Innovation is the lifeblood of the aerospace industry, and at Aviation Metals, we believe that the best way to predict the future is to help build it. This past Friday, our team had the pleasure of attending the UNC Charlotte (UNCC) Fall 2025 Engineering Senior Design Expo, celebrating a year-long collaboration that turned a complex logistics challenge into a working reality.
The Challenge: Solving Real-World Logistics
Our journey with the UNCC Senior Design Program began over a year ago. We approached the university with a specific need: a machine capable of moving large metal sheets from shipping containers to stock pallets, designed to be operated safely and efficiently by a single person.
The program paired us with a multidisciplinary team of senior engineering students specializing in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. Together, we set out to bridge the gap between classroom theory and industrial application.
From Blueprint to Build
Over the course of two intensive semesters, the student team took full ownership of the project. Their journey included:
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Conceptualization: Designing a solution tailored to the unique demands of aerospace material handling.
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Multidisciplinary Engineering: Integrating mechanical structures, electrical controls, and software to ensure precision and safety.
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Construction & Refinement: Building the machine from the ground up, followed by rigorous testing and fine-tuning.
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The Grand Reveal: Presenting the fully functional machine to a community of peers, families, and industry leaders at the Fall Expo.
A Collaborative Effort
As the industry partner, we were committed to providing the resources and expertise necessary to see the students succeed. Our support included:
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Technical data on sheet sizes, weights, and material specifications.
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Direct collaboration and mentorship from our veteran team.
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Supplying all raw materials and funding for parts and machining.
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Coordinating and covering the professional finishing and painting of the final machine.
Award-Winning Results
The hard work paid off. At the Fall 2025 Expo, the project was recognized as a finalist in two categories: Best Video and Best Expo Presentation. We are incredibly proud to announce that the team took home second place in the Best Video category!
Looking Ahead to 2026
This partnership has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Seeing the ingenuity and dedication of these students has reinforced our commitment to supporting local talent and academic excellence.
In fact, we enjoyed the process so much that Aviation Metals is officially sponsoring another UNCC Senior Design team in 2026! We look forward to seeing what the next group of engineers will achieve.