The Gene Haas Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to support the Precision Machining Technology department at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS). The funds will be used to award scholarships to current and future NDSCS Precision Machining Technology students. Dave Chase, a representative from Productivity Inc., visited NDSCS to present the check on behalf of the Gene Haas Foundation.

This substantial grant follows a $36,000 grant NDSCS received from the Gene Haas Foundation in the fall of 2022, which resulted in scholarships for 11 Precision Machining Technology students.

The purpose of the Gene Haas Foundation is to build skills in the machining industry by providing scholarships for CNC Machine Technology students and NIMS Credentials. In 2022, the Gene Haas Foundation provided more than $27 million in grants to high school and post-secondary programs in the United States. The Gene Haas Foundation was founded in 1999 by Gene Haas, the owner of Haas Automation, Inc., America’s leading builder of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine tools.

The Precision Machining Technology program at NDSCS equips students with essential skills in CNC programming, CNC set-up and operation, production machining, mold making, die making, toolmaking and automated manufacturing. Additional information about the NDSCS Precision Machining Technology program can be found online at NDSCS.edu/Machining.

This significant grant from the Gene Haas Foundation represents a major investment in the education and training of future machinists at NDSCS. It is a testament to the foundation's commitment to supporting the development of highly skilled professionals in the machining industry.

For more information about the Gene Haas Foundation, please visit https://ghaasfoundation.org.

Photo Caption: NDSCS Precision Machining Technology students, faculty and administrators were on hand when Dave Chase, Productivity, Inc. Machine Tool Sales Representative, visited the department to present a check for $50,000.

North Dakota State College of Science students now have the opportunity to receive advanced metrology training as part of their education, thanks to the installation of $1.5 million in equipment, and national training certification earned by Manufacturing department faculty.

The NDSCS Manufacturing department has installed metrology equipment that allows for automated measurement and inspection of manufactured products, as well as equipment for manual measurement training. The equipment includes:
• ZEISS DuraMax Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) with CALYPSO software and accessories
• Snap-on Starrett® NC3 precision measurement certification kit
• Haas Wireless Intuitive Probing System (WIPS)
• ZEISS, Phillips Precision and Rayco CMM tooling and metrology accessories

In addition to the new equipment, three NDSCS instructors have completed accredited coursework to earn certification through the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3). The new metrology curriculum has been incorporated into the College’s manufacturing programs including Precision Machining Technology, Welding Technology, and Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics Technology. In addition, all students in transportation-related programs take a manufacturing course that uses this equipment in the study of metrology.

This training initiative was made possible thanks to $1.297 in donated CALYPSO software and a $100,000 equipment discount from ZEISS, a $22,000 equipment discount from Snap-on Starrett, and a $183,000 Workforce Enhancement Grant from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

“A big highlight of this initiative is the equipment that provides an automated method of inspecting manufactured products. This is a method that many ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certified manufacturers use,” said NDSCS Manufacturing Department Chair Steve Johnson. “At the same time, we also added equipment that allows advanced training in manual measurement methods.”