Explore high-paying careers in clean, high-tech Connecticut manufacturing.

Name of NGM Educator:

Angelo Velez, Drafting Department head, Henry Abbott Technical High School, Danbury, CT

Name of Host Company:

Branson Ultrasonics

Grade Level:

11 - 12th

Student Work Types:

1. Designing a drafting desk
2. Field trip to Branson Ultrasonics

Task Abstract:

Students will design a new mechanism for raising and lowering the work surface of a Drafting Workstation.  They will create a complete set of working drawing and solicit the assistance of a NFG student to physically create the new mechanism

Task Objectives:

Students will learn about the work surface of a drafting workstation.

Students will physically create from working drawings the workstation.

Esssential Understandings/Questions:

Task Description:

I plan to implement a “Drafting Desk Design Project” at Henry Abbott Technical High School, one of the seventeen Technical High Schools in the State of Connecticut, with the goal of increasing understanding of ISO standards, Lean Manufacturing, and the use of SolidWorks software while promoting a career pathway for students to transition into the local Manufacturing workforce.  The groups will comprise of a combination of 11th and 12th grade students from the MFG and CADD Technology trades which will allow for an “experienced” student to be placed with an “inexperienced” student therefore promoting responsibility, collaboration, teamwork, research, among others.  The student’s will be thrust into the design world by brainstorming a product idea that they can engineer, design, and manufacture.  They will be exposed to the five stages of the design process which will provide them the ability to generate a proposal for their idea.  They will then submit a plan outlining the course of action they intend to take.  Each group will have shared responsibilities for their segment of the design project with each individual facilitating their area of responsibility.  In cases where mentors and/or job shadowing are required I will seek support from local corporations to assist the students through the project.

Resources Required:

• Access to the Manufacturing department – I will ask the department head of MFG to schedule time for our students that coincide with class time provided by administration.
• Bus Access – I will utilize the school bus to provide field trips to local corporations and to promote shadowing/mentoring.
• Money for purchase of materials - I will solicit Henry Abbott’s student government, Henry Abbott’s General fund, local corporations, and host fundraisers to raise funds

Prior Learning Required:

There will be a few pre-requisites for the “Drafting Desk Design Project” and they are as follows:

1. Students will be required to go through basic training for the five stages of design, SolidWorks, and ISO standards.

The projects will be produced in the CADD and MFG departments at Henry Abbott Technical High School.

Individual or Group Work: 

Group

Educator Comments:

I would like to thank Mary deManbey for her enthusiasm and creating this opportunity to go out into industry to learn about SolidWorks, ISO, and bring that learning back to my classroom.  I would also like to thank Ron Baldwin and Carl Zihn of Branson UltraSonics for their hosting me and Carl for putting up with my endless questions.  I look forward to developing a relationship with them and Branson in the hopes of producing future employees for them.  I am honored to be a part of the CBIA Next Generation externship program and the influence it will have on my students who are our future.