On July 4th, COVE accompanied Team CAD Tech from the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) to Plage Napoleon in the South of France for the Floating Wind Challenge.
Organized by the Belgium-based non-profit OffshoreWind4Kids, who COVE has teamed up with to host renewable energy programs in Canada, this global competition encourages post-secondary students to design and build innovative floating wind support structures. The 2024 edition challenged participants to construct the best floating wind support structure for a Vevor 400W turbine, drawing in 10 teams from around the world.
Representing Team CAD Tech were Kyle MacPherson and Nathan French, students from the Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) program. CAD Technicians play a crucial role in engineering by creating detailed 3D models and engineering drawings that define the size, shape, materials, and specifications of parts and assemblies. These models and drawings support analysis, manufacturing, assembly, tooling, quality control, and inspection, ensuring projects meet cost, quality, and schedule requirements. The CAD program at NSCC introduces students to mechanical design disciplines and opens up numerous opportunities in related fields.
Team CAD Tech excelled at the competition, winning the Best Low-Tech Solution award. Their structure demonstrated remarkable stability and endurance in realistic ocean conditions. Congratulations to the team for their outstanding achievement!
Watch OffshoreWind4Kids’ recap video of the competition.
