Important Dates in 2002
Registration		Friday, January 25
Project delivery		Friday, April 12
Project Display & Career Fair		Friday, May 17
Awards Presentation & Dinner		Friday, May 17
Please read and follow all rules: failure to do so can result in deducation of points or disqualification.

Who May Enter
Any student in a manufacturing technology education class or accredited metals class (e.g. cooperative education extended campus) in an Illinois public or private high school may enter the TMA Precision Metalworking Competition. All projects must be the individual work of the students. The instructor’s participation is restricted to guidance and supervision of the student’s selection, planning and implementation of the project. The project must have been completed during the 2001-2002 school year.

Registration
Registration forms must be received no later than January 25, 2002. Photocopies of registration forms are acceptable. Each student may register and enter no more than two projects in the competition. Each project requires a separate registration form. Project numbers will be assigned and sent to the instructor upon receipt of the registration form. All projects must have the project number stamped, etched or tagged on the project. (Refer to project print for placement of project number.)

Specifications and Blueprints
Projects must comply with the blueprints. Materials and surface finishes are specified in the project prints. Surface treatment - including but not limited to plating, anodizing, chrome, black oxide, etc. - is not permitted and will cause points to be deducted during judging. Polishing and heat treating are permitted, but are not graded features. However, overall quality of work may be evaluated for scoring purposes. All machinery must be manually operated (absolutely no NC/CNC allowed). Instructors requiring clarification of print specifications are encouraged to call the TMA Education Department.

Delivery Deadline
Projects must be delivered to TMA, 1177 S. Dee Rd., Park Ridge, IL no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 12, 2002. Personal delivery or tracked shipping is recommended. TMA is not responsible for entries lost during mailing or shipping.

Judging
Judging will be on the basis of criteria developed by the TMA competition judging committee. Judging is closed to the public. Judges’ decisions are final.

Awards
U.S. Savings Bonds and trophies will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winning students of each project in each division. Entries must receive at least 75% of possible points to receive a prize. TMA reserves the right to omit a prize for any project not meeting this minimum standard. Instructors will also be recognized for outstanding contributions to the advancement of the metalworking industry. Honorable mention will be awarded to those projects achieving at least 75% of possible points. All prizes will be awarded at the Student Contest Awards Dinner Friday, May 17, 2002 at the Rosemont Suites Hotel in Rosemont. (Date and location are subject to change; winner need not be present to receive prize.)

Project Exhibition
All projects will be exhibited at the TMA Manufacturing Career Fair on Friday, May 17, 2002 at the Rosemont Suites Hotel (date and location are subject to change.) The Career Fair and Project Exhibition are open to the public, and students are encouraged to invite family and friends. Projects must be picked up immediately before the awards dinner. Projects not picked up will be returned to the school.

NIMS Combination Projects
NIMS Combination Projects consist of two separate workpieces, the prints for which have been approved by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills as each meeting one of the seven credentials in Level 1 machining standards. Students who enter a NIMS combination project in the TMA Metalworking Competition and achieve a perfect score on one or both pieces will be eligible to have their piece(s) submitted to a NIMS-authorized Metalworking Technology Evaluation Committee (Met-Tec) for inspection. Students whose piece(s) pass this inspection, may take one or two related written exams. Successful results on the test(s) lead to a nationally recognized skill credential from NIMS. Increase your employability and make precision your goal for this project! For more details and funding information, contact the TMA Education Dept.