Students from The University of Danang – University of Science and Technology (UD-DUT) have won first prize at the 2026 Automation Machine Builder Award (AMBA), marking their second consecutive victory at Vietnam’s premier national competition for industrial automation and manufacturing.

Held on February 6, the competition challenged students to design and build machines for semiconductor production under the theme “Automation in Semiconductor Manufacturing – NPN Loading.” Teams were required to integrate mechanical design, control systems, robotics, machine vision, and process optimization to solve real-world factory problems.

Launched in November 2025, AMBA attracted 62 teams comprising more than 300 students from 27 universities and colleges nationwide. Ten teams advanced to the final round, where they presented and defended their solutions before a panel of industry leaders, technical experts, and academics.

Participants also received more than 20 hours of advanced training from technology specialists and gained hands-on experience at CICOR Vietnam, Manutronic Vietnam, and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Vietnam.

UD-DUT’s DUT-HI team took first place, followed by Mechatronik from Vietnamese-German University in second place. Third prize was shared by K Heart of Steel from Hanoi University of Science and Technology and 4CSLW from Hanoi University of Industry’s School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering.

AMBA 2026 was co-organized with support from leading automation and technology firms, including ETEK, Tan Phat ETEK, ABB, Advantech, Bosch Rexroth, Cognex, Delta Electronics, Jobchoice, KUKA, SMC, and VASI. Their involvement ensured the competition addressed real industry needs, reflecting Vietnam’s rapid shift toward automation and semiconductor manufacturing.

UD Media