Master Gage & Tool, a company that provides tooling and gaging products for manufacturing, has donated a Vision Inspection System used to measure manufactured parts to the Greenville Tech Foundation The equipment is valued at $26,000 and will help outfit the Metrology Lab at the college’s new Center for Manufacturing Innovation.
“We are heavily involved with community colleges in the states we serve – West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina,” said Blain Mead, vice president of sales with Master Gage & Tool. “Assisting with education helps us grow our business, which positively impacts the manufacturing sector and the economy.”
The Center for Manufacturing Innovation, where the number one goal is to increase the number of skilled workers for manufacturing in order to close the skills gap that has hampered the progress of many Upstate employers, opened August 22. The 100,000 square foot facility is home to many firsts in advanced manufacturing education including a first of its kind collaboration between a technical college and a research university in the U.S. thanks to CMI’s partnership with Clemson University. A Manufacturing Honors College is also a first, allowing Greenville Technical College and Clemson students to work together to solve real world manufacturing challenges. An additive manufacturing partnership with Renishaw at a technical college is another groundbreaking effort, and the open manufacturing lab for education, training, and industry collaboration is unlike anything else in South Carolina.
“The CMI is a reflection of the strong partnership between the college and manufacturers,” said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. “This gift from Master Gage & Tool ensures that our students will be well prepared for the highly skilled and well paid positions that are waiting for those with the right education to help manufacturers grow.”