High Tech Mobile Training Lab Comes to Door County

Members of the CNC Regional Training Committee will unveil and offer tours of the new Computer Integrated Manufacturing Mobile Lab on Monday, Sept. 12, from 11 am – 1 pm in the front entrance parking lot at Sturgeon Bay High School. The mobile lab will provide high-tech manufacturing learning opportunities for area youth.

Carrying computer numeric control (CNC) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) equipment, the mobile lab will introduce local high school students to high tech manufacturing careers. The 44 foot-long mobile technology laboratory is packed with CNC technology, including a Haas CNC mill and a Haas CNC lathe; 13 computers; and SMART Board (an interactive whiteboard) technology. The lab is totally self-contained, is run with two on-board diesel generators, and pulled by a one-ton commercial grade pick-up truck. The mobile lab’s two slide outs provide the space necessary for everything that a student would find in a stationary lab. Thus, the state-of-the-art lab will provide area youth with a more accurate image of “high tech” CNC/CAM careers.

The manufacturing industry is an important component to the health and sustainability of the region. There are many businesses that utilize CNC technology in this region and local industry has shown a demand for people with skills and knowledge of CNC. The need for an updated and relevant CNC curriculum in our area high schools is clear and immediate.

“Career education and training at the high school level is essential to the growth of our local economy,” said DKBEP Manager Tara LeClair. “If we don’t address the needs of our businesses now we not only will lose the businesses but will continually witness the trend of our youth leaving the area to obtain employment else ware.”