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Manufacturing Month Highlights QCC Tech Offerings
October 2016
More than 100 area high school students attended Manufacturing Day 2016 at QCC, to learn more about what types of manufacturing classes and technology QCC offers.
National Manufacturing Day was held October 7 around the country, where colleges, companies and community organizations showcased modern manufacturing to educate and inspire the next generation of manufacturers. About 45 events were scheduled in Massachusetts, with more than 2,500 events scheduled in the United States.
QCC also co-hosted events at the Jacob Edward Library in Southbridge and the Oxford Library, with faculty demonstrations and information about STEM programs at QCC. Having events off campus is a great way to reach out to potential students and let them know what QCC offers.
Dean of the School of Business, Engineering & Technology at QCC Kathy Rentsch said the events were well attended.
QCC students and faculty are encouraged to check out the QuEST (Quinsigamond Engineering, Science and Technology) Center to see the new manufacturing labs and the Fab Lab.
The Fab Lab has Open Lab hours where students, faculty and staff can stop by to use the high-tech equipment and learn more about different capabilities of the machines. Faculty also can schedule times to bring in their students for projects.
The Fab Lab is open Mondays from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m., Tuesdays from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m., Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and Fridays from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. The lab is staffed with instructors who help students learn more about the machines and what they can do. The Fab Lab has a laser cutter, a large router, milling machines, five 3D printers and other electronic equipment.
Some recent student projects include designing a custom USB memory stick, a custom i-phone case, and bird feeders with motion sensors. With the large router, students can work on furniture projects, or with the electronic equipment they can create circuit boards. They can also find designs online for the 3D printers or create their own designs during several open labs.
