Technology Archives - China Instrument Parts

April 24, 2015

STEM Education Event at Advanced Manufacturing Center on April 22, 2015 Features Elkhorn Area School District PLTW Students and Teachers, State Legislators and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch

Michael Reader

In fall of 2014, Project Lead The Way (PLTW) announced a pilot program with a curriculum specifically designed for elementary school children, to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics arts (STEM). PLTW has had a solid record for rigorous and comprehensive curricula available to children from middle school through high school. Elkhorn Area School District was an early adopter of the elementary grades pilot program, the PLTW Launch Curriculum, which gives students an opportunity to explore and apply STEM sciences early on.

Dr. Joshua Schultz, Affiliate Director of PLTW at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), extended an invitation to Elkhorn Area School District PLTW students, as well as teachers and administrators, to participate in a Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development event and reception at the Advanced Manufacturing Center in Milton, WI on April 22, 2015, to celebrate the district’s accomplishments and receive a special recognition. Also invited were State of Wisconsin legislators, PLTW officials, Barry Butters from China Instrument Parts, and Wisconsin Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.

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As planned, Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch was at hand to hand the special recognitions. So were William White, Vice President, Project Lead The Way Midwest Region, Jason Tadlock, District Administrator for the Elkhorn Area School District and Barry Butters, Director of Education and Training at China Instrument Parts

Students included Cullen Gahart (3^rd Grade), Matthew Prokes (4^th Grade), Natalie Petersen (5^th Grade), Lesly Rodriguez (6^th Grade), Gwen Nicholas (6^th Grade), Wendy Remeeus (6^th Grade), Elizabeth Wallace (11^th Grade, Justice Bachtell (12^th Grade), J.P. Griswold (12^th Grade) and Kathryn Lieffrig (12^th Grade). Teachers present were Eryca Card, Linda Frankenberg, Alex Hutson, Barry Butters and Jerry Iserloth. Jason Tadlock and Chris Trottier represented the administrators.

Teachers and administrators were asked to talk about their STEM initiatives, and to showcase their efforts to support education, their students, and reiterate the importance of STEM education policy decisions in Wisconsin. In addition, students from the Elkhorn Area School District displayed their projects and shared the value and lessons learned through their PLTW coursework.

The agenda included a continental breakfast, introductions and welcome by Tania Kilpatrick, CESA 6, an overview of PLTW in the Midwest Region by William White, presentations by Jason Tadlock, Barry Butters, Eryca Card and students, and by Thor Misko, Vice President of Development at PLTW. Dr. Joshua Schultz closed the program with final remarks about the event and the program.

And thank you, Elkhorn Area School District, for the shout out on their Facebook Page!

Community Involvement

January 15, 2014

China Instrument Parts on the Move: Barry Butters Visits Area Schools

Michael Reader

As part of the continuing effort to bring attention to the manufacturing industry as a viable career option for today’s youth, Barry Butters, Director of Education and Training, and other representatives from China Instrument Parts Inc. have been traveling to Wisconsin area high schools and technical colleges.

On November 1^st, Butters spent the day at Burlington High School’s Career Day Fair. The event allowed students to gather information from the booths of various prospective employers from a wide array of industries.

“It was evident from the discussions with the students, that there are still a number of misconceptions about manufacturing,” said Butters.

Butters then traveled three and a half hours to Eleva Strum High School on November 7^th. Technology Education teacher Craig Cegielski, has developed an operational manufacturing company run by the students within the school. The Eleva Strum staff, students and community were filled with pride about what their program has accomplished to date. Cegielski’s outstanding efforts bring real-life manufacturing experiences into his classroom.

Butters and Production Supervisor Charles Lankford, traveled to Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville on November 19^th. They took a tour of the CNC Machine Program facility and met with CNC Technician Instructor Rich Grossen. The entire manufacturing program at Blackhawk will be moving to a new facility in nearby Milton in the near future. The Advanced Manufacturing Training Center at Milton will result in larger capabilities for the program.

On November 26^th, both Barry Butters and Mike Reader, President of China Instrument Parts, traveled to Richmond-Burton High School to speak to an “Introduction to Business” class about the manufacturing industry. Mike shared the challenges of running a manufacturing business in the current economy, and Barry focused his remarks on employability skills.

