Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By CHARITY SMITH
Ironwood — Gogebic Community College will soon offer a mechatronics program. Two courses will be available starting in spring 2022, one in basic operations and one in robot system operations, according to the college’s workforce development director Glen Ackerman-Behr.
According to Ackerman-Behr, mechatronics is where mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and information technology intersect and is seen in companies that use automation in production and distribution. He said that the amount of automation that large-scale companies use to keep costs low and provide products and services quickly around the world is escalating.
“The people that are necessary to maintain those pieces of equipment that have high levels of automation on them, there’s just not enough of them and they come out of a mechatronics or robotics program,” he said. “What we’re looking to do is revive that in the area.”
Ackerman-Behr said that all industries right now are really struggling to hire. Consequently, he said that a lot of industries are considering automation. He said that he decided to create the program after he had numerous requests from at least 11 regional employers to have mechatronics program so they can have trained operators. He said the companies don’t necessarily have high levels of automation, but they do have high levels of specialized machinery.
“Within each one of those machines there is also automation, electronics, sensors, pneumatic systems, and hydraulic systems, and all of those things need to talk with a controller,” said Ackerman-Behr. “This program starts to pull all of those things together and package them in a way that a student can go into a company and help them with their automation or mechatronics.”
The program is modeled after the Smart Automation Certification Alliance, which was formed after several organizations in the industry got together to format a certification standard to have people trained in the areas they were needing. These include courses in basic operations, advanced operations, robot system operations and networking and data analytics.
The basic operations course introduces students to the concepts of smart manufacturing and basic setup, adjustments and operations of machines that have automation. He said the course will teach students how a robot works on a basic level. Students will also learn about production monitoring, such as how smart phones, internet and ethernet monitor what is going on in the manufacturing process.
The basic operations course is approximately 12 weeks long and after completing the course, students can sit for a certification exam that is recognized by the SACA. Ackerman-Behr said the basic operations course will be offered starting in March.
In the robot systems course, students will learn the basic concepts and terminology around robots, how to set up a robot and do adjustments on one, and basic programming and operations of robots. He said students will get a firm grasp as to how a robot talks to the network. After completing the course, the student will be able to earn a basic robot operator certificate. This course will be available in May 2022.
Ackerman-Behr said they will focus on robotic systems used by FANUC, a top-rated robot manufacture, whose robots are used by businesses in the region.
“It’s a pretty amazing opportunity for people to get jobs that pay pretty well around here,” said Ackerman-Behr.
The courses will not be offered for college credit. Students are not locked into a semester format.
Ackerman-Behr said he is waiting to hear back about a grant that he applied for which would allow the program to be offered to students for little to no cost. He said he anticipates hearing back about the grant by the end of the month.
The programs will be available in cohorts with six to eight students. Ackerman-Behr said a new cohort for the basic operations course will be available every other month and robotics course will be available every quarter.
The college announced in September it was awarded a MiLeap program development grant for $49,463 to cover the cost of the program equipment.
The course will be offered through the Amatrol e-learning platform. This will allow students to learn at their own pace with weekly milestones assigned by a trainer.
“The model is really geared towards non-traditional students who’d have a hard time making it to day classes throughout the week,” said Ackerman-Behr. “They can do this learning at 2 o’clock in the morning if that’s what works for their schedule.”
The college will be hiring an onsite instructor to work with students in the program. The instructor will be available to students and will be there for the hands on lab work which will take place at the college’s skilled trades building.
“Students will be well prepared to work in companies that are trying to use more automation or that have high levels of automation,” Ackerman-Behr said of the program.
