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Cedar
Rapids, Iowa -- Because College Community Schools are located in a
highly industrial area with companies like Rockwell, Midland Forge,
Square D, General Mills, Kodak, ADM, Evergreen and PMX, three years
ago the district began to focus on the needs identified by local
industries as critical for entry level employment. As a result,
Prairie High School, Cedar Rapids, IA, has moved away from the
traditional Industrial Technology instructional programs toward a
focus on the skills needed to work in manufacturing, power and
energy, pre-engineering, and related technologies careers. Most
program decisions have been guided by the incorporation of quality
concepts, team involvement, and a continual quest for improvement in
teaching these technologies. With a commitment to those needs, the
instructional staff, supported by a 35-member advisory committee,
worked with administration to set new direction for the Industrial
Technology program. Career options have been structured to promote
the process of self-directed learning, and instructors in the
vocational technical areas have promoted a continuous improvement
philosophy where students are not expected to reach minimum
standards, but to excel beyond all others. Although some activities
are completed to a second-best level, the goal for all students is
to be and to do their best.
Having computer based learning of technology is not a new concept in
the district, but the level of technological capability has
increased. In the past students learned the concepts of computer
numerical control (CNC) based on desktop machines; unfortunately,
they were too small and did not reflect simulations of the actual
work environment. Concepts of CNC
working in six inches of travel in an X, Y, Z could be taught, but
they did not represent a true industrial setting. With the purchase
of the new Techno-isel CNC milling machine in 1995, students gained
the opportunity to learn on state-of-the-art equipment that is found
in small businesses with process capabilities similar to those on
the typical shop floor.
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The Techno-isel Servo CNC milling center has
an operational range of 41 inches by 49 inches with a plunge
depth of 7 inches. The resulting machining center that was set up
has been used to develop
programs that students could use to build items that are not only
useful, but have value when completed.
Students begin by designing a program that is simple, using a CAD
environment and post- processed in Master Cam 5.5 software to a DOS
CNC servo driver package. Projects vary— something like a nameplate,
sign, or illustration— to prove that the machine can make a part
from a drawing. Once oriented to the machine, students can make
projects of their own choosing.
Students are also given training on operating computers with CAD. An
IBM-compatible Gateway 2000 system works exceptionally well for
teaching computer skills as well as current technology. Because of
the software utilized, students learn how to generate drawings,
create files, transfer files and post them for production. Because
of a statewide site license, students can use VersaCad 8.1 to make
the drawings and translate their 2-D files to IGS files which import
through MasterCam to the NC controller unit easily.
Once
a project is approved by the instructor, the students can prototype
the product and prepare to manufacture. Some of the related
activities for their production may include ramming a mold in the
foundry, machining the mold part square, turning a part on the
lathe, cutting and welding metal, and forming sheet metal. Because
of the number of students and the variety of tasks, the milling
center has become a major component/workstation in the production
processing.
The size of the Techno-isel table
makes it possible for a number of students to have multiple set-ups
and production activities nested simultaneously.
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The
milling center at Prairie High School has been incorporated into the
curriculum of the Construction Technology II class and Manufacturing
I & II classes.
User-friendly as the Techno-isel
system is, there is high demand in classes for skill development in
this area, and students aggressively seek time on the work station.
When students qualify as operators of the CNC workcell, they
become team leaders, possessing skills in setup, CAD, computers, and
material processing
Students in the program still learn how to program longhand. Using
word processing and ASCII file transfer format, each student has an
opportunity to learn "G-codes" and "M-codes." Because they are able
to do multiple setups, students usually make some form of fixture to
position on their part of the bed. They nest their production
activity and are assigned a "home" area and asked to work around
others. Present production activities range from CD-racks, gun
racks, school clocks, parking signs, and personalized signs and
engravings. Each product is designed with the precept that they are
manufactured using team concepts and made in small batch quantities
of 20 or less. Students are instructed in statistical process
control and only quality work is allowed to move forward. The
accuracy of the Techno-isel milling machine allows the group to see,
as well as manufacture, superior quality products. The tasks of
prototype development, engineering and re-engineering are tedious,
but the Techno-Isel milling center
has rejuvenated the Industrial Technology program at Prairie High
School and has rapidly become an important and intergal part in
teaching state-of-the-art manufacturing skills to the next
generation.
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