Greetings PM'ers
I am helping specify lab equipment for a University shop facility. This facility supports the academic mission of teaching MechE, MfgE, MechEngrTech, & MfgEngrTech courses in Manufacturing Processes. We currently have a few each of Haas CNC mills & lathes of various flavors & vintages. Three manual knee mills & a couple of manual lathes. We struggle to teach freshman-level Manufacturing Processes courses effectively with the current equipment & quantities. We have an opportunity to change / upgrade / replace / expand as needed to support the "Academic Mission."
I learned how to turn cranks back in the 70's with a big shop full of War Surplus worn-out machine tools. I'm not much of a machinist, but I know how not to embarrass myself (well...not too much, anyway) in the presence of a qualified tool maker. Rightly or wrongly, I believe the Academic Mission at the University is summarized by We are not training machinists. We are educating future TECH/ENGR grads what machinists DO. If the student wants to be a machinist, then they can learn it here but there are better local venues for more intense training.
Our debate is about what best supports the Mission.
In either case, we retain some CNC to provide exposure to CNC in later semesters and to support Local Community Entrepreneurs & Industry.
Would very much welcome opinions.
I am helping specify lab equipment for a University shop facility. This facility supports the academic mission of teaching MechE, MfgE, MechEngrTech, & MfgEngrTech courses in Manufacturing Processes. We currently have a few each of Haas CNC mills & lathes of various flavors & vintages. Three manual knee mills & a couple of manual lathes. We struggle to teach freshman-level Manufacturing Processes courses effectively with the current equipment & quantities. We have an opportunity to change / upgrade / replace / expand as needed to support the "Academic Mission."
I learned how to turn cranks back in the 70's with a big shop full of War Surplus worn-out machine tools. I'm not much of a machinist, but I know how not to embarrass myself (well...not too much, anyway) in the presence of a qualified tool maker. Rightly or wrongly, I believe the Academic Mission at the University is summarized by We are not training machinists. We are educating future TECH/ENGR grads what machinists DO. If the student wants to be a machinist, then they can learn it here but there are better local venues for more intense training.
Our debate is about what best supports the Mission.
- Re-stock the lab with more smaller manual tools (maybe something like those SMITHY 3-in-1 combo-type units?) to focus on metal working fundamentals.
- De-emphasize manual tools and focus more on CNC?
In either case, we retain some CNC to provide exposure to CNC in later semesters and to support Local Community Entrepreneurs & Industry.
Would very much welcome opinions.