PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. -- U.S. Military Academy instructor Maj. Dan Fox took 21 cadets and three academy technicians to Picatinny Arsenal's Manufacturing Technology Center on Nov. 18 for a lesson in modern manufacturing techniques.
While here, the students watched as a computer-controlled mill fashioned a bottle opener from a piece of stock metal, known as a "start-part," in 5 minutes, 13 seconds.
As part of their machine-component design course at West Point, the cadets, who began with their own start-part, used drill presses, lathes, grinders, mills, band saws and chamfering bits to perform a similar feat.
However, for the cadets, who were also learning to operate the machines, the process took 10 hours.
"It's about basics and principles," said Fox of the curriculum. "It's about learning what the best machine is to create a given feature."
Upon their arrival, the cadets received a briefing on the MTC from Matt Hummers, chief of the Precision Machining Branch, and Russ Labar, the lead mechanical engineering technician.
Both employees talked about how they approached turning out objects with the help of computer aided manufacturing software.
The software and a computer determine the most efficient way to take material away from a start-part and arrive at a finished product.
Labar explained that the software considers factors such tool diameters and optimum load on the tool.
At Picatinny, the cadets also watched an automated coordinate measuring machine check the part to see if it was within prescribed tolerances.
"It gave me insights into how sophisticated the tools are and new ideas about how things can be made," said Cadet Patrick Williams.
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The U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the Army, the joint warfighter and our nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
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U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center
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