Waukesha County Technical College has received $188,000 from the Lutz Family Foundation to buy an automated manufacturing cell for the school’s robotics program.
The FANUC manufacturing cell, which is widely used by local manufacturing companies, will be located at WCTC’s Integrated Manufacturing Center.
“This cell will provide our students with real-world applications of how equipment is configured to work together in an automated environment,” said Mike Shiels, dean of the WCTC School of Applied Technologies. “It’s equipped with a FANUC robot, three-axis machining center, conveyer system and Rockwell programmable logic controllers.”
The Lutz Family Foundation is administered by Walter Lutz, former president and owner of Hartford-based Signicast Investment Castings.
“I believe that for the United States to be great, it’s got to be a producer,” Lutz said. “It’s got to make stuff, and manufacturing is a big part of that. I hope the donation makes a difference in the fact that students are learning using the latest technology. It’s a great incentive for them to gain the skills they need and then go on to apply those skills at their job.”
Nearly 200 students are currently enrolled in WCTC’s AST/Robotics associate degree program.
