VCU Engineering’s ASME Student Chapter Takes First Place at National Competition
From left to right: Shiv Patel, Tyler Brown, Evelyn Ipsen, Elaina White, Zack Newman, Martin G. Hanson, Ethan Eubank, and Nathalia Melgarejo-Salvatierra. The team traveled to Dallas to compete in the IAM3D RC glider competition with their 3D-printed aircraft, Icarus.
The VCU College of Engineering’s student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recently competed and claimed top honors at the ASME EFx competition in Dallas, Texas.
The ASME at VCU students traveled to Dallas College on April 5, 2025, to participate in the prestigious Innovative Additive Manufacturing 3D (IAM3D) Competition. This year’s challenge required students to design and manufacture a discus launch glider using additive manufacturing technology.
Their entry, affectionately named “Icarus,” was designed to be launched discus-style and was made almost entirely from 3D-printed components, with the exception of the air wrap around the wings, electronics and fasteners. Despite challenging weather conditions that affected all competing teams’ flight opportunities, ASME at VCU’s innovative approach to additive manufacturing secured them first place in the competition.
The team showcased exceptional innovation by successfully utilizing Lightweight PLA (also known as “Air PLA”) – a difficult material to print with that no other competing team managed to implement successfully. Additionally, the students engineered Icarus with a modular design that could be disassembled for air travel and reassembled at the competition site, demonstrating practical engineering solutions.
Eight VCU students made the journey to Dallas for the competition: Nathalia Melgarejo-Salvatierra (President), Zack Newman (Secretary), Shiv Patel (PR Officer), Martin G Hanson (Chassis Team Captain), Evelyn Ipsen (Control Systems Team Captain), Elaina White (Testing Team Captain), Tyler Brown (Testing and Chassis Team Member) and Ethan Eubank (Chassis Team Member).
“Our chapter continues to push the boundaries of what we can accomplish with additive manufacturing in competition vehicles,” said Nathalia Melgarejo-Salvatierra, ASME at VCU’s President. “The IAM3D Competition gives us an opportunity to apply innovative solutions to engineering challenges while connecting with teams from across the country.”
“Participating in competitions like these provides students with invaluable hands-on experience and the opportunity to apply concepts learned in the classroom to real engineering challenges,” Charles Cartin, Ph.D., ASME at VCU faculty advisor and mechanical and nuclear engineering professor, said. “The team’s first-place finish demonstrates their exceptional technical abilities and innovative thinking.”
ASME at VCU has been designing and manufacturing vehicles to compete in ASME EFx events since 2020, with this year’s performance representing their strongest showing to date.
The Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to perform real-world research as soon as they enroll. From applying material science to additive manufacturing techniques to optimizing coolant systems for nuclear reactors and more, students gain understanding of many important engineering topics. Browse videos and recent news from the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.
Categories Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, Student Stories, Undergraduate Student Stories