Pupils Embrace GTT Wireless Engineering Challenge

Three sixth form students have used their design knowledge and skills to embrace an engineering challenge set them by local technological company GTT Wireless.

GTT Wireless contacted Design & Technology teacher Chris Edwards after learning about Oakham School students’ work with the Industrial Cadet Gold Project, most recently winning a Most Innovative Award for their work on a design solution for Oakham engineering company CBS Products.

Sixth form students Gabriele, Jack and Freddy were given the challenge to design a flexible mounting board to house a range of Raspberry Pi PCBs in GTTW m-Smart electronic enclosures. The sixth formers brainstormed and tested different ‘Zip’, ‘Sliding Wedge’, and ‘Pop Out’ concepts. They then modelled the concepts using 3D CAD design software, made samples on a 3D printer, which they tested and retested, and eventually selected the ‘Pop Out’ for further development.

The students presented their winning design to the GTT Wireless team – an innovative design that involves two mounting boards for various PCB sizes: a small mount with various fixing clips to hold a range of smaller PCBs; and a larger mount for larger PCBs. They will now develop further prototypes in collaboration with the GTT Wireless team and test the prototype for environmental monitoring at Oakham School.

DT teacher Chris Edwards said: “The GTT Wireless team were extremely impressed with not only the ideas, but also the speed, creativity, and quality demonstrated by our students.

“Jack, Gabriele and Freddy have delivered a proof-of-concept design which is both practical and worthy of further consideration for further development into a prototype. I am very grateful to GTT Wireless for giving us the opportunity to create a real-world design solution to an engineering challenge.”

Watch our Design Technology film to find out more about this fascinating subject at Oakham School.