Project MFG Crowns West Virginia University ETEC as Inaugural Additive Manufacturing National Champions

Project MFG hosts the inaugural Additive Manufacturing Championship at EOS North America, where 9 of the top teams competed for $10,000

PFLUGERVILLE, TX, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Project MFG announces the successful completion of the inaugural Additive Manufacturing National Championship, hosted at EOS North America’s advanced manufacturing facility in Pflugerville, Texas. The national competition brought together top student teams from across the United States to showcase their additive manufacturing capabilities while highlighting the growing importance of advanced manufacturing skills in today’s workforce.

The Project MFG Additive Manufacturing Series is a multi-regional competition designed to identify, train, and elevate the next generation of manufacturing talent through hands-on, industry-aligned challenges. The program emphasizes real-world application of skills such as design, cost analysis, change orders, slicing, post-processing, and final assembly, providing students with direct exposure to modern manufacturing workflows. Throughout the series, competitions are filmed and released as a multi-episode YouTube series leading up to the National Championship, giving viewers an inside look at the challenges, teamwork, and innovation behind each event while also helping showcase participating students and schools on a national stage.

The 2026 season featured more than 32 teams nationwide, competing across three regional events held in Texas, St. Louis, and West Virginia. Each regional competition served as a qualifier for the National Championship, where only the top-performing teams earned the opportunity to compete for the national title and a $10,000 grand prize.

During the regional competitions, teams were challenged to interpret engineering drawings, source required hardware, and manufacture and assemble a robotic arm system using additive manufacturing technologies. The project reflected the types of robotic automation systems commonly used in modern manufacturing environments to improve efficiency, consistency, and operator safety in demanding industrial applications.

At the National Championship, teams expanded on that project by designing and manufacturing an additional robotic arm attachment known as an end effector, or end-of-arm tool. Mounted to the robotic arm’s wrist, the attachment enabled the system to grip, move, and manipulate objects for simulated manufacturing tasks. The end effector incorporated 3D-printed components along with industrial-style connection features intended to mirror real-world robotic tooling and automated material-handling systems.

Following a highly competitive final round, West Virginia University ETEC emerged as the inaugural National Champion. The winning team, Cole Newland, Kinsey Momeyer, Seth Massey, and Heath Rye, demonstrated exceptional precision, teamwork, and technical execution throughout the competition to secure the top position.

Bryan ISD CTE from Bryan, Texas, earned second place, while Triad High School from Troy, Illinois, secured third place, both delivering strong performances that elevated the overall level of competition.

The National Championship awarded significant prizes to the top three finishing teams. The first-place team received a $10,000 grand prize and a 3D printer for their school. The second-place team received $5,000 and a 3D printer, and the third-place team received $2,500 along with a 3D printer.

More than a competition, the Project MFG Additive Manufacturing Series is designed to bridge the gap between education and industry by providing students with immersive, hands-on experiences that reflect real-world manufacturing environments. As demand for skilled workers in advanced manufacturing continues to grow, the program plays a critical role in developing workforce-ready talent and strengthening the future manufacturing pipeline in the United States.

The National Championship also served as a platform for engagement between students, educators, and industry leaders, offering participants valuable exposure to cutting-edge technology and career pathways in additive manufacturing.

“When we participate in hosting different STEM programs like Project MFG, it’s a great opportunity for us to have exposure to a large pool of candidates that are very eager and earnest young men and women,” said Phillip Conner, In-House Service and Refurbishment at EOS. “At the same time, they get to see what we’re doing. These are the types of recruiting environments that actually work best for us because we can see in real time what they’re doing, their thought process, how they go about their work, and how they process stress and everything else. It’s honestly a great recruiting tool for us, and I think it’s also great for the students involved. It’s definitely an eye-opening experience because they’re seeing things they may never have imagined, but once they see it in real time, they get the big picture. A lot of times, it’s that ‘aha’ moment.”

In the end, every competitor demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication, but it was West Virginia University ETEC who claimed the historic title of the first-ever Additive Manufacturing National Champions.

Hayley Grove
Project MFG
+1 630-364-9537
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