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2002 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition
Student Class Winning Entries
First Prize
Ryan Wilson, a student at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut
won First Prize in the Student Class of the Design Competition with
his design of an extruded loft bed. Ryan created the design to free
up valuable dormitory living space by safely elevating the mattress
off the floor. The four-post construction supports the bed and can be
elevated without the need of bracing. "The versatility of the design
allows as many as three beds to be bunked on a single set of posts,"
wrote Ryan, explaining the design in his entry form. "There are
optional accessories to be incorporated into the bed, such as a flip
away desk, book shelves, drawers, etc. all with safe and easy adjustability."
Aluminum extrusions replace the wood construction of traditional dorm beds, and offers versatility in design. "There's nothing like it (on the market today)," stated competition judge Richard Ziehm. "There is clearly a demand for a product like this. The potential volume is phenomenal."
Second Prize
The Student Competition's Second Prize went to Alexander Bandar, Frank
C. Gift, Jr., and Mario Epler from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
for their design of Digital Armor - an extruded aluminum protective
case for a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The students chose aluminum
extrusion for their design "because of its inherent properties,"
according to the students' entry form. "The extrusion of aluminum
allows for relative ease in forming three-dimensional shapes of constant
cross-section with close tolerances." In addition, the designers
specified an anodized finish for their Digital Armor. "Anodizing
aluminum will support production of a wide range of aesthetically pleasing
and fashionable metallic covers, as well as resist wear and fading better
than paint."
The judges were very impressed with the student entries (20 in all) submitted during the 2002 Design Competition, stating it was harder to win in the student category because of the high caliber of all the entries.
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.