FIRST Robotics is a quickly-growing STEM initiative, founded by Dean Kamen, that pits kids against each other in robotic contests while promoting a fine combination of cooperation and competition. Teenagers stew over various engineering issues, component failures, and efficiency quotas all while coordinating their teams like a start-up engineering business – in essence, this is one of the truest forms of STEM education out there.
It’s undeniable that education is vital to the advancement of both individuals and civilizations, and with each passing generation (each passing year, even), being educated is becoming more prevalent to success. Some would even argue that it is essential for survival. But, the landscape of education is changing – it has been for some time now. Jobs that had previously been considered “unskilled labor,” now require a 2- or 4-year degree, at a minimum.
Tormach CNCs have been called both versatile and robust - two things that don’t often coincide with each other. Even more so, the PCNC 1100 has often been called a gateway to CNC, as the machines are of a prosumer standard, yet they are simple and intuitive to operate. Andy Smith, who is graduate student in the Engineering Robotics Lab in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Nevada-Reno, attests to the capabilities as he operates a PCNC 1100 in the lab.
In early 2014, the University of Wisconsin – Platteville purchased four PCNC 770s which are featured in our most recent Customer Success Story video series. Instructors in the school’s Industrial Studies department kindly opened their doors to allow us to see how the university utilizes their Tormach mills, and incorporates them into their curriculum.
As part of his responsibilities, DASL researcher Roy (R.J.) Gross is helping groom future roboticists in a multi-disciplinary curriculum with the help of a Tormach PCNC 1100.
Frankie Flood is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus and teaches in the Jewelry and Metalsmithing area within the Peck School of the Arts. A classically-trained jewelry artist, Flood’s interest in CNC began in the machine shop while attending the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
