The ET Foundation, the educational and scientific organization devoted to promoting and advancing aluminum extrusion processes and technologies, and the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), released the Call for Entries for the 2024 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition.
The Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition aims to promote the understanding and use of extruded aluminum profiles, highlight innovations, and recognize excellence in aluminum extrusion design. Winning entries will be those that demonstrate the benefits of extruded aluminum—whether by inventing a new product or improving an existing one—by achieving the competition’s criteria and objectives of creativity, practicality, product/process improvement or advantage and market impact/potential.
The competition includes two entry classes — Professional and Student — with each competing within their own class. Cash prizes and student scholarships totaling $29,000 will be presented to the top designers. Student scholarships totaling $15,500 are sponsored by ALMAG Aluminum Inc., in Brampton, Ontario; MI Metals, Inc., in Oldsmar, Florida; and Pennex Aluminum Company LLC in Wellsville, Pennsylvania. Professional awards, totaling $10,000, as well as a $3,500 Grand Prize awarded across all categories and classes, are sponsored by AEC.
Winning entries will be displayed at the 13th International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar & Exposition (ET ’24), scheduled for April 30 through May 2, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.
Professional Class
Professionals compete in a separate competition from students, and entries will be divided into four categories: Structural/Architectural, Transportation, Engineered Products, or Alternative Energy. First-place cash prizes of $2,500 will be awarded to the best design in each category.
Individual designers and companies are eligible to submit an entry. Aluminum extruders and their customers are encouraged to team up to enter a design in the Competition. Team and multiple submissions will be accepted for both the Professional and Student Classes.
Student Class
Students studying design and engineering enrolled at universities, colleges, and technical, trade and design schools around the world are invited to participate in the Student Class. Student Scholarships will be presented as cash awards to the top student designs, including $5,000 for First Place, $4,000 for Second Place, and $3,000 for Third Place.
Students also may compete for the Sustainable Design Challenge Scholarship Award of $3,500. This distinctive design category challenges students to think about aluminum extrusions as a holistic solution to a design problem by developing a product design that, in addition to the four basic judging criteria, best addresses societal and/or environmental challenges or concerns. The winning entry must be a viable extrusion-based product that meets the demands of the environment while contributing to the quality of life for its intended users.
How to Enter
Entry in the 2024 International Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition is free. More information, including the Call for Entries complete with official entry forms, is available at the competition website at www.ETFdesign.org.
Entries for the competition will be accepted through February 26, 2024. Judging will take place following the entry deadline.
Helpful design resources, including webinars, presentations, and publications are available at the AEC website, including the AEC Aluminum Extrusion Manual.