The 8th Delta International Smart & Green Manufacturing Contest – Mahidol University and Lanzhou University of Technology Win Grand Prizes

At present, industries around the globe are putting much emphasis and effort on reaching net-zero carbon emissions. This is the ultimate goal of sustainable development and it will greatly affect future economic competitiveness. Engaging in sustainability and environmental action for many years, Delta Group is organizing “The 8th Delta International Smart & Green Manufacturing Contest, Seeking Low-carbon Manufacturing Talents” with three theme tracks: Energy-saving Machines, Green Manufacturing, and Green Living. The contest aims to encourage the younger generation to make connections with the topic of smart manufacturing and apply theory to practice through academic communications and discussions. Hundreds of outstanding students, from China, Taiwan, India, Thailand, and Vietnam, have participated in the contest, showcasing their innovative solutions based on Delta’s Industrial Automation expertise. Undergoing the preliminary proposal review and online tests, 107 teams were selected by the authoritative judging panel and then made it to the final. Team Gaia from Mahidol University and Team Dream from Lanzhou University of Technology performed extraordinarily well in the final round and received Grand Prizes out of all the contestants.

Over the past few years, the Delta Cup Contest has initially taken place at Delta’s Wujiang plant in China. Since 2021, the in-person competition has been switched to online contests due to the pandemic. This year, the final contest kicked off on August 6 – 7, with the semi-final and grand final held on two separate days. Overcoming online barriers, multi-skilled students demonstrated their projects in various innovative ways through live streaming and pre-recorded videos, which indicated that industrial automation knowledge as well as creative thinking are strengthened by the contest.

Taiwanese students experienced great performances at the contest, with three teams reaching the finals and two teams winning First Prizes. One of the First Prizes went to National Formosa University. The team came up with the idea of “End Mill Tool Life Prediction System”, which substantially reduces the complexity of setting and operating time. By means of building big data modeling of the end mill tool prediction system, the solution helps extend equipment life, cut down on waste, and achieve green manufacturing goals in the processing industry. Students from National Yunlin University of Science & Technology also earned a First Prize. The team mainly focuses on the practice of green living by utilizing the hydroelectric power system to collect and regenerate electricity for a water curtain display. The system also possesses a forecasting function by storing electricity and predicting generating efficiency, creating a natural, green, and energy-saving environment.

Mr. Chientan Lien, the CTO of Delta IABG, remarked, “As this year’s contest begins, we have observed a great many remarkable students that strive to make the best use of Delta’s industrial automation products with their background knowledge and presenting whole new solutions. It’s an honor to be here and see students sharing, cooperating, and interacting with us and other participants. Delta will continue hosting international contests and hold on to our beliefs about smart manufacturing and talent cultivation.”

The teams partaking in The 8th Delta International Smart & Green Manufacturing Contest demonstrated their best and brought a fascinating automation show to the judges and the public.

• Team Gaia, Mahidol University (Thailand) – “Carbon Polymerizing System” (Grand Prize)
Seeing that human beings rely heavily on petroleum products, which can cause severe environmental pollution, Team Gaia proposed a carbon polymerizing system that transforms carbon dioxide into biodegradable plastic (PHB) to build a self-sustainable ecosystem and prevent the atmosphere from having excessive carbon molecules. The solution adopts Delta’s PLC to control valves releasing minerals. The AC servo system then controls the mixing mechanism and uploads monitoring parameters to DIACloud and SCADA. The team also uses Delta’s 6-axis articulated robot to pick and place test tubes containing purified PHB.

• Team Dream, Lanzhou University of Technology (China) – “A Multi-mode Interconnected Color-tunable Energy-saving Street Light” (Grand Prize)
In northern China’s rural areas, the roads are occupied with floating dust and single-function street lights. In light of the smart revolution, the team has developed energy-saving street lights with multi-functions such as color mixing, one-touch alarm, and remote monitoring to detect particulate matter in the air and automatically adjust the light based on the haze concentration. This innovative street light greatly improves driving safety during smoggy weather and at nighttime. In addition, the solution adopts a new type of battery (supercapacitors and solar panels), uses maximum power point tracking (MPPT), and further leverages Delta’s PLC to control the tracks of solar panels.