HANCEVILLE, Ala. – Students in Wallace State Community College’s Machine Tool Technology program recently won second place in the Phillips Machinist Student Competition sponsored by Maryland-based machine tool distributor Phillips Corporation.
The competition’s goal was to encourage innovation within teams of students by taking a manufactured system that already exists and improving a part. The competition guidelines included using a Haas Automation machine to manufacture the part and to utilize calculators and resource materials available through the Phillips Machinist App for project production. The student contest was held virtually, allowing teams to manufacture the project in their school facilities, while judges cast their votes online.
Wallace State competed against schools in Phillips Corporation’s market territory, which includes 12 states. Machine Tool Technology students Jamin Bostrom of Oneonta and Mason Worrell of Northport built a five-piston wobble engine that secured their second-place finish.
“I’m excited about this win for our students,” said Jerry Murks, dean of Applied Technologies at Wallace State. “Being able to work as a team to design and construct a fully functional pneumatic engine is an achievement that highlights our Machine Tool Technology program’s commitment to excellence and hands-on learning. Their success is a testament to our program’s quality and the dedication of both the students and faculty.”
Chair of the Wallace State Machine Tool Technology department Justin Burnett said the win is exciting, especially for a team of two, as it showcases the hard work that students in the program put forth.
“I am proud of our students who competed. It was a lot of work with just two students on our team, but their dedication and hard work paid off. With our program’s strong emphasis on hands-on training and cutting-edge equipment, the Machine Tool Technology program at Wallace State has equipped students with the skills needed to excel in the manufacturing industry,” said Burnett.
In addition to taking home second place, the Wallace State Machine Tool Technology department was awarded two Haas Automation control simulators and a $1,500 Haas Automation certificate, which will be used by the department to purchase new tooling equipment. Each student team member was personally awarded a caliper and micrometer produced by Haas Automation. Haas Automation is the largest machine tool builder in the United States, and one of the largest builders of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines in the world.
For more information about the Wallace State Machine Tool Technology program, contact Justin Burnett at 256-352-8235 or email machinetool@wallacestate.edu.
