West Virginia University ETEC wins inaugural Project MFG additive manufacturing title

By AI, Created 5:26 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – Project MFG crowned West Virginia University ETEC as the first Additive Manufacturing National Champion after a national competition at EOS North America’s facility in Pflugerville, Texas. The event highlights how student-focused manufacturing contests are being used to build workforce skills as demand rises for advanced manufacturing talent.

Why it matters: - Project MFG’s national championship is built to connect classroom training with industry-ready manufacturing skills. - The competition exposes students to additive manufacturing workflows used in modern factories, including design, slicing, post-processing and assembly. - The program is aimed at developing workforce-ready talent as advanced manufacturing hiring needs continue to grow.

What happened: - Project MFG hosted the inaugural Additive Manufacturing National Championship at EOS North America’s advanced manufacturing facility in Pflugerville, Texas. - West Virginia University ETEC won the first-ever national title. - The winning team included Cole Newland, Kinsey Momeyer, Seth Massey and Heath Rye. - Bryan ISD CTE of Bryan, Texas, finished second. - Triad High School of Troy, Illinois, finished third. - The national event followed regional competitions in Texas, St. Louis and West Virginia.

The details: - More than 32 teams competed in the 2026 season across three regional events. - Nine top teams advanced to the national championship. - The national prize pool included a $10,000 grand prize for first place. - The first-, second- and third-place teams also received 3D printers for their schools. - Second place received $5,000. - Third place received $2,500. - Regional teams had to interpret engineering drawings, source hardware and build and assemble a robotic arm system using additive manufacturing. - The national round added an end effector, or end-of-arm tool, to the robotic arm project. - The end effector was designed to grip, move and manipulate objects for simulated manufacturing tasks. - The competition’s end effector used 3D-printed components and industrial-style connection features to mirror real-world robotic tooling and automated material-handling systems. - Project MFG says the series is filmed and released as a multi-episode YouTube series leading up to the championship. - Project MFG says the format is meant to give students and schools national visibility.

Between the lines: - EOS used the event as a recruiting and talent-scouting opportunity, with students demonstrating how they think, work under pressure and solve problems in real time. - The competition also gave students direct exposure to career pathways in additive manufacturing and advanced production. - The format suggests employers are looking for practical proof of skills, not just credentials.

What’s next: - Project MFG is likely to continue using regional qualifiers and media coverage to expand the additive manufacturing series. - The championship model gives schools and students another pathway into advanced manufacturing exposure, internships and hiring pipelines. - Continued growth in the series could deepen ties between educators, students and industry partners.

The bottom line: - West Virginia University ETEC won the first Project MFG Additive Manufacturing National Championship, but the larger story is a skills pipeline designed to feed the next generation of manufacturing jobs.