K-State Polytech students, grad to compete in Make48

Three Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus students and a recent graduate will embark in August on a potentially life-changing challenge.

Zach Martin, Cory Harvey and J.T. Brantley, all seniors majoring in mechanical engineering technology, will team with Alec Cork, who received his bachelor’s degree in electronic computer engineering technology in May, to compete in Season 3 of the nationally televised Make48.

Make48, a nationwide invention competition documentary series, follows teams as they come up with an idea for a product, create a prototype and promotional video and then present it to a panel of judges within 48 hours.

Participants go into the competition with no idea what the topic or area of focus will be.

The Season 3 competition will take place at the Stanley Black and Decker Innovation Lab in Maryland beginning Aug. 10.

The K-State Polytech team, which will be called WildCreates, will compete against students from 11 other U.S. colleges and universities including Georgetown University, Tulane University, Kansas City Art Institute and the University of Miami.

Three teams will be chosen to remain on the show following the initial 48 hours and highlight the process of trying to get a product to market.

Pop-A-Shot, Inc. and the K-State Polytech Student Government Association are sponsoring the team, covering travel and lodging expenses.

Well prepared

Despite not having much experience competing together and not knowing what they will be asked to create, team members think they’re prepared for the challenge, “through the work and projects we’ve done here at school,” Brantley said.

Team members have worked separately on such projects as designing and building an air motor, an explosion chamber, test operators and custom-design 3D-printers.

“I feel pretty confident, because not all of the teams have this many engineers. Some teams have no engineers and I feel that gives us an advantage,” Brantley said.

Previewed show

Brantley also has taken on the mission of watching past seasons and figuring out what other teams did well and what they did wrong.

Harvey said he’s excited about the opportunity because he loves the idea of “inventing something,” and “potentially collecting royalties for years to come.”

He credits mechanical engineering technology professor Mark Jackson with that mindset.

“One thing Dr. Jackson said that kind of stuck with me is don’t go through here (college) to get a job somewhere. Go through here to create your own business and create jobs for others,” Harvey said. “He said do whatever you actually want to do.”

Cork said, "Getting rich would be really cool.

“All of us have hands-on experience working with tools and machines and bringing ideas to life, so I think that will help us do well."

Expert advantage

Also working in their favor will be something not every competing team may have — the help of a Make48 finalist.

Dustin Keiswetter, an engineering technician at K-State Polytech, participated in the first two seasons of Make48 and has given the team a lot of advice.

In October 2016, Keiswetter's Hatch Innovations team — which included Shaun Kibbe and Neil Ward — competed against 16 other teams. The team created what’s called a WhizzBang, a toilet lid-mounted gadget that uses a laser light target and celebratory sound to solve the issue of poor aim.

“Time management is huge, obviously. I’ve seen a lot of teams get toward the end and not quite leave enough time for the presentation part,” Keiswetter said. “If you can’t present it well and convince the judges, you won’t do well."

Keiswetter has warned the team about the bright lights and cameras during the show, the Makerspace atmosphere and the importance of not duplicating a product that already is on the market, “because they will make you start over.”

“During the past two competitions, they’ve had teams create innovative household products and products that improve the grilling process,” he said. “Stanley Black and Decker has become a big sponsor and it’s at their headquarters, so there’s a chance the product could be in the tool world. That may be too obvious, but part of the fun is the unknown and not knowing what you’ll be creating.”

Keiswetter and fellow team mentor, K-State Polytech mechanical engineering technology professor Raju Dandu, said they feel the team will be right at home.

“Their entire college career has been preparing them for this moment,” Keiswetter said. “They’ll be in a setting that is similar to the labs they’re used to here. I think they’ll be just fine.”