Representatives from the nation’s leading companies in the precision manufacturing field praised new training labs that opened Oct. 27 at Vincennes University.
Leaders from ABB Robotics, a global leader in power and automation technologies, and Haas Automation Inc., the largest CNC machine tool builder in the Western World, opened major training labs at the Indiana Center for Applied Technology at VU.
Joining them in the opening ceremonies were Mark Everson, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, and Rollie Helmling, deputy commissioner of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, who both cited the role the new facilities will play in preparing Hoosiers for well-paid careers in advanced manufacturing.
Industrial leaders who spoke at the grand opening included Dave Tucker, president of Haas Factory Outlet Midwest; Rob Schwamberger, regional sales manager for ABB Robotics; Mark Summers, president of CNC Software, Mastercam; Bob Skodzinsky, manager, North American Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC) Program; Brian Norris, vice president of Marketing, Sandvik Coromant, and Penny DiCarlo, journalism manager for AMT.
“It is very important for this country to have a strong manufacturing base and Vincennes University is providing the platform for that,” Schwamberger said. “The Robotics training facility here is actually the largest in North America and possibly the world. There are over 25 robots here doing various applications and we are very excited to be part of that. It goes to show the forethought and forward thinking of Vincennes University.”
Following the grand opening ceremonies, the VU training labs opened to the public for tours and demonstrations of both Haas CNC machining and ABB robotics. The facilities are already scheduled for training seminars this week.
“When students leave this educational facility they will go out into the real world understanding how to run new technology, the machines being used in industry today, and be better prepared to be a benefit to the employers that are hiring them,” Tucker said.
The ABB Robotics training lab features 29 ABB robots and related work cells, software and controllers. It will allow students to gain training in applications that include robotic welding and plasma cutting; picking, packing and palletizing; machine tending, material handling and product assembly; and advanced vision related programming.
Also located in the ICAT will be VU’s Haas Technical Education Center CNC Teacher Training Center, North America's first HTEC teacher training and certification center. This new initiative will allow VU to become a world class training and certification center for HTEC teachers in over 1,400 HTEC schools and to work with partners to set the standard for HTEC Haas and Mastercam certification.
“This is the type of facility that every technical school in the country should come and visit to understand what is possible. State leaders should come and visit places like this to understand what is possible and how this could affect manufacturing down the road,” Summers said. He praised VU for
being proactive about filling a need to train technical people needed to keep industry competitive.
“Keeping more manufacturing here means we have more control over our technology, we have higher paying jobs, and we have a trade surplus rather than a deficit,” Summers said.
Doug Bowman, director of VU’s Haas Technical Education Center, said VU’s new labs will have a broad impact on area industry. “Our industrial partners provide the expertise that we need to be successful here, but more importantly in the workplace, so that we bring our level of manufacturing capabilities up in the United States so that we can be the world leader in manufacturing.”
A longtime instructor of machine trades and advanced manufacturing at VU, Bowman said there is a shortage of about 250,000 people in the skilled trades currently. “There are jobs out there but you have to have the right training and that is what our mission is—to provide that training.” Bowman was praised by several speakers for his vision in bringing together major corporate partners to help VU continually improve its advanced manufacturing training.
During the dedication ceremonies for the Haas Technical Education Center, a plaque was unveiled honoring Lawrenceville, Ill. civic leader Frank S. Ladner, who was cited for ”his vision and generous donation” that made possible the completion of the Center. In March, Ladner donated $1.5 million to VU for the project, citing the need to boost area incomes and employment.
