Casting and Forming Laboratory
This laboratory supports courses such as MET 344 Casting and Forming, a required class for manufacturing students and a technical elective for other students. One highlight of the course is the large number of aluminum "pours" that students do during the casting portion of the course.
Sand casting is the primary process that students practice in this laboratory. This process is still a mainstay of casting and provides a sound foundation for student learning about casting. Students create the molds and cast industrial parts, including turbocharger components and intake plenums.
The laboratory also includes a 60-ton injection molding press where students run molds machined in the Haas Technical Education Center. Over half of the things made in the world are plastic and knowledge of the fundamentals of injection molding and design of parts to be made by this process is important.
A hydraulic 30-ton press also is in the lab. This tool provides a vehicle for students to learn the fundamentals of metal forming.
All of this equipment also is used in various student projects accomplished in other courses.