World roundup
Young student engineers battle it out
Report on the MECA 2025 student competition in Vietnam
First Published in Japanese in October 2025 [2 parts]
Part 2: Technology for tomorrow, born from creativity
Results of the first round
When the judges returned a renewed sense of suspense filled the air. There were cheers of joy as they announced which six teams would be presenting on stage, but this clamour was short-lived as the second round began – with each team giving a six-minute presentation followed by four minutes of Q&A time. One representative of each team stood on stage, delivering their presentations with clear enthusiasm.
It was apparent that all the teams had practiced hard to make the most of their six minutes, and it was hard for the audience not to feel sorry for the teams who had not made it into the second round after such a great showcase. The judges asked in-depth questions during the Q&A, but the students were able to answer accurately and confidently, demonstrating their deep knowledge.
Seeing their confident attitudes and smiling faces despite the tense atmosphere, it was clear that the young people at the heart of the MECA competition are poised to become the leaders of tomorrow.
After the six teams’ presentations and Q&A, the judges left to deliberate once more. As well as the creativity and innovativeness of the projects, they were assessed on ease of operation, feasibility and safety. The high standard of all the projects made the judges’ decision incredibly difficult.
After much discussion, the judges awarded one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes, and fifteen additional prizes.
One of the organisers remarked: "Having so many judges made it difficult to reach a consensus, but I think it made the evaluation more thorough."
The coveted first prize was awarded to the NexCore team from the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, while second prizes went to SKH-PREMIUM from Hung Yen University of Technology and Education and SPK-JAVA from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education.
MAIN PRIZES
| 1 | First Prize | NexCore | Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City | Automated electronic component placement machine using surface mount technology (SMT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Second Prize | SKH-PREMIUM | Hung Yen University of Technology and Education | Automatic foam bag packaging system for fruit |
| 3 | Second Prize | SPK - JAVA | Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education | Defect and Foreign Object Inspection System for Insulated Glass Units (IGUs) |
| 4 | Third Prize | ATC-DuoCut | Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology | Application of Industrial Communication Networks (CC-Link, SSCNET) and GOT Mobile in Intelligent Management, Monitoring, and Control of a Dual-head Drilling and Cutting Machine Integrated with Automatic Feeding System |
| 5 | Third Prize | SVK - TP - 01 | University of Transport and Communications | Design, Manufacturing, and Control of a Tampon Printing Machine |
| 6 | Third Prize | CNA | Thai Nguyen University of Technology | Automatic keyboard assembly and inspection system |
The winning team, NexCore, had experienced a malfunction during the first round of judging but earned high praise from the judges by dealing with it calmly.
Outline of prize-winning projects
We saw many projects that could easily be incorporated into shops or factories to make life better in the near future.
First prize: Automated electronic component placement machine
Supporting the use of surface mount technology (SMT), the solution enables the visualization of the manufacturing conditions and the verification of test samples through 3D scanning. Enhanced software integration has also enabled more efficient production.
Second prize: Automatic foam bag packaging system for fruit
An automated system to place cushioning material in bags to protect fruit, while securing the bags with rubber bands. This system has made a laborious and time-consuming manual process more efficient. Although getting the machine to place rubber bands on the bags was challenging, the team successfully managed to automate the packaging process.
Third prize: Defect and foreign object inspection system for insulated glass units (IGUs)
Development of a system to detect fingerprints and scratches on insulated glass units. Human inspection runs the risk of eye strain, back pain and overlooking defects, but this system can quickly and reliably identify defects.
Fourth prize: Wood processing
Automation of wood cutting and drilling processes. The synchronization of movement in two axes was used to achieve high-precision processing.
Fifth prize: Multi-colour printing
Development of a technology for printing on various materials and surfaces, including curved and textured materials like cups and mugs. The machine had a strong visual impact and attracted attention by printing the MECA logo onto guests’ belongings.
Sixth prize: Automatic keyboard assembly and inspection system
The automation of keyboard manufacturing processes in order to achieve efficient production.
As well as providing solutions to familiar manufacturing issues, there were many ideas that could lead to sustainable local development. These ideas hold the power to improve the quality of everyday life and create new value in tomorrow’s society.
Final words
We are very grateful to the students who came up with solutions using Mitsubishi Electric’s factory automation products. It was impressive to see how much thought they had put into applying technology in their own country, and how passionately they explained their ideas to the judging panel.
The students showed wonderful and genuine enthusiasm. Their creativity and passion indicate great future potential. We hope this contest will be a turning point in their lives, leading to further success on whatever path they choose to pursue.