Mitutoyo helps WorldSkills 2017 showcase the world’s best

This was the 44th version of the biggest vocational skills competition in the world, the stated aim of which is to inspire young people to study technical education and vocational skills for entrepreneurship or for their future career.

The diversity on display ranged from social occupations like health care to creative skills such as cooking, confectionery, hairdressing, videogame and web design; from services like tiling and landscape gardening to the manufacturing intricacies of welding, CNC machining and mechatronics. For many participants, this event is considered one of the most important and demanding challenges in their young lives.

Mitutoyo, being one of the lead sponsors and a metrology specialist, provided about 1,800 measuring tools for use by individual competitors in almost a third of the competitions. Among these tools were Digimatic calipers; outside, inside and depth micrometers; indicators; height gauges and granite surface plates, among many others. Additional support in the form of sophisticated measuring machines, complete with experienced Mitutoyo operators, was also made available to the manufacturing technology competitions.

Staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in the heart of the city, it was the first time that the WorldSkills event has been held in the Middle East.

Performing their competitive tasks in 51 categories under six overarching skill sectors and within sight of the impressive Capital Gate leaning - tower skyscraper, the participants presented a spectacle of some of the world’s most talented young people showing what they could do in their chosen vocation. More than 100,000 spectators were captivated with the skills on display over the course of this spectacular biannual event that brought together these elite young adults, the majority of whom were 22 years of age or younger, who had qualified for WorldSkills via national and continental contests.

The high-accuracy metrology support so necessary to the competition was a vital part of the Mitutoyo team’s role and thousands of machined workpieces were diligently measured. This involved the competitors’ workpieces being brought to Mitutoyo’s large display stand, located right in the centre of the Manufacturing and Engineering Technology area, for correct - size verification on one of the four highly accurate Crysta-Apex S Coordinate Measuring Machines. Surface finish was also a quality factor to be taken into consideration and Mitutoyo Surftest SJ - 410 surface roughness testers were on hand to measure this important parameter. Overall, the Mitutoyo team was responsible for measuring workpieces in seven different competitions.

“Supporting our youth is of high significance for Mitutoyo,” said UK director, Martin Weeks who coordinates Mitutoyo’s WorldSkills activities. “Mitutoyo stands in line with the WorldSkills vision to raise awareness among youth − as well as their parents, teachers and employers − that our future depends on an effective skills training system.”

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