Programs like the Fast Track to Fluid Power are made possible in part by the generous support of industry volunteers as well as NFPA Education and Technology Foundation and Pascal Society donors.
Despite the ongoing challenges that COVID-19 restrictions have imposed on the educational front, NFPA members and educator partners in Wisconsin continue to stay engaged in NFPA’s Fast Track to Fluid Power program.
NFPA’s Wisconsin Fast Track hub is located at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) where fluid power is taught within the Automation Systems Technology (Robotics) and Industrial Maintenance Technician 2-year degree programs.
In January, NFPA worked with WCTC to organize a two-day teacher training event led by instructor Wayne Buroker on how to use and teach fluid power with the Festo MecLabs. NFPA has provided Waukesha area high schools with the Festo MecLabs as part of the Fast Track program so that high school students can get hands-on experience with fluid power. Teachers from Palmyra-Eagle and Kettle Moraine High School received the training and are excited to get more involved with the Fast Track program.
Hamilton High School in Sussex is one of the area high schools that feeds into WCTC. One of their independent study students is taking a Digital Electronics and Automation class. He learned basic digital electronics and then used that knowledge to automate each Festo MecLab station using the DE Technique of FluidSIM. His final project was open ended in that he could combine all three stations in any configuration he wanted. This video is his final project.
Another key part of the Fast Track program is member involvement. Husco recently connected with a class of engineering students from Hamilton High School. Students toured Husco’s Waukesha facility, connected with engineers, learned about the Husco Scholars Program and participated in a technical challenge. Students were challenged to compete against automation. Students received a product kit and were challenged to assemble components at the timing rate of automated equipment. This activity taught students the impact and importance of automation in the workforce.
WCTC has its Spring Open House on Thursday, April 21, 2022, and NFPA member companies are welcome to attend.
If you would like to get involved in NFPA’s Fast Track to Fluid Power program, please contact Amy Zignego at azignego@nfpa.com or (414) 778-3376.
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