College of Engineering and Technology awarded $524,000 grant from IACMI to fund machining education
By Julia Duvall
Western Carolina University’s College of Engineering and Technology recently received a $524,000 grant from the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation to fund a computer numerical control (CNC) machining program.
This CNC machining program is available through an America’s Cutting Edge initiative to restore prominence of the U.S. machine tools sector.
“This partnership is getting WCU engineering students ready to meet industry demand for CNC machining,” said Hugh Jack, the Cass Ballenger distinguished professor in WCU’s School of Engineering + Technology. “Our objective is to serve 190 participants over a two-year span, led by five WCU faculty members.”
The WCU faculty members from the School of Engineering and Technology include, Jack, Basal Alsayyed, Scott Pierce, Tom Spendlove and Yang Zhang.
A 5-axis CNC milling machine by Haas will be located in the college’s machine shop in the Belk Building.
According to ACE, there is an urgent and growing need in the U.S. machining and machine tool industry for skilled individuals – operators, engineers, designers and more – in the 30,000 machining companies across America.
Machining and machine tools are at the foundation of America’s manufacturing capability and its global competitiveness. Machinists digitally design and use computers to program CNC machines to cut parts and make finished products.
America’s Cutting Edge is a program supported by the U.S. Department of Defense Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program from the Innovation Capability and Modernization office.
“This grant will enable WCU to expand partnerships with employers, schools and others to directly address critical skills gaps in advanced manufacturing,” said Randy Collins, dean of WCU’s College of Engineering and Technology. “Dr. Hugh Jack and his team have spearheaded this effort, and it will pay dividends for our region and beyond. Many thanks to IACMI, ACE, and IBAS for this transformative investment at WCU.”
