GCAMP, in conjunction with Acme Industries in Elk Grove Village, IL, and District 214’s Rolling Meadows HS, collaborated to develop a virtual experience for students to incorporate into the high school’s engineering and manufacturing curriculum for the Fall 2020 semester.
The new Quote to Production, (Q2P), virtual manufacturing project gave students a unique and creative opportunity to interact with a local manufacturing company to see a product from concept to completion, something that is not possible with a plant tour.
“We have been very pleased with the process of bringing the manufacturing plant to them so they could see all that is involved from quoting to machining to assembly.”
ROBERT CLIFFORD
Vice President, Sales & Marketing | Acme Industries
Anthony Genovese, PLTW Engineering & Manufacturing Instructor at Rolling Meadows High School wanted to allow students to experience a full product experience from start to finish. GCAMP reached out to longtime supporter, Acme Industries, for their support and expertise. Over an 8-week recorded Zoom session, with students and teachers, Acme did an outstanding job presenting students one of their products—a 12-foot front axle for a heavy off-road vehicle, in a real-world scenario. Each session, Acme broke down the component process that they currently do from the initial quoting process to the final production.
Students were very engaged and presented questions through the process both during and after the sessions. Each session was recorded and used during class time for follow-up.
“The Quote to Production sessions has ignited the curiosity of the students and opened their eyes to the various career paths in the manufacturing industