$150,000 AdvanceSC Grant Will Upfit Robotics Lab
CONTACT: EUGENE GRANT, 646-1341
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/26/2009
(By Lisa Garrett)
PENDLETON ---A $150,000 grant from AdvanceSC will allow Tri-County Technical College to upfit its robotics labs with industry-specific equipment to train students to work in highly computerized automated robotics work cells.
The grant funds the purchase of four FANUC robots that will be used in the upcoming Computerized Automation and Robotics Systems (CARS) program, said Eugene Grant, dean of the Industrial and Engineering Technology Division at Tri-County. The money also will fund CARS curriculum development and a summer camp for 20 middle school students who will use robots to control an ice cream sundae manufacturing process.
“This training is designed to serve many area industries that have manufacturing groups who have robotics within the assembly process,” Grant said.
The General Engineering Technology program primarily will use the robots, he said. “This funding comes at a time when that program’s enrollment has increased 27 percent. With more equipment, we can serve more students in labs,” he added.
“Without the continued funding from AdvanceSC, there is no way, due to the economic times, that we could provide training using today’s current technology. It allows us to teach what the students will see upon entry to into industry jobs,” he said.
In the last few years, AdvanceSC has funded Tri-County requests for its Welding, Mechatronics and Machine Tool Technology programs. Last year AdvanceSC awarded Tri-County a $250,000 grant to create another career path by designing and implementing a program for qualified pipefitters (welders (MIG and TIG) and gas and arc welding).
In 2007 a $250,000 grant enabled the College to establish a Center of Excellence where Upstate maintenance technicians can be trained on the most up-to-date fluid power equipment.
In 2006 a $249,775 grant moved the College forward in being more responsive to addressing the shortage of skilled metal fabrication employees and machinists.
Over the last two years AdvanceSC has awarded $2.5 million in grants to five Upstate colleges, including Tri-County, to support the development of a common curriculum for the industrial maintenance occupations, ensuring that graduates working side by side in local industries will possesses the same core competencies.
“AdvanceSC really supports the College in meeting the needs of our local manufacturing,” said Grant.
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Oconee