Sixth-graders in Oxford Middle School’s pre-engineering program visited a local industrial facility last week to get a glimpse of how the technical skills they’re learning in the classroom are used in the real world.
‘Overall, the students really enjoyed it,? said teacher Natalie Daversa. ‘They couldn’t believe they were creating pieces that adult engineers design and create.?
Rochester Welding Co. Inc., a sheet metal facbrication company located at 725 S. Glaspie Street, was the site of this fun and informative field trip.
There students saw a steel part ? in this case, an oversized paperclip ? designed on a computer by an engineer, cut by a Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) laser, then bent and finished on a CNC press brake.
‘It gives what they’re doing (in the classroom) a purpose because they see the end result,? said John Daversa, facilities manager at Rochester Welding and the teacher’s father-in-law.
Afterwards, each student got a souvenir paperclip with the words ‘Oxford Wildcats Rock? and ‘Rochester Welding Co. Inc. Technology Field Trip 6/02/2009? engraved on it.
Natalie indicated the students will attempt to design the paperclip at school using Autodesk Inventor, a computer program for 3-dimensional mechanical design.
‘We refer to this as reverse engineering,? she said.
This was the first year for the sixth-grade pre-engineering class, which is part of a program called ‘Project Lead the Way.? It was created in upstate New York by a technology teacher and a group of engineers.
The curriculum incorporates hands-on, project-based learning with math, science and technology. Using the computer, students have designed many pieces including blocks, LEGOs, brackets for swing sets and a toy pegboard complete with mallet.
‘They are able to see the relationship between what they learn in math and how they use it on the computer,? Natalie said. ‘I see many future engineers in this class and even those students who do not enjoy engineering, they’re able to see how all their classes connect.?
John was amazed at what these students are learning. ‘It’s impressive they’re learning this stuff at that age,? he said. ‘They’re doing what our people are doing upstairs in engineering to a point.?
John noted he didn’t start taking drafting classes until his freshman year of high school and back then, all his drawing was done with a board, T-square, triangle, pencil and eraser.
‘What they’re doing, I didn’t even see until I was 30,? he said.
Given the rapid rate of technological advancement, the students will probably look back on what they saw during this field trip as something out of the Stone Age.
‘By the time they’re out of college, what they’re looking at now will be obsolete,? John said. ‘They’ll be into something we probably can’t even imagine.?
In business for more than 30 years, Rochester Welding makes parts of all sizes and shapes for everyone from the plastics and food industries to the United States military.
Natalie said the students ‘were a little disappointed they couldn’t see the top secret equipment being made, but they understand why.?
‘One student says he wants to be an engineer just so he can make top secret equipment for the military,? she noted.