Chandigarh University’s Mechanical Engineering Students Reduce Hexacopter Landing Structure Weight by 87.5%
CHANDIGARH, India, Sept. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Continuing their winning streak at the national-level engineering competitions, the six-member team of Chandigarh University’s engineering students has secured a consecutive podium finish at the second edition of American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) ‘International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE) India 2026’ (ASME IMECE India 2026) in Chennai by winning second prize in two highly competitive contests ‘Brain Bolt-The Engineer’s Sprint 2026’ and ‘MechanIQ-The Engineers’ Quiz’ with a combined prize amount of Rs. 2.5 lakh.
After securing the first position in ‘Brain Bolt’ during first edition of ASME-IMECE in 2025 at Hyderabad, the six-member Chandigarh University team named ‘Mech Minds United’, consisting of talented final-year Mechanical Engineering students – SM Nafis Ahmad, Mohit Mishra, Akhand Pratap Singh Rana, Krishna Kumar Jha, Vishwa Raj Singh and Ghulam Waris Warsi – again secured podium finish during ASME IMECE India 2026 in Chennai with consistent pursuit of excellence, innovation, technical expertise, teamwork and unwavering spirit to take on real-world engineering challenges.
While over 400 competing teams competed in the first round of this competition to solve the preliminary challenge, 60 teams from four regions across India, including Chandigarh University’s team ‘Mech Minds United’, were shortlisted for the subsequent rounds, competing through three challenging rounds based on 15 industry-relevant problem statements during the 24-hoursprint.
With the theme, ‘Think Fast, Build Faster, Solve What Matters’, the ‘Brain Bolt-The Engineer’s Sprint 2026’ tested Chandigarh University team’s creativity, technical knowledge, engineering design, analytical thinking, teamwork, innovation and the ability to deliver effective solutions in the given time.
In Brain Bolt – The Engineer’s Sprint 2026, CU’s team Mech Minds United addressed an industry-focused structural engineering problem proposed by Siemens Technology and Services Pvt. Ltd to win the second prize of Rs. 2 lakh. The CU team was required to provide a solution for topology optimization and lattice-based redesign of an industrial hexacopter landing structure specifically intended for metal additive manufacturing. The main objective was to replace the conventional, material-intensive landing system with a lightweight, structurally optimized and additive-manufacturing-compatible design. At the same time, the hexacopter had to maintain adequate load-carrying capacity, stiffness and overall structural integrity.
The Chandigarh University team Mech Minds United succeeded in bringing substantial reduction in structural mass by reducing the landing structure from 6.26 kilogram (kg) to just 0.785 kg, a reduction of 87.5% in mass even as the given target was to reduce the same by 50%. The team surpassed the target by combining topology optimisation, lattice design, FEA validation and DfAM principles in developing a lightweight and structurally efficient landing system.
Alongside Brain Bolt, Chandigarh University team also participated in MechanIQ – The Engineers’ Quiz, which tested technical knowledge and engineering aptitude of participants. With a strong understanding of engineering fundamentals, quick thinking, analytical reasoning and effective teamwork, Mech Minds United secured second prize of Rs. 50,000 in this competition.
Congratulating the winning Mechanical Engineering students, Deepinder Singh Sandhu, Senior Managing Director, Chandigarh University, said, “We are immensely proud of Mech Minds United for achieving a remarkable double podium finish at ASME IMECE India 2026. After securing the prestigious first position in ASME Brain Bolt 2025, it’s really remarkable to see Mech Minds United once again finish on the podium at the 2026 edition of ASME IMECE India. This consecutive success is a testament to the team’s consistent pursuit of excellence, innovation, technical expertise, teamwork, determination and unwavering spirit to take on real-world engineering challenges. The achievement in Brain Bolt – The Engineer’s Sprint 2026 is particularly special, as the competition challenged engineering students to think beyond conventional approaches and develop innovative solutions to real-world engineering problems. Securing second prize and Rs. 50,000 in ‘MechanIQ – The Engineers’ Quiz added another proud achievement to Chandigarh University team’s ASME IMECE India 2026 journey. However, CU team’s this journey was not just about winning prizes. It was about learning, experimenting, failing, improving, collaborating and continuously pushing themselves as every round brought a new challenge, every discussion brought a new perspective, and every deadline taught the importance of discipline and teamwork. I am confident this success will inspire future generations of engineers at Chandigarh University to continue tackling real-world challenges and make their mark on the global stage.”
“During this innovation marathon, our engineering students displayed their skills for tackling real-world situations. To develop such skills, Chandigarh University integrates experiential learning through hands-on workshops, industry collaborations, and real-world projects which bridge the gap between theory and practice. Being a research-intensive and innovation-driven institution, Chandigarh University has 30 Industry-sponsored high-tech R&D labs and 16 Centers of Excellences established by leading MNCs which foster practical skills for a successful career in modern day world. The industry-collaborated and future-ready program of Chandigarh University are meticulously designed to equip students with the latest industry insights, practical skills, and hands-on experiences, ensuring they are well-prepared to tackle the challenges of the modern business landscape,” he added.
About Chandigarh University
Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and QS World Ranked University. This autonomous educational institution is approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.
Website address: https://www.cuchd.in/
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