Kraft, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Ohio University. Because of the complexity of the design and the challenge the extrusion presented, Steven H. Yeh, Advanced Engineer at Hydro North America St. Augustine Operations, Florida was awarded an Honorable Mention for his design of a radius rod for an automotive rear suspension component. In explaining why aluminum extrusion was the process of choice for this component, Mr. Yeh wrote: "In this new all aluminum rear suspension, an extrusion was a natural choice for this connecting part due to its strength requirements, weldability, versatility in close tolerance requirements, compact size, and cost." Explaining the extrusion challenge, Mr. Yeh explained, "The extrusion die had to overcome this uneven flow of metal during the extrusion process and its runout tendencies during the water quench. Extrusion process variation was further controlled by the design's manufacturability intent." The judges were so impressed with the entry, they felt compelled to recognize the achievement by awarding an Honorable Mention.

The ET Foundation will hold a Student Design Competition yearly to allow more students from a greater variety of schools to participate. The Professional Design Competition will take place every other year. For more information, contact the ET Foundation.

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