Forest City Gear announced Turning Lead Josh P. Gates has joined Rock Valley College as an adjunct professor. Gates teaches two courses under the Manufacturing Engineering Technology program: MET 111 CNC Machine Setup/Operation/Programming and MET 226 CNC/CAM Operations I. Both courses are required to complete the Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association (RRVTMA) CNC Precision Machinist Journeyman Apprenticeship.
As a community, we gear engineers collaborate and share ideas to progress our collective capability. Technology progresses based on our efforts, and we have seen solid advances in the performance of our products as they become quieter, cheaper, more efficient, and more power dense. The pages of this magazine (past and present editions) are filled with examples where talented engineers have dug deeper into a subject using a more precise approach to a particular area concerning gear performance. The implied belief is always that greater precision (complexity) in the calculations brings greater accuracy (alignment with reality).
Training has quickly evolved in recognition of the new realities of the factory floor. The training tool kit has never been more diverse or effective. Training regimens today, at the best companies, are analogous to those of the most successful professional sports or Olympic teams. Instead of weight room, nutrition, and practice, workers use digital webinars, simulations, and classrooms. If modern training tools and techniques result in faster, higher, and stronger on the athletic field, they also produce faster, smarter, and better for companies seeking a competitive edge in the marketplace.