Let the Robot Wars begin!
Students across the country are building robots designed for destroying competing robots, in the National Tooling & Machining Association's National Robotics League. The goal: have fun and promote careers in manufacturing.
Students team up with local NTMA member companies to design and build remote controlled robots. For 2014, the five-year-old league includes 14 regional programs in nine states: Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin. Teams can then participate in the NRL Championships at Baldwin Wallace University in Cleveland May 16-17.
“Manufacturers are working to change the perception of our sector,” said NRL commissioner Steve Tamasi, who is also CEO of Boston Centerless, a machining company in Woburn, Mass.
Over the past several years, students who competed in the National Robotics League now are working for manufacturers in scientific and technical roles, he said.
NRL regional competition locations and names are:
• Phoenix, Arizona, the Arizona Tooling & Machining Association
• Santa Fe Springs, Calif., the NTMA Training Centers Robotics League
• Tampa, Fla., NRL of Southern Florida
• Boston, Rally in the Valley
• Minnesota, Midwest Robotics League
• Akron, Ohio, Akron NRL
• Mentor, Ohio, AWT RotoBots
• Dayton, Ohio, Xtreme BOTS
• Bloomberg, Pa., Rage in the Cage
• Meadville, Pa., RoboBOTS
• Pittsburgh, BotsIQ Southwest Pennsylvania
• Ogden, Utah, Northern Utah NRL
• Milwaukee, Bots IQ Wisconsin.
For information about the National Robotics League, including ways to participate and volunteer or sponsor, contact Maureen Carruthers at [email protected]. NATM's website is www.ntma.org.