November 2, 2007

Six Purdue students to present at Automation Fair in Chicago

Six of Brad Harriger's students in the College of Technology's computer-integrated manufacturing program will attend the trade and exhibition fair, sponsored by Rockwell Automation.

The Purdue group will set up an interactive display that will feature computerized and automated equipment that can scan a participant's name card and produce an engraved name badge in minutes. Participants also can be entertained while they wait by playing a target shooting game developed by the students that uses the same automation equipment to control it.

"In addition to meeting people and seeing technology at work, this gives us a chance to showcase what we have to offer, gain ideas from other universities with manufacturing technology programs and develop industry partnerships," Harriger said. "Our involvement has always been well worth the effort."

The name badge interactive display is an extension of the kind of technology that is demonstrated on a regular basis at the Manufacturing Center in Knoy Hall, Room 258. The lab teaches students about modern computer-integrated manufacturing systems. Equipment includes state-of-the-art computer-controlled machines, robots, vision-inspection tools and radio-frequency identification technology. A recent project involved the manufacture of customized desk products, such as card and note holders.

Students who will attend the fair are Matthew Auter, a senior majoring in computer-integrated manufacturing technology from West Lafayette, Ind.; Jeffrey Schmidt, a junior majoring in computer-integrated manufacturing technology from Munster, Ind.; Brandon Garman, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering technology from Angola, Ind.; Matthew Adams, a senior majoring in computer-integrated manufacturing technology from Noblesville, Ind.; Kevin Eccleston, a senior majoring in computer-integrated manufacturing technology from Huntington, Ind.; and Joseph Bettenhausen, a junior majoring in computer-integrated manufacturing technology from Tinley Park, Ill.

Purdue, which has had a team attend the fair for the last several years, is one of six universities attending. The others are Cleveland State University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Texas A&M University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Brad Harriger, (765) 494-7515, bcharrig@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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