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24/09/2002
Maghera student scoops national engineering prize
An 18-year-old student from St Patrick’s College, Maghera, has won a major national award for his engineering skills.
Patrick Corbett, the Northern Ireland champion in the annual Young Engineers for Britain competition, was presented with the award for Most Innovative Electrical Engineering project in the UK national finals of the competition, held at London’s New Connaught Rooms.
He was presented with his award, in front of an audience of some 400 people from the worlds of industry and education, by TV celebrities Kate Bellingham, the President of Young Engineers, and 'Tomorrow’s World' presenter Adam Hart-Davis.
The award-winning invention was a self-automated lubrication machine, which Patrick designed to solve a specific problem at a local powder-coating plant. After identifying the root cause of the problem, Patrick worked for six months to come up with a solution that would increase productivity and reduce factory downtime.
The factory felt that two of their most skilled technicians were wasting their time and skills, and the machine that be built was designed specifically to alleviate this problem. Since the machine was introduced to the factory earlier this year, it has already helped the company to achieve a significant increase in productivity and profitability.
Patrick undertook the project as part of his design and technology course at St Patrick’s College. He is about to start a degree course in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Queen’s University.
In winning the regional Young Engineers competition and going on to win a major award in the national competition, Patrick is following in the footsteps of fellow St Patrick’s College students Enda Young and Brendan Quinn, who won last year’s Northern Ireland and UK national contests. They went on to represent the country at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the USA — winning first prize in the engineering section — and the Expo Science Europe Fair in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Young Engineers for Britain is a national engineering competition for young people, which has been run since 1977 and is managed by the Young Engineers national network of clubs in schools.
(GMcG)
Patrick Corbett, the Northern Ireland champion in the annual Young Engineers for Britain competition, was presented with the award for Most Innovative Electrical Engineering project in the UK national finals of the competition, held at London’s New Connaught Rooms.
He was presented with his award, in front of an audience of some 400 people from the worlds of industry and education, by TV celebrities Kate Bellingham, the President of Young Engineers, and 'Tomorrow’s World' presenter Adam Hart-Davis.
The award-winning invention was a self-automated lubrication machine, which Patrick designed to solve a specific problem at a local powder-coating plant. After identifying the root cause of the problem, Patrick worked for six months to come up with a solution that would increase productivity and reduce factory downtime.
The factory felt that two of their most skilled technicians were wasting their time and skills, and the machine that be built was designed specifically to alleviate this problem. Since the machine was introduced to the factory earlier this year, it has already helped the company to achieve a significant increase in productivity and profitability.
Patrick undertook the project as part of his design and technology course at St Patrick’s College. He is about to start a degree course in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Queen’s University.
In winning the regional Young Engineers competition and going on to win a major award in the national competition, Patrick is following in the footsteps of fellow St Patrick’s College students Enda Young and Brendan Quinn, who won last year’s Northern Ireland and UK national contests. They went on to represent the country at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the USA — winning first prize in the engineering section — and the Expo Science Europe Fair in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Young Engineers for Britain is a national engineering competition for young people, which has been run since 1977 and is managed by the Young Engineers national network of clubs in schools.
(GMcG)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A showery start with outbreaks most frequent north of Lough Neagh and through the morning, before dwindling during the afternoon as the northwest breezes ease and brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A dry night, save for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
