A team of engineering students certainly have designs on success.

The University of Central Lancashire students impressed judges at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Design Competition.

The team, made up of Abbas Hussain, from Bury, Rabia Muzzafar-bibi, from Farnworth, and Mishel Daluwattage, won the Judges' Design Award at the national finals.

The annual event sees engineering students from university technical colleges and universities test their skills against each other by designing, building, and testing a device to complete a specific task.

This year, students were required to build a device to simulate an autonomous vehicle, such as a driverless truck used in confined areas, and test its ability to move in this type of setting.

Throughout 2024, students competed in regional heats and finals, with the University of Central Lancashire winning and going on to represent the North West in the national final.

Teams delivered presentations to a panel of judges, showcased their computer-aided designs, and tested their vehicles.

They were scored in several categories: poster competition, presentation competition, design review, design excellence, and a main challenge.

The University won the Design Excellence award and came second in the main challenge.

Mr Hussain, a 23-year-old motorsports engineering student, said: "Winning the Judges' Design Excellence Award feels incredibly rewarding and humbling.

"It’s an acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication that went into developing the device.

"The recognition from the judges validates not only the technical aspects of the design, but also the approach we took to solve the problem.

"This award inspires me to keep creating and exploring new possibilities, and I’m eager to see where this journey leads me."

Ms Daluwattage, a 20-year-old mechanical engineering student from Whiston, said: "Through hands-on collaboration and exposure to real-world challenges, we not only enhanced our technical skills but also developed a stronger appreciation for innovation, problem-solving, and teamwork within a professional environment.

"It feels rewarding to have our design recognised by industry experts, which validates our efforts and innovative approach."

Ms Muzzafar-bibi, a 23-year-old mechanical engineering student, added: "After months of hard work and commitment, winning the Judge’s Design Award was an incredible feeling.

"My team and I are grateful for the opportunity to challenge ourselves and develop both our skills and professionalism through this competition."

Tony Broad, a senior lecturer in engineering at the university, mentored the students in the competition.

He said: "I am very proud of what our students have achieved.

"This challenge was created to address the concern that university graduates sometimes don’t possess key employability skills, such as teamwork and communication, so it gives the students this in bucketloads.

"It pushes them to work effectively in a team and overcome many obstacles in getting their design from an idea into a fully working machine by applying what they have learned and skills they have gained whilst at university."

Engineering students from the university will take part in next year’s IMechE Design competition as part of their design and sustainability module, where they will design an automated EV Electric Car docking device.