Innovation meets sustainability during the Realize LIVE Europe Design Hack

This July, the Siemens Empower Education and Startups (SEES) team attended Realize LIVE Europe in Munich, Germany. As part of the Realize LIVE excitement, the SEES team collaborated with KYBURZ Switzerland AG to host a 48-hour Student Sustainability Design Hack. Students were instructed to use Siemens NX software to utilize the design of a chassis for sustainability and manufacturability. This challenge was sponsored by KYBURZ, an innovative and sustainable electric vehicle company, and beneficial for the student participants who had the opportunity to learn Siemens NX and present their design during Realize LIVE.

Three teams participated in the Realize LIVE Europe Design Hack:

• The 7 Hills team from Makerere University in Uganda – Tumusiime Jacob (Team Leader), Ddembe Joseph, Kyeyune Ronald, Kizito Luzige, Mugisha Ian, Murozi Abel, and Dr. Norbert Mukasa (faculty advisor). 
• The Energizers from Sol Plaatje University in South Africa – Dimpho Mabooe, Palema Tsekoa, and Lebogang Sebolai. 
• The Sustainability Pioneers from France – Hasan Hassoun (Ecole des Ponts ParisTech), Ibrahim Shamseddine (University of Clermont Auvergne), and Hussain Nasreddine (University Gustave Eiffel).

Both the 7 Hills Team and the Energizers participated and presented virtually, while the Sustainability Pioneers were able to attend the hack in person.

The students did a spectacular job utilizing Siemens NX software. Paul Brown, Senior Marketing Director for Product Engineering Software at Siemens, stated that he was “blown away by how quickly the students picked up NX”. None of the students had used Siemens NX before the challenge but demonstrated a desire to learn and adapt quickly throughout the hack. The challenge itself was broad, allowing students to take their designs in many directions and each team presented a creative, unique idea. 

At the end of the challenge, the Sustainability Pioneers from France were crowned the winners. The judges were most impressed by their use of mixed materials, optimizing and printing the chassis, and their creativity. Judges for the hack included several Siemens executives and Fabien Caroselli, Team Leader and Project Manager for Automotive Engineering at KYBURZ.

Thank you to KYBURZ for sponsoring the Design Hack and to all the teams for participating and putting forth such good work. And congratulations to the winners, the Sustainability Pioneers. Check out the images the SEES teams captured during the hack below!