Representing Region II, Saint Mary’s University (SMU) Electronics Engineers garnered first place in the Outstanding Industrial Design/ Design Patent Award (Banghay Award) category in the North Luzon Cluster Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (CLUSTERICE) for their ‘Micro Controller-Based Panel and Controlled Automated Soldering Station’ at La Union last September 27 to 28.

The team is composed of Engr. Mario Laureta, RECE; Engr. Bryan Wong, RECE; Engr. Olwyn Barcoma, RECE; and Engr. Angelino Pimentel, MSECE.

In an interview, Pimentel shared that they designed an automated soldering station that is not yet on the market.

“Part siya ng Technology Transfer and Business Development Office na nagfa-file ng mga intellectual property, patents, copyrights, [and] trademarks,” Pimentel said.

The competition is an annual event organized by the Department of Science and Technology-Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) in different regions to recognize the indispensability of Filipino inventors in Philippine society and in the landscape of national economic development