Call for Entries: AWFS Announces New Online Student Competition “Design it Digital” to Focus on CAD Skills

ANAHEIM, CA – November 13, 2017 – The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers® (AWFS®) announces the launch of Design it Digital, a new CAD-based design contest that is open to middle school, high school, and post-secondary students in accredited woodworking or related programs in North America. This contest is entirely free to enter and entry applications will be accepted until May 31, 2018.

In Design it Digital, students are presented with three hypothetical scenarios in which a client is asking for a custom piece of furniture. Students can choose their favorite client project and design a solution using CAD and rendering software. “This contest introduces students to challenges that designers face when making a custom piece of furniture”, says AWFS® Education Committee Chair Don Bigelow. “It also highlights the use of CAD software in our industry and provides an opportunity for AWFS® member companies to get involved with students and schools. Our focus is to engage young people into thinking about the many career opportunities utilizing advanced technology in the wood industry.”

AWFS® Member Companies Support Design It Digital Contest

We are grateful to our AWFS® member companies who generously sponsored the Design It Digital contest.  Daubert Chemical Company, a leader in specialty coatings and adhesives, signed on as the Post-Secondary DID contest prize sponsor. The Middle School / High School DID contest prize sponsor is Tritec Associates, the US importer and distributor of Gannomat woodworking machinery. Three AWFS® member companies are “DID Benefactors”: Grass USA, Grex Power Tools, and the AWFS® Southern California chapter, Society of Wood Manufacturing. Safety Speed Manufacturing Company showed their support as a “DID Backer”. The following product prizes will also be awarded to winning students: digital caliper and fractional calculator from Calculated Industries, Castle 100 pocket hole machine from Castle Inc, Semi-Pro2™ spray system from Fuji Spray, mini-Ligno E/D moisture meter from Lignomat USA, and Cabinet Vision CAD software from Vero Software.

Design It Digital Entry and Judging are Online Processes

Students can go to the online entry website to create a user login, respond to the entry questions, and upload their visual presentation boards. The contest will be judged by a panel of industry professionals and the winning entries will be announced by AWFS® in August 2018. Middle and high school entries will be judged separately from post-secondary entries. Cash prizes for first place, second place, and honorable mention will be awarded for both school levels, along with in-kind prizes donated from the industry sponsors. “This contest is an entirely online process, making it accessible to any CAD student in North America.” says AWFS® Education Director Adria Torrez. “We can’t wait to see the creativity and innovation that we know the students will present and look forward to seeing entries from schools throughout the country!”

All contest information can be found at http://www.awfs.org/education/design-digital-student-contest/ or https://did2018.artcall.org/

Contact: AWFS Education Manager Adam Kessler, (585) 465-9613 or adam@awfs.org

About AWFS®

The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers® (AWFS), founded in 1911, is a non-profit organization that wholly owns and produces the biennial AWFS®Fair. The largest trade association serving the entire home and commercial furnishings industry, AWFS has more than 300 members, including manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, software, tooling, lumber, components, plastics, wood products and supplies for the woodworking industry including cabinet, furniture, millwork and custom woodworking products. To learn more, visit http://www.awfs.org/.