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Torchmate CNC Robotic Cutting Machines Hit Classrooms


At the Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology in Reno, Nev., students are learning to fabricate and prototype on the same robotic technology that is the preferred tool of aircraft engineers, ship builders and the U.S. military.

The Reno, Nev. school is one of many across the nation that has turned to the cutting-edge, industry-leading CNC (computer numerical controlled) technology of Torchmate to teach the next generation of engineers, architects, and manufacturing professionals how to use the tools of the future.

Gaylord Rodeman, welding instructor at the Washoe County career and technical school, uses a "4X8" "Torchmate 3" CNC machine with Arc Voltage Height Control (AVHC) in his classroom to take learning one step further - from a hypothetical, textbook-oriented idea to a hands-on project.

"Application is one of the high-end levels of learning. Not only does it stick with the student longer, it is motivation. To create something, see it work, and have that success, is a learning experience that cannot be equaled in the fields of engineering and skilled manufacturing," said Rodeman.

Rodeman chose Torchmate because the company was local, responsive and delivered industry-leading technology and technical support. The Washoe County School District, of which Rodeman's school is a part, uses five Torchmate CNC machines, ranging in size from the company's "4X4" machine to the "4X8."

Torchmate has trained instructors on the full capabilities of each machine, and is constantly available, free of charge, for in-depth technical support, ensuring that students and instructors are able to use the full capabilities of each machine.

"That was the biggest thing that I wanted when I purchased a CNC machine for the classroom - a good support system," said Rodeman.

Today, the Torchmate machine is an integral part of Rodeman's classroom philosophy, where students are taught not just individual skills, but the creative process of building something from the ground up that uses multiple manufacturing applications in one project.

"We are focused on teaching them how to fabricate, how to think, how things go together," said Rodeman.

According to Bill Kunz, CEO of Torchmate, the increased demand by educational institutions for CNC machines just goes to show how crucial it now is for potential engineers, architects, and manufacturing professionals to have a good understanding of how these machines work before they dive into the industry.

"CNC machines are being widely adopted by any industry connected to manufacturing," said Kunz. "The people that plan on being a part of this industry will eventually have to learn the ins and outs of CNC technology.