Competition Guide

DESIGN STATEMENT

Create a quality of life invention to help mitigate a common problem you’d face. Design for convenience, and design as if it’s a product you would market to others. Also, create a short video (2–3 min) or slide deck (3-5 slides) pitching your product to us/explaining how you made it. 

You will be working in groups of 3 for the duration of the Challenge. Coordinate online or in-person accordingly.

RULES

• Treat your team members with respect, and involve them in all stages of the Challenge. 

• Do NOT use AI, except for the following approved uses:

  • Use of the free Fusion add-on and engineering copilot, Hestus, is permitted and encouraged.

  • Use of the Camfer program integrated into Solidworks.

  • Use of AI to research implementation of human-brainstormed ideas.

  • Use of AI to format the Research Documentation deliverable.

• Include any AI prompts used in the Research Documentation deliverable.

• Do not plagiarize, or claim models designed outside the team as your own.

The Challenge is designed to imitate real-world open-ended design processes. We expect you to adhere to these rules, and work only with your team.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Please see the schedule page.

PROJECT TIMELINE

11/19 | Day One 

• Meet with your team over VC, and start verbally brainstorming product ideas. Make sure all members have a Devpost account. Fill out this [REQUIRED] GROUP ASSIGNMENT FORM and make sure all members are added to the same Project on Devpost.

11/20 | Day Two

• Finalize your product idea and sketch out a rough design concept (Solidworks or paper).

• Start pasting your brainstorming & sketches onto your Research Documentation Deliverable.

11/21 | Day Three

• Create a 3D-model of your design concept. Assign appearances and finalize your CAD File Deliverable.

11/22–23 | Day Four + Five

• As a group, create your short powerpoint or film your short video for your Presentation Deliverable.

• One person adds all deliverables to the Devpost Project, and hits submit!

HARD DEADLINES

11/19 @11:59PM — SUBMISSIONS OPEN. 

11/21 @11:59PM — GROUP ASSIGNMENT FORM CLOSES. Message an organizer ASAP on Discord to confirm your team if you missed this deadline.

11/23 @11:59PM — SUBMISSION DEADLINE. Devpost submission page closes at midnight.

By 11/30 — All participants will be notified of winners. 1st–3rd places will be contacted to distribute cash prizes.

JUDGES' RUBRIC

• 60% Product Design

  • 30% Function

    • 3 - Product seems easily accessible/simple to use; achieves problem statement

    • 2 - Product is unintuitively designed but still achieves problem statement

    • 1 - Product does not seem like it would achieve problem statement well

    • 0 - No submission

  • 20% Problem Statement

    • 2 - Problem is well-defined and fits under the theme of a common convenience product

    • 1 - Problem is a little too open-ended/too “niche”

  • 10% Aesthetics

    • 1 - Product appears refined

• 40% Supplementals

  • 30% Documentation

    • 3 - Clearly shows steps taken, explains design choices and product function

    • 2 - Omits one of the three

    • 1 - Only one of the three

  • 10% Presentation

    • 1 - Presentation looks reasonably neat, video looks somewhat rehearsed/prepared

• If Mittens Award:

  • Given to highest-placing team who opted in, based on Digital Odyssey's criterion

SUBMISSION DELIVERABLES

We are using Devpost to collect submissions. Please note that your Project will be visible to the public, and it may include as much detail as you'd like. However, judges will only be considering the "File Upload" in the Additional Info section, which will contain the following:

1. FINAL PRODUCT CAD FILE 

• Format: all STP and assembly files required to open components and assembly

2. PRESENTATION

   • Format (pick 1 of 2)

     • Video: 3-5 min length, all members have a speaking role w/camera OR 

     • Powerpoint: 3 content + 1 title slide

   • Pitch your idea in a short statement! Discuss your brainstorming process and outcome, your product's target audience, and why this is important for everyday life. Make sure your presentation completes your submission by addressing items on the rubric, including feasibility of production and explanation of function.

3. RESEARCH DOCUMENTATION

• Format: 1-2 pages maximum PDF

• Include any sketches and other forms of visual or technical documentation. (Formatted presentably, can use ChatGPT to format but NOT create.) Your documentation must include all AI prompts used; this will not count towards your page maximum limit. See website for more details on the AI policy. 

OPTIONAL: MITTENS AWARD

On the Devpost submission page, opt into being considered for the Mittens Award, presented by Digital Odyssey. This award recognizes a project that supports robotics, programming, or streamlining workflow, and requires no additional submission elements.

When you submit your project, your "File Upload" should be a single zip file containing all 3 items.

🐝ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 🐝

Inspiration

• TurboSquid: https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/3D-Models/free/inventor

• Product Design 101: https://www.onething.design/post/product-design-101

• Go wild on Pinterest!

Contact Us & Support Channels

Email: thecadchallenge@gmail.com

Discord: Contact an organizer!

Additional Resource links

• Install and use Hestus on Fusion

• Feedback Form

• How to use Camfer

• Perplexity Pro and Comet Browser