OFTC Machine Tool Students Gain Exposure to Wire Electrical Discharge Machine
Students studying in Oconee Fall Line Technical College’s (OFTC) Machine Tool Program now have access to a Wire Electrical Discharge Machine (EDM) called a Fanuc Robocut C400iC to expand their knowledge and skills.
A wire EDM uses a metallic wire to cut or shape a workpiece, often a conductive material, with a thin electrode wire that follows a precisely programmed path.
“Machining covers such a wide area of knowledge and anything that a student is exposed to will make them a more valuable employee,” shared Jeff Frady, OFTC’s Machine Tool instructor. “And with wire EDM becoming more widely used in industry, exposure to this machine can give them a leg up in industry,” he added.
Students’ exposure to this equipment will come during the program’s CAD/CAM programming class where they’ll have the opportunity to work on various projects, including the creation of a puzzle bock, a fishtail gauge, and an Acme threading tool gauge which will be useful tools for years to come.
And since the state standards require students to learn the theory of EDM, they’ll now be able to put theory into practice which will greatly increase their understanding of it, Frady shared.
“EDM is a hidden gem of machining,” he said, “and it hasn’t been used a lot outside of tool and die up until ‘recently.’ It’s becoming more popular in our area as more automotive related industries are coming to Georgia.”
To learn more about OFTC’s Machine Tool Technology Program or other Precision Machining & Manufacturing programs, visit the college’s website, OFTC.edu.
###
ABOUT OFTC
The mission of Oconee Fall Line Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, is to contribute to the economic and workforce development of east central Georgia through quality technical and continuing education, adult education, and business and industry services. The College offers associate degrees, diplomas, technical certificates of credit, and non-credit certificates in a student-centered learning environment through traditional and distance education modes of delivery. TCS
