SME, Stratasys name 2026 SkillsUSA additive manufacturing winners

More than 100 students from 35 states competed in Atlanta this month in the 2026 SkillsUSA Additive Manufacturing Competition, hosted by SME and Stratasys. The 13th annual event awarded medals, 3D printers, scholarships and other prizes while underscoring how additive manufacturing training is becoming a pathway into advanced manufacturing careers.

Why it matters: - The competition gives middle school, high school and post-secondary students hands-on experience with additive manufacturing, engineering design and problem-solving. - The event is designed to help build the next generation of manufacturing talent for advanced manufacturing careers. - Nearly 800 parts were printed during the competition using Stratasys 3D printers.

What happened: - SME and Stratasys hosted the 2026 Additive Manufacturing Competition in Atlanta as part of the 62nd annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference, held June 1-5. - More than 100 students competed, including teams from three middle schools, 35 high schools and 13 post-secondary schools. - The field represented 35 states and totaled 102 students. - The annual competition marked its 13th year after launching in 2013.

The details: - This year’s challenge asked students to design and print a precision attachment system for a standardized glider launch platform inspired by aerospace engineering principles. - Teams used 3D printing to build lightweight, durable and repeatable launch systems that could mount and align a foam glider, manage launch forces and support stable flight performance. - Students were required to apply design for additive manufacturing principles, including efficient material use, structural reinforcement, integrated mechanisms and low part counts. - Teams documented their engineering process in design notebooks. - Teams presented their solutions to judges before live launch testing focused on functionality, repeatability and durability. - The competition was supported by Autodesk, SolidWorks and Printed Solid. - Ninety-six high school and post-secondary students completed the Additive Manufacturing Fundamentals Certification Exam at no cost, and the exam counted toward each team’s overall score. - The certification validates knowledge of industry-standard additive manufacturing concepts based on revisions to the Additive Manufacturing Body of Knowledge developed by the Additive Manufacturing Leadership Initiative.

Between the lines: - The competition blends technical training with a real-world style challenge, which helps students practice the same design tradeoffs used in manufacturing jobs. - The aerospace-inspired brief pushed students to focus on precision and performance, not just making a part that prints successfully. - The exam component adds a standardized credentialing element, which can help connect classroom learning to workforce readiness.

What's next: - The competition will continue as a yearly SkillsUSA event backed by SME and Stratasys. - Post-secondary winners received full-conference passes to RAPID + TCT 2027, North America’s largest additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing event.

The bottom line: - The 2026 competition showed how industry-backed contests can turn 3D printing into a pipeline for technical skills, credentials and manufacturing careers. - Middle School Winners: - Gold Team: Matrim Amendola and Brennan Anderson, Sleepy Hill Middle School, Lakeland, Florida. - Silver Team: Tessa Klein and Liliana Paez, Gifford School, Racine, Wisconsin. - Bronze Team: Mateo Olivo-Cruz and Nolan Thibodeaux, Nellie N. Coffman Middle School, Cathedral City, California. - High School Winners: - Gold Team: Mason White and Deacon Schoonover, Kirksville Area Technical Center, Kirksville, Missouri. - Silver Team: Isaac Hilderbrand and Aidan Aylward, Belleview High School, Belleview, Florida. - Bronze Team: Colby Singsen and Jackson Singsen, Stafford Tech Center, Rutland, Vermont. - Post-Secondary Winners: - Gold Team: Wyatt Kreutzer and Hunter Trumble, Central Community College-Hastings, Hastings, Nebraska. - Silver Team: Wilber Calles and Noah Simpson, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia. - Bronze Team: Lukas Snider and Brian York, Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, Missouri. - Winning high school and post-secondary teams received gold, silver and bronze medals from SkillsUSA, along with 3D printers, scholarships, SME memberships and subscriptions to Tooling U-SME’s online learning platform. - Middle school winning teams received medals and 3D printers.