Article from BIG KAISER Precision Tooling Inc.
Customers and partners of BIG KAISER Precision Tooling teamed up to generate a $7,283 donation to benefit the National Robotics League (NRL). The amount is nearly 10% more than last year and the fourth year-over-year increase in NRL funding from BIG KAISER.
The donation is a 2% match of all qualified orders from National Tooling & Machining Association and AMT member-companies during the final two months of each calendar year. Manufacturers placed orders for cutting tools, toolholders, workholding and tool measurement systems, earning funds for the NRL at the same time.
An NRL team prepares for competition.
“We need to get involved at every level to grow the next-generation workforce. Our company does that by partnering with local schools, our community colleges and the trade associations,” said Chris Kaiser, CEO of BIG KAISER. “NRL is just one more way for us to engage kids and promote careers in manufacturing.”
“We’re not just fighting a skills gap in our workforce, we have an ‘interest gap’ too. The NRL helps create excitement about manufacturing technology and STEM careers,” said Roger Atkins, president at NTMA. “We appreciate BIG KAISER’s continued support year over year, and of course all of the NTMA and AMT members who participate in the program to support the NRL.”
Remote-controlled robots face-off in a gladiator-style NRL competition.
NRL is a manufacturing workforce development program of the NTMA where students design and build remote-controlled robots (bots) to face-off in a gladiator-style competition. Through the manufacturing process of bot building, students’ imaginations are captured as they design, build and compete with their own robotic creations. Through this hands-on effort along with industry partnerships, students gain practical knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) – all essential skills for manufacturing. Learn more at www.GoNRL.org.
Related Glossary Terms
- robotics
robotics
Discipline involving self-actuating and self-operating devices. Robots frequently imitate human capabilities, including the ability to manipulate physical objects while evaluating and reacting appropriately to various stimuli. See industrial robot; robot.