ZOLLER Inc. donates $250,000 in equipment to Washtenaw Community College

Almost a quarter of a million dollars in equipment has been donated to Washtenaw Community College by ZOLLER Inc. The equipment will be used to train students on cutting edge machinery that uses an advanced tool management system and measures precision cutting tools.

The equipment gift from ZOLLER is part of an investment in Washtenaw Community College and the community’s workforce. The investment has multiple angles including training four to six students a year for high demand careers at the company and an apprenticeship program that has a direct path to employment.

ZOLLER Inc. is a German technology company that has been family owned for three generations. The company’s North American headquarters is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

The donated equipment made its way to Washetenaw’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab in time to be ready for the Fall 2023 semester. Gifted equipment includes a tool station with workbench, Tool Management System Solution, CNC presetter, and many other components. Students who enroll in the school’s associate degree in Advanced Manufacturing (CNC)- Machine Tool Setup, Operation and Programming, and certificate programs in Machine Tool (CNC) will have access to training on the new machinery. 

In an article posted on Washtenaw Community College’s website, the training and development manager at ZOLLER, Michael Stepke, talked about the donation, saying, “The donation is only one part of the equation. We want to help develop the curriculum and instructions, and have students visit our headquarters for live demos and technical presentations. We’re offering an accelerated journey that no other college is receiving.”

ZOLLER’s new Application Engineer Apprentice program will offer benefits to participants such as covering tuition, weekly stipends, and providing employment with health and retirement benefits after a minimum commitment of two years of employment after graduation from the apprentice.

Dr. Rose B. Bellanca, the president of Washtenaw Community College, talked about ZOLLER’s gift and partnership, saying, “ZOLLER’s generous gift and investment in Washtenaw’s students helps us fulfill our mission of providing exceptional education while training and growing the workforce. We are thankful for this donation and for our relationship with ZOLLER that helps our students on many levels.”

Students who participate in the apprenticeship program and graduate will become part of the service team at ZOLLER. The service team travels around the nation to help calibrate the company’s precision tool measurement equipment being used in energy technology, medical devices, aerospace, shipbuilding, and automotive manufacturing facilities.

2022 WCC graduate Drew Tartalone has been an employee of ZOLLER since June. He works as an applications engineer and mostly travels around the East Coast to customers where he programs new tools, makes repairs, calibrates machines, and trains new employees.

He talked about his experience at ZOLLER, saying, “This is an exciting opportunity for students to learn about cutting edge technology and connecting all tooling related processes in manufacturing. ZOLLER is the world market leader in the industry for presetters. It’s hard to keep them even in the showrooms because they’re being bought up so quickly.”

Stepke also mentioned that students who work on the new machines will develop a good sense of how cutting tool data works throughout the manufacturing process in addition to updating, installing, and calibrating the machines.

“I’m not aware of any community college being able to offer this approach. Usually CNC equipment is taught as a concept by itself. Our new partnership will integrate the complete workflow from drawing to part. This will give the edge to these students,” he said.

More information about ZOLLER Inc. can be found on the company’s website.

More information about Washtenaw Community College can be found on the school’s website.