Progress Continues on Connecticut Manufacturing Center

By Gary McCoy, Executive Director

Anew manufacturing center is under construction on the Tunxis Community College campus near Bristol and the epicenter of Connecticut spring manufacturing. Appropriately, the facility is located on Spring Lane in Farmington, Connecticut.

Along with Lucas Karabin of Acme Monaco and Al Mangels of Lee Spring, I had a chance to tour the facility in March with Rich DuPont, the interim associate dean of advanced manufacturing for the northwest region in Connecticut. DuPont is part of the team at Tunxis Community College working on the buildout and development of the facility. DuPont has been working closely with Karabin and Mangels to include a section of the facility to teach spring coiling. He also hopes to add classes on wireforming and stamping. DuPont meets regularly with the NESMA committee responsible for workforce development.

The facility is one of 10 programs in Connecticut, and the 40,000 sq. ft. building makes it among the five largest in the state. The facility will initially utilize 15,000 sq. ft. of space dedicated to a hands-on, state-of-the-art manufacturing lab with classrooms and training areas for manual machining, CNC machines (both mills and lathes), surface grinding, wet jet cutting and mechatronics. In the future, they hope to add areas for automation and robotics (cobots and industrial robots).

“With its central location, the stateof-the-art facility on Spring Lane will not only support traditional manufacturing and aerospace, but it also establishes a unique identity to serve spring manufacturers,” explained DuPont. He says the spring manufacturing emphasis makes this facility stand out from the rest of the centers scattered throughout the state.

A Sustainable Path to Employment

DuPont says the program is designed to offer multiple pathways to employment. “With the demand so high for these skillsets for manufacturing in Connecticut, this program is a priority,” said DuPont. “For those interested, we offer a sustainable path to be prepared as possible for gainful, sustainable employment opportunities in manufacturing”

The program focuses on a 10-month, two-semester manufacturing certificate program based on hands-on training. The program does not include any humanities or electives. Classes include credit and non-credit classes in math, blueprint reading, CAD, introduction to machining, manual machining, CNC machining, safety and quality — all directly related to manufacturing.

DuPont says this is an ideal program for those who want or need to quickly get to work in manufacturing and also opens up opportunities for continuing education.

“A person who completes the program can earn up to 33 credits, which is basically half of what that same student would need for an associate degree in either advanced manufacturing machine technology or advanced engineering technology offered via our College of Technology.”

DuPont says those credits would transfer seamlessly to a bachelor’s degree program in those same two disciplines.

“The program helps those who are looking for a better place in life, respective to their career path,” says DuPont. “They are choosing a certificate program so they can get to work and continue improving.”

Once a graduate secures employment in manufacturing, DuPont says many will return for additional training to further develop their skills.

“These programs are also designed to support a high school pathway,” explained DuPont, “that starts during a student’s junior year when they dual enroll. By the time they graduate as a senior, they can earn up to 17 credits or up to half of the certificate program. Post graduation, one semester later, they could potentially complete the certificate.”

DuPont says those who complete half the program in high school “are much more job-ready than they would be otherwise. For those who grow up in underserved communities, oftentimes this is a need, a reality, that this program becomes the path for them to take part in and does, in fact, change lives.”

Others Who Can Benefit

The program also targets adult learners, some of whom are looking to reposition their careers. “Especially someone who has lost a job in another career and sees the opportunities available in manufacturing.”

For instance, DuPont says they had a Wall Street investor who simply burned out. So he wanted to try manufacturing as an alternative career. He completed the program successfully and has done very well in his new career in manufacturing.

He says they also work with those who are seeking a second chance and women in manufacturing, “which is a big push for us right now. Women are really good at critical thinking, which is important in manufacturing.”

DuPont says all their programs are driven by industry. “We have industry advisers who meet with us regularly to provide input on what they need,” said DuPont.

He says that’s why he works closely with organizations like NESMA to make sure the program is meeting the real needs of manufacturers. “I very much enjoy this because they are a group that is on top of what is needed for curriculum.’

DuPont and the team at Tunxis are working toward finishing the Spring Lane facility in Farmington, with an opening

Machines

• Fenn (TORIN)

• Itaya

• MEC

• Samuel

• Sleeper & Hartley

• Additional Machines

– A.I.M.

– ASAHI

– Bamatec (Schenker)

– Baird

– Bobbio

– E.N. Machine (Ming)

– Simplex

– Wafios

Line of carbide and steel tooling include…

• Arbors/Mandrels

• Block Guides

• Body Tools

• Caps

• Coiling Tools

• Cutting Tools

• Feed Rolls

• Guides/Liners

• Pencil Arbors

• Pitch Tools

• Quills

By Phil Sasso