Each team of two students had four competition stages to complete, all relating to different areas of automation, which included assembling and configuring air‑powered control systems, creating more complex electro-pneumatic systems, applying knowledge of logic circuits and system design to meet a technical brief, and diagnosing and fixing issues in automation setups within a time limit. These stages tested competitors' technical accuracy, problem solving, teamwork and performance under pressure.
First place went to Lisburn Level 3 Apprenticeship NI in Engineering (Electrical/Mechatronics) (Level 2 En route) students Shane Travers (28, Lisburn) and Mark Sutherland (33, Belfast), who each won a £70 Amazon voucher. Second place went to Lisburn Level 3 Apprenticeship NI in Engineering (Electrical/Mechatronics) (Level 2 En route) students Callum McCargo (17, Downpatrick) and James Dinsmore (37, Killyleagh), who each won a £50 Amazon voucher. Third place went to Bangor Level 3 Apprenticeship NI in Engineering (Electrical/Mechatronics) (Level 2 En route) students James King (18, Donaghadee) and Christy Mallon (18, Bangor), who each won a £30 Amazon voucher.
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