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News Release from: Festo | Subject: PLC-controlled workstation
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 January 2006
PLC workstation helps train students
Tresham Institute has recently installed a Festo PLC-controlled workstation to provide 'hands-on' training for students pursuing higher education courses in engineering.
Tresham Institute of Further and Higher Education has recently installed a Festo PLC-controlled workstation in its Engineering Department The workstation facilitates 'hands-on' training for students pursuing higher education courses in engineering, and is the third such system to be installed at the institute's facilities in Corby
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 22 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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The order followed a second allocation of funding from the East Midlands New Technology Initiative (NTI), and the workstation was installed just before Christmas 2005.
Tresham Institute has made a considerable investment in recent years for engineering training support with facilities that now include two computer suites, a mechatronics laboratory, advanced CAD/CAM workstations and an industrial rapid prototyping system.
Two years ago, as part of a GBP 45,000 investment partly funded by East Midlands NTI, the mechatronics laboratory received two Festo PLC-controlled workstations, to help familiarise students with real-life industrial control systems and processes.
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The workstations employ a wide variety of pneumatic, electro-pneumatic and hydraulic actuators, together with their associated control valves, and are backed by powerful simulation software.
According to Pete Lillyman, senior lecturer in Tresham Institute's Engineering Department, "The increasing popularity of our engineering courses means that our existing workstations undergo a lot of use, and students sometimes have to wait until they can gain access to them".
He continued: "Although our simulation software enables students to work 'off-line', there is nothing like seeing the results of your labour actually control a system.
The addition of this third workstation will allow us to cope with demand, and will prove an invaluable resource".
Steve Stratfull, training manager for Festo, said that Festo has an excellent track record in supporting engineering students: "Our Didactic Centre in Northampton runs courses that are complementary to those offered by Tresham Institute.
Last year, for example, we provided the final training for the UK's mechatronic team, to help prepare for the WorldSkills Competition in Helsinki, at the end of May".
He added: "Festo strongly believes in promoting training and skill acquisition to help young people secure career paths in technology, and is delighted to be associated with Tresham Institute's initiatives in this area".
* About the Tresham Institute - Tresham Institute is a UK Further Education College with five campuses - in Corby, Wellingborough, two in Kettering and the Rutland College in Oakham.
Tresham has an annual income of over GBP 21 million and has over 2,200 Full Time and 14,000 Part Time students.
The college now successfully combines a business-like approach with a commitment to placing the individual student at the heart of all strategic planning and decision-making.
Tresham is striving consistently towards equal opportunities for students and staff, and seeks to provide a place where both can achieve their maximum potential.
For more information, please visit (http://www.tresham.ac.uk).
East Midlands NTI is an initiative backed by leading universities and colleges, to help small and medium sized businesses invest in state of the art technology.
Businesses can apply for match funded grants to invest in capital equipment and enrol staff on NTI approved courses to gain advanced technology skills.
East Midlands NTI is recognised as the UK's best practice NTI.
It is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Request a free brochure from Festo ...
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