General Motors’ manufacturing team is looking to university students to develop practical applications for the latest crazes of the techno-elite like 3D-printed gnomes and glasses that will go beyond providing the wearer directions to the nearest coffee shop.

The GM Innovation Challenge has engaged students at four major universities in a fast-paced competition to find new uses for additive manufacturing – 3D printing – and augmented reality – devices similar to Google Glass.

Pennsylvania State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor are currently participating in the GM Innovation Challenge, having recruited student teams to develop concepts for products and processes that can be deployed on a factory floor.

“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,” said Kurt Wiese, vice president of Global Manufacturing Engineering. “In fact, many new and emerging technologies that are often viewed as fads have practical applications in a factory.”

“Wearable devices, augmented reality and 3D printing are perfect examples of the impact a rapid advance in technologies can have in providing solutions not conceived of just a few years, or even a few months ago,” said Anthony A. Atchley, senior associate dean at Penn State University’s College of Engineering

For Jeffrey Motala, manager of vehicle systems integration at GM, the challenge will test the students’ abilities to develop something that can be reasonably implemented, but still push the boundaries of creativity.

“GM employees around the world already look at unconventional tools, technologies and processes and how they can be applied in our factories,” Motala said, mentioning the use of Google Glass to train paint shop employees at GM’s Orion Assembly plant. “By challenging college students to do the same, we hope to demonstrate the possibilities that await them if they choose a career in manufacturing.”

Source: GM

Tags: 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing, Anthony A. Atchley, engineering, General Motors, Georgia Institute of Technology, GM, GM Innovation Challenge, Google Glass, Kurt Wiese, MIT, Pennsylvania State University, University of Michigan