The equipment comes thanks to a partnership with TEC Industrial Maintenance & Construction of Kingston, Tennessee.
Northeast State Community College can now serve double the number of students in the Motor Controls Lab of its Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing. Kingsport-based TEC Industrial Maintenance & Construction has given the college two new relay logic trainers that will help students develop realistic problem solving skills.
According to an article on Northeast State Community College’s website, Jerry Tate, an instructor in the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing, said of the new equipment, “The trainers are critical to fundamental troubleshooting. They allow students to see industrial process problems they’ll encounter on the job and learn how to correct them.”
Relay logic trainers give instructors the ability to program error scenarios that students might come across in their careers, providing a realistic opportunity for students to think through challenges and hone their problem solving skills. Having additional relay logic trainers available in the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing has doubled the advanced manufacturing program’s student capacity, allowing the school to train more students to work in the industry more quickly.
These relay logic trainers are not purchased in a ready-to-go state; RCAM and TEC each purchased the parts needed to get the trainers up and working for student use. This is not the first time TEC has provided support to the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing. When the center first opened in 2009, TEC donated the equipment it needed to become operational and begin training students in advanced manufacturing technology.
Speaking of this newest contribution to the center, Blake Montgomery, who serves as the assistant vice president for Economic and Workforce Development, was quoted as saying, “It was a mutual effort. The trainers have to be built from scratch. We had two, and now we have four, which doubles the instructional capability of one of our most popular labs. TEC’s contribution underscores their continued commitment to education and workforce development. We appreciate their support of industrial and manufacturing training.”
The Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing supports Northeast State Community College programs including Chemical Process Operations, Electromechanical Technology, Electrical Technology, and Welding/Metal Fabrication, and can provide industry workforce training opportunities via its simulators and other equipment.
For more information about Northeast State Community College, visit the school's website.