Local industry attracts school visits

Local industry attracts school visits

Keywords: Electrox, Business partnerships, Schools,Technology

Philip Maxted, 10 (Plate 11) at the controls of a £250,000 computer-controlled laser cutting sheet metal press asks: “What do those figures on the screen mean, Sir?” Replies Adrian Grew, sales and marketing manager, Electrox, Shepshed, manufacturers of the machine:

 Plate 11

“Well, Philip, you see those “Scooby-Do”patterns being cut into the sheet metal by the laser – you programme this computer to do all that for you automatically. Not only that, but you can see on the screen how long it has taken to do it, how many it has done of the quantity you want and loads more other information besides.”

The occasion was all part of the visit of children from the local Newcroft Primary School, Shepshed, to Electrox under an initiative set up by the Machine Tool Technologies Association (MTTA) – the UK machine tool industry trade body, assisted by Regional Education Business Partnerships and SETPOINTS (Plate 12).

Called the MTTA Primary Schools Technology Challenge, now in its 9th year, the scheme introduces primary school children to the manufacturing world and gives teachers and pupils working knowledge of how technology is used in the manufacturing progress, whilst informing teachers about the career possibilities available in modem engineering.

 Plate 12

The headmaster, Chris Thomas said “it was smashing for the youngsters. They were totally absorbed in seeing what the machine was actually doing and all by computer, which they could link to their own computer work at school. One of our girls, whose ambition is to be an electronics engineer, was particularly engrossed and was able to understand already a surprising amount of the applied technology. Now we have a ten strong working party at school producing a powered model of the Electrox Lazerblade profiting press from a Fisher-Technik kit supplied by the company. This will be presented at an East Midlands Technology Day at Loughborough University at which the children will be presented with a certificate for their efforts”.

The MTTA believes in the crucial importance of developing children’s interest in engineering and the Technology Challenge allows them to make the valuable connection between their school studies and the world of work.

Further details are available from: Electrox, Tel: +44(0) 1462 472 400; Fax: +44 (0) 1462 472 444; E-mail: ray.gawn@electrox.com