DAYTON — Organizers of the BotsIQ competition have a saying: "It's the smart sport."

"It's so much more than cutting metal," said Janice Rice, a spokeswoman for

Dayton Tooling and Manufacturing

Association.

Fifty-four teams competed in the 2007 BotsIQ contest Thursday, with remote-controlled, student-built robots in bouts of smashing, hammering and flipping.

But in the five to six weeks before the contest, students went to the drawing board, learning design, machining and electronics to devise the perfect fighting machine.

The result was a standing-room-only crowd in one corner of the Dayton International Airport Expo Center, which also hosted DTMA's annual Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Show on Wednesday and Thursday.

One robot, built by a team of Thurgood Marshall Academic Magnet Academy students and dubbed "New Jack Steel," drew sparks from an opponent with its spinning metallic front wheel.

New Jack banged its opponent and flipped it more than once before the three-minute match ended.

Ciera Williams, 17, a Thurgood Marshall junior, credited New Jack's success to its "speed and weight."

"That helps more than anything," Williams said.

In designing their machines, many of the teams were guided by members of DTMA, which is overseeing the Bots contest for the second year.

Last year, 39 teams took part. Some 200 students are taking part this year, making it one of the largest regional BotsIQ competitions.

DTMA leaders said they hope that along the way students are gaining an appreciation for the skill manufacturing can require.

It's all about drawing young people to manufacturing, said Michael Kalter, DTMA president.

"Manufacturing is not dead," Kalter said. "It's just moved to a higher level of expectation."

The Bots contest has become so well regarded, that other manufacturing associations are taking note, said Garry Jankowski, a senior sales rep for Sandvik Coromant.

"We've got other associations around the country looking at us and saying, 'How did you get to this level this quickly?' " Jankowski said.

Richard Walker, education and training director for the National Tooling and Machining Association, who was watching the 'bots battle Thursday, admitted as much.

"DTMA is kind of a special group," Walker said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2390 or tgnau@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Related: Video | Photos

2007 BotsIQ winners

First Place: Thurgood Marshall Academic Magnet Academy, team "Critically Acclaimed"

Robot: "New Jack Steel"

Second Place: Patterson Career Center, team "DJR"

Robot: "Delta"

Third Place: Centerville High School, team "Mind Bottler"

Robot: "Mind Bottler"