RIT Engineering College Unveils State-of-the-Art Machine Tools

State-of-the-art machine tools were recently unveiled in Rochester Institute of Technology's Brinkman Manufacturing Lab in the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies. Representatives from DMG America Inc. demonstrated the tools during an open house celebrating the equipment consignment and the company's new partnership with RIT.

In addition to benefiting RIT industrial and systems engineering students and faculty in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering, the gift also helps the manufacturing industry by preparing qualified, high-in-demand manufacturing engineers for the workforce.

“Having the latest technology and processes in our lab will be of great benefit to our missions of education, research and outreach to the community,” says Jim Taylor, RIT associate professor of industrial and systems engineering. “We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship that will benefit DMG, RIT and the industry of upstate New York.”

The open house for RIT faculty and area manufacturers drew 175.

“The introduction of DMG machine tools to RIT's Brinkman Lab is a win-win-win situation,” adds Don Miller, DMG area sales manager for western New York. “The equipment provides RIT engineering students an opportunity to better prepare themselves for today's employment marketplace, additional visibility for RIT as a result of manufacturers from throughout New York state coming to the machine lab, and an opportunity for manufacturers to better compete in today's ever-challenging machining marketplace.”

RIT's industrial and systems engineering department also celebrated recent faculty and student achievements.

Matthew Marshall, an RIT assistant professor, received a faculty advisor award from the Institute of Industrial Engineers for contributions as advisor to the RIT IIE student chapter. The chapter was given a Silver Award for recent activity, including planning and hosting a three-day regional student conference.

Michael Kuhl, an RIT assistant professor, and Greg Laubisch, a B.S./M.S. student, received a best paper award for a simulation study in semiconductor manufacturing. Laubisch presented the paper at the 2004 IEEE/SEMI Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference in Boston.

A team of RIT students, advised by Kuhl, was runner-up in the 10th International Institute of Industrial Engineers/Rockwell Software Simulation Contest at the IIE annual conference in Houston. Another team of RIT students, advised by Assistant Professor Andres Carrano, placed third in the Material Handling Student Design Competition, sponsored by the College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education and Modern Materials Handling magazine.

Both student teams earned cash awards. For more information on the contests, visit http://www.rit.edu/ise/newsevents.

“We're very proud of our students—they worked hard to develop uniquely effective solutions,” says Jacqueline Mozrall, associate professor and department head of industrial and systems engineering.

Note: RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering is among the nation's top-ranked engineering colleges. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in applied statistics, engineering science, and computer, electrical, industrial and systems, mechanical, and microelectronic engineering and a doctoral degree in microsystems engineering. RIT was the first university to offer undergraduate degrees in microelectronic and software engineering. Founded in 1829, RIT enrolls 15,300 students in more than 340 undergraduate and graduate programs. RIT has one of the nation's oldest and largest cooperative education programs.