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GM Innovation Challenge Kicks Off Next Week

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The GM Innovation Challenge will officially launch next Monday, October 6th, across four different major universities. Participating schools include Georgia Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. These four schools will be involved in a friendly competition to determine new uses for additive manufacturing (like 3D printing) and augmented reality (like Google Glass).

GM Innovation Challenge

The GM Innovation Challenge will allow students to explore additive manufacturing and augmented reality.
©GM

“This challenge is one of multiple things GM is doing around the world to change the perception that manufacturing employs old-world techniques to build vehicles,” explained Kurt Wiese, the VP of Global Manufacturing Engineering. “In fact, many new and emerging technologies that are often viewed as fads have practical applications in a factory.”


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Each school will be represented by several teams that will choose topics, research them thoroughly, and, after brainstorming, develop actual concepts. Then, each team will present its final concept to a panel of judges during the week of November 3rd.

Only one team from each school will win the first round of the GM Innovation Challenge (and $500 per team member) and advance to Detroit for the finals on November 17th – 18th. The winning team of the finals will receive $1,000 per team member, as well as internships with General Motors for the summer of 2015.

“GM employees around the world already look at unconventional tools, technologies and processes and how they can be applied in our factories,” said Jeffrey Motala, GM’s manager of vehicle systems integration. “By challenging college students to do the same, we hope to demonstrate the possibilities that await them if they choose a career in manufacturing.”

Interested students from participating schools can still register for the GM Innovation Challenge, now through 10pm on October 3rd.


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