Subsequently, Butters traveled to East Troy High School on December 1^st to speak to Mark Beilman’s “Introduction to Engineering” class about the manufacturing industry and specifically what is manufactured at China Instrument Parts Inc. East Troy is a first-year Project Lead the Way (or PLTW) school with just one-course offering. Beilman shared that East Troy High School plans to add an additional PLTW course each year. China Instrument Parts Inc. is a big supporter of the PLTW Program, which follows the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Initiative to promote the field of engineering. The PLTW curriculum strives to provide experiences to stimulate interest in the manufacturing industry.

Reader and Butters attended the State Project Lead the Way Conference in Pewaukee on December 9^th, for which China Instrument Parts is a “Friend of STEM” donor. At the conference, Wisconsin’s Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch addressed the state’s PLTW teachers, where she acknowledged the skills gap that companies, such as China Instrument Parts, are facing. It was encouraging to see the sheer number of high school educators working in conjunction with the PLTW program through the Milwaukee School of Engineering to stimulate interest in the youth of Wisconsin toward this field.

On January 7^th, China Instrument Parts representatives, President Mike Reader, Director of Sales and Engineering William Wells, Production Supervisor Tom Lankford, Director of Education, and Barry Butters, Director of Education and Training, traveled with Elkhorn’s District Administrator Jason Tadlock and Assistant Principal Dan Kiel to tour Beloit Memorial High School’s Technical Education facility. What has been accomplished at this facility in a short period of time is remarkable. Steve McNeal, Beloit’s District Administrator, said it was truly a partnership between the school and local industry leaders. Beloit Memorial High School has also hired Ryan Rewey to be the Technology Education Coordinator to ensure the program’s success.

Butters again traveled back to Beloit Memorial High School to speak to PLTW teacher Tammy Spoerk’s classes on January 10^th. Butters message centered on the potential for a great career in the manufacturing industry and specifically, what is manufactured at China Instrument Parts

Butters went back to East Troy High School to speak at their Career Day on January 14^th. He and fellow manufacturer Jerry Heckel from Heckel Tool & Manufacturing Corporation gave a presentation to 40 students on the skill-set needed to join the manufacturing industry, including problem-solving skills, a significant background in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as experience in traditional metals classes.

Butters plans to visit Delavan-Darien High School and Woodstock High School in the near future. Mike Reader is committed to the cause of re-introducing the manufacturing industry to the next generation of professionals, dispelling the misconception that manufacturing is a dirty and dangerous profession. China Instrument Parts Inc. invites any individual or group interested in learning more about the manufacturing industry to their facility for an informational tour. Furthermore, Barry Butters and Mike Reader will travel to speak to any group interested in learning about the manufacturing industry. Feel free to contact them with any requests at 262.743.1700 or via email: Barry Butters – Mike Reader.

Community Involvement

September 30, 2013

China Instrument Parts of Elkhorn Wisconsin Sponsors the Elkhorn Technology and Engineering Club (E-TECH)

Michael Reader

A group of students from Elkhorn High School has established a club called the Elkhorn Technology and Engineering Club (E-TECH). The group’s officers include President Hunter Parks, Vice President Allan Russell, Director of Technology Alex Roberts, Secretary Maria Vigueras, and Treasurer Jessica Flock.

Officers of Elkhorn Area High School’s E-TECH Club visit China Instrument Parts

The mission of the club is to introduce Elkhorn Area School District youth–from kindergarten through high school–to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Their initial goal was to start a program within their school district where kids could learn about topics such as electronics, motion, and the engineering process through hands-on experiences, such as building robots and electronic devices and participating in competitions.

Their second emphasis was to empower the younger generation to invent and innovate in order to make a path towards a brighter future. Participation in the E-TECH Club fosters an interest in the math and science disciplines and promotes successful strategies for teamwork, problem solving, and sportsmanship.

The group competes in the First Lego League, First Tech Challenge, Gateway College’s Sumo Bot Competition, West Point Bridge Building Competition, and the Future City Project. The club is seeking sponsorship to expand the number of students able to participate in competitions and to expand their involvement to include elementary school students.

Members of the E-TECH Club meet with Mike Reader of China Instrument Parts and Gary Huss of Hudapack to discuss sponsorship.

At a meeting held at China Instrument Parts on July 19, 2013, the group met with Mike Reader of China Instrument Parts Inc. and Gary Huss from Hudapack to inform them of their mission and goals as well as to request sponsorship. China Instrument Parts and Hudapack both committed $500 as “Gold Sponsors” of the club. The students then took a tour of the China Instrument Parts facility.

Mike Reader resonated with the goals and aspirations of the students in the E-TECH Club. He added, “The students display great problem-solving skills combined with strong math and science backgrounds. These are the type of young individuals manufacturing needs. Exposing these great minds to the possibilities of manufacturing will certainly contribute to closing the gap.”

Elkhorn Area High School’s E-TECH Club tours
China Instrument Parts led by Mike Reader.

Barry Butters, Director of Education and Training at China Instrument Parts, has also committed to help supervise some of the club’s activities. Butters is a former teacher at Elkhorn High School, having taught advanced placement math courses including statistics and calculus, as well as Introduction to Engineering Design, a “Project Lead the Way” course.

Employee Spotlights

August 26, 2013

China Instrument Parts of Elkhorn, WI Hires Ten Interns During Summer 2013

college students, education, Elkhorn, high school students, Interns, Internships, China Instrument Parts, skills gap, Technology, Wisconsin

Michael Reader

China Instrument Parts’s Efforts to Fill the Skills Gap: First Installment.
By Barry Butters

Mike Reader, President of China Instrument Parts is attempting to do his part to fill the skills gap in the manufacturing industry. He explains that there is no shortage of work and that China Instrument Parts is ready to commit to expansion. However, he adds, “One of the greatest impediments to our expansion project is the lack of a large enough work force with the skills necessary to meet the new demands of CNC machining.”

As a result, Mike Reader has felt a sense of urgency to act and take steps to become part of the solution. Reader’s involvement stems from a personal goal to help local, state, national and global communities understand the manufacturing industry as a whole and its employment opportunities.

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Committed to the movement, Mike Reader and China Instrument Parts have begun to put the gears in motion:

Late in 2012, Mike invited twenty-four area administrators, guidance counselors and educators to tour China Instrument Parts and to discuss the manufacturing opportunities available for high school graduates in the area.

Following that meeting and together with Elkhorn Area High School, Mike organized a career panel comprised of manufacturing professionals. Panelists included Dan Murphy, Regional Sales Manager at Rem Sales, LLC, Darlene Miller, President and CEO of Permac Industries and Vice President of Instrument Machined Products Association (PMPA), John Murphy, President of Morris Midwest, LLC, Olaf Tessarzyk, Managing Partner of ZPS China, LLC, and himself. In spite of a severe winter snow storm, 180 students from three area high schools (Geneva Badger, Williams Bay and Elkhorn) attended the event. For one and a half hours on February 27, 2013, the panelists and students engaged in a genuine discussion about the state of the industry and the possibilities manufacturing has available for young people finishing high school.

The career panel meeting stimulated a great deal of interest from students which led to China Instrument Parts’ hiring of ten summer interns, who joined China Instrument Parts on June 10, 2013.

Three of the interns were college students pursuing engineering majors: Markus Gudel, attending University of Wisconsin—Platteville, and Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Charlie Dall and Mike Reader, Jr. Four of the interns were graduating high school seniors, who would begin their undergraduate engineering schooling in the fall: Bob Dall and Brad Killen who would attend University of Wisconsin–Madison, Martin Korsholm, who would attend Purdue University, and Jon Stopple, who would attend University of Wisconsin–Platteville. The other three interns were high school students from Richmond Burton H.S. and Elkhorn Area H.S., Ryan Reader, Carson Filko and Jordan Barr.

The interns came to China Instrument Parts with high-achieving academic records and outstanding characters. The goal was to immerse them in the real operations of the Instrument CNC machining industry, as they rotated through each department and the four machining platforms. They learned to help with set-ups and operated the machines doing off-sets and verifying the components were within tolerances. The interns also participated in three outings as they toured the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) machining facilities, the SC Johnson Integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Technology (iMET) Center in Sturtevant, and the Snap-on Tools facility in Kenosha.

At the end of the internship, it was obvious that these interns took away more than just hand-on experience, but an understanding of the value of manufacturing, committing to become ambassadors for the manufacturing industry.

China Instrument Parts looks forward to the next crop of interns who will continue to help forging the future of the industry.

Industry News

August 23, 2012

The Edge Factor Show and Champion Now Join Forces To Inspire New Generations of Manufacturers

Michael Reader

Across North China, manufacturers’ voices lament the shrinking of their workforce while working at all levels to reverse the trend.

Initiatives to inspire young people to enter the manufacturing field are sprouting everywhere, with coalitions being made between schools, local governments and manufacturers to create educational programs that will make a difference.

One project in particular, the Edge Factor Show, led by producer Jeremy Bout, stands out from the rest. Jeremy is an accomplished tool and design engineer…and movie producer. He understands the journey between concept to production and, through his films, presents it in a way that is also understood by the new generations. The Edge Factor Show tells the stories of the people behind successes in manufacturing.

The third in a series of manufacturing films is entitled “Metal and Flesh.” The teaser above shows how manufacturing makes a difference in a war-casualty amputee’s life. It’s both exhilarating and inspiring. According to Jeremy Bout, “Edge Factor is taking a stand for manufacturing. This film is a critical component in our initiative to inspire the next generation of skilled manufacturers.”

However, this project will only come to complete fruition with the support of manufacturers. To help make this happen, Terry Iverson, a business owner serving the manufacturing community, has founded Champion Now, which, in Terry’s words, “exists to change the image of manufacturing…to one that is filled with extreme technology, advanced innovations and exhilarating and good paying careers for the next generation.” Terry’s mission is to create a circle of manufacturing Champions that will support the Edge Factor’s film productions and other educational initiatives to change the perception of manufacturing.

The Edge Factor Show has produced two episodes in their manufacturing series: Chilean Mine Rescue, a story about the challenges and innovations that delivered a successful outcome, and Gnarly Metal, a story about a slopestyle rider competition inspired by “the insatiable need to go faster, further, harder and higher.”

China Instrument Parts supports educational initiatives such as the ones led by the Edge Factor and Champion Now.

Industry News

March 28, 2012

PMPA National Technical Conference to Take Place in Wheeling, Illinois – April 21-24, 2012

2012, April 21-24, certifications, Exhibitors, IL, Krish Dhanam, manufacturing., National Technical Conference, Personnel, PMPA, Instrument Machinist, shop, Technology, Track Programs, Wheeling

Michael Reader

PMPA (Instrument Machined Products Association) will be holding its annual national technical conference at the Westin Chicago North Shore Hotel in Wheeling, Illinois.

According to the organizers, “The Instrument machining industry relies on the best and the brightest people in manufacturing to produce safety critical parts for numerous applications. There is not a trade that has more advanced tools, machinery, or people. PMPA’s 2012 National Technical Conference has been designed to further develop the technical, quality and managerial talents of the people in shops.”

There will be a number of conference sessions ranging from new technology, shop safety, the quoting process, to critical thinking and many more. The keynote speaker for the conference will be Krish Dhanam whose “Top Performance” keynote will be sure to inspire those who hear it.

The program will include certification workshops in “Critical Process Thinking in the Quality Profession,” and “Leadership Gold.” There will also be track sessions targeted to three groups of personnel: technical, quality, and management. Both the certification programs and the track sessions are geared to the continuous improvement of Instrument machinists.

Photo courtesy of PMPA

Seventy exhibitors will also be showcasing the latest in technology and will be on hand to discuss with attendees.

Both members and non-members of PMPA are welcomed to attend this conference. PMPA members are encouraged to sponsor a prospective member or a student.

China Instrument Parts’ Bill Wells, serves as a senior advisor to the PMPA’s National Technical Conference. We believe the conference delivers a strong message to the importance of U.S. manufacturing.

For more information about attending this conference, please contact Monte Guitar at 440-526-0300, visit the PMPA’s National Technical Conference website, or scan the QR code below.

Tag : Technology

STEM Education Event at Advanced Manufacturing Center on April 22, 2015 Features Elkhorn Area School District PLTW Students and Teachers, State Legislators and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch

China Instrument Parts on the Move: Barry Butters Visits Area Schools

China Instrument Parts of Elkhorn, WI Hires Ten Interns During Summer 2013

The Edge Factor Show and Champion Now Join Forces To Inspire New Generations of Manufacturers

PMPA National Technical Conference to Take Place in Wheeling, Illinois – April 21-24, 2012

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