Addition of 5-axis training program draws national attention
As U.S. manufacturing continues to struggle for skilled labor, GF Machining Solutions and Community College of Denver (CCD) collaborated to add 5-axis training to the college’s machine technologies program. This curriculum expansion, which recently drew the attention of the Obama administration, represents efforts to reduce the estimated 2 million manufacturing jobs expected to go unfilled over the next decade.
CCD offers specialized training on a variety of machine technologies and opened a new Advanced Manufacturing Center in the fall of 2015. The state-of-the-art 33,280-square-foot facility allows the College to increase enrollment in the machining technologies program. It utilizes equipment that enhances the educational experience for students while specifically targeting the rising demand for skilled machinists and machine operators.
Vice President Joe Biden recently toured the Advanced Manufactur
ing Center and metwithstudents enrolled in the machining technologies program. He spoke about the importance of building a Colorado workforce with the right skills for jobs that pay well and provide a solid path the the middle class.
CCD’s 5-axis training program features GF Machining Solutions’ Mikron HPM 450U, a powerful 5-axis solution for universal, automated production that perfectly combines dynamics and stability. The machine easily adapts to suit a variety of manufacturing requirements and offers impressive machining capabilities from simple drilling to complex 5-sided and simultaneous 5-axis machining processes.
“We continue to look for ways to help manufacturers overcome their labor challenges,” said Gisbert Ledvon, director of business development for GF Machining Solutions. “Partnering with Community College of Denver to develop this type of hands-on learning program is one of the best ways to mitigate the brain drain that is occurring as baby boomers retire.”
According to Dr. Chris Budden, dean of CCD’s Center for Career and Technical Education, students now learn on leading-edge machine tool technology that is responsible for re-invigorating manufacturing in America. He added that the facility also looks forward to working with companies that have adopted 5-axis machines to train their incumbent workers.
GF Machining Solutions will continue to collaborate with CCD to train its instructors. The training program consists of three types of course offerings – introduction, operation and programming – and offers real-world training experience by focusing on applications of the 5-axis machine in a variety of industries, including aerospace, medical and plastic mold.
About GF Machining Solutions
GF Machining Solutions is the world’s leading provider of machines, automation solutions and services to the tool and mold making industry and to manufacturers of precision components. The products range from electric discharge machines, high-speed and high-performance milling machines, including clamping and palletization systems, and 3D laser surface texturing machines, to services, spare parts and expendable parts, consumables and automation solutions. GF Machining Solutions is a globally acting division of the Georg Fischer Group (Switzerland) and maintains a presence on 50 sites worldwide within its own organization. Its 3,008 employees generated sales of CHF 905 million in 2014. More information can be found at www.gfms.com/us.
About Community College of Denver
With more than 9,000 students, Community College of Denver (CCD) is the third-largest community college in Colorado and a leading point of entry to higher education for the city and county of Denver. CCD provides a cost-effective, high-quality college education to nontraditional students, along with access and opportunity, workforce development, training resources for local organizations and community partnerships. CCD is a federally funded Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS) and is one of 13 community colleges in the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). Learn more at www.CCD.edu.
