Enhancing robotic welding education for technicians

This federal Project Grant award of $446,852.00 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) will enhance the robotic welding education curriculum at Collin College in Fairview, Texas. The project aims to train students to earn a FANUC ARCTOOL certificate in robotic welding operations within one year of enrolling in the program. This will increase the number of qualified robotic welding technicians capable of high-quality automated welding for local manufacturing industries that utilize or are expanding their use of robotic welding processes. The enhanced curriculum and upgraded laboratory facilities will be developed in collaboration with industry stakeholders to ensure relevance to workforce needs. The project period is from Sep 1, 2024 to Aug 31, 2027 and no sub-awards are planned.

Abstract

Collin college's enhancing robotic welding education for technicians welding program seeks to enhance the college's current welding curriculum through the addition of robotic welding operation training. A recent local needs assessment determined that the use of automated/robotic welding is increasing in the college's geographical area, creating a need for technicians who understand welding, robotics, and system integration. Each student in the program will receive the specified training required to earn a fanuc (fuji automatic numerical control) arctool certificate within one year of enrolling in the welding program. The specialized training, enhanced curriculum, and upgraded laboratory facilities resulting from this project are intended to increase the number of fanuc arctool-certified robotic welding technicians in the local area who are capable of producing high-quality robotic welding through advanced techniques. The robotic welding curriculum addition will be curated through input from local manufacturing companies and other stakeholders to ensure relevance to industry needs and will establish collin college as a training center for robotic welding technicians. This project intends to train students to develop the necessary skills to be successful now and, in the future, as robotic welding processes modernize. This program intends to provide highly qualified welding technicians to local industries that already utilize automated welding, industries that are expanding their use of automated welding, and industries that are moving toward automated welding. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.