The machines - three DNM 400 II vertical machining centres (one equipped with a 4th-/5th-axis unit), two Lynx 220 lathes and one Lynx 220LM lathe (equipped with C-axis and driven tooling capabilities) - were installed at the College’s new engineering facility before the start of the academic year in September 2016.
That investment is significant and has dramatically improved Tameside College’s ability to deliver a range of industry-relevant and high skill level courses to its key target audiences comprising school leavers (16-18), adults and regional engineering and manufacturing companies.
Prior to acquiring the Doosan machines, the college’s CNC machine tool provision relied almost entirely on four old, and not particularly sophisticated, entry-level machines that, according to Peter Redfern, Tameside College’s curriculum leader for engineering, “had been good servants but had seen better days”.
Among other courses, the college offers Level 2 Diploma in Engineering Technology, Level 3 Diploma Mechanical Engineering (City & Guilds) and BTEC Level 3 Diplomas, aimed at 16-18 year olds, and HNC and HND in mechanical engineering, both potentially leading to a degree in mechanical engineering. Tameside College also works with local engineering companies and provides a range of apprenticeship programmes, including CNC machining, to meet the requirements of local employers and industries.
Says Ged Willis, mechanical engineering lecturer at Tameside College: “We are integrating the use and application of our new Doosan machines across all our engineering courses and are actively promoting our revamped provision to employers. We are now even better prepared to provide their employees and apprentices with high-quality, relevant and practical skills-based learning and nationally recognised qualifications.”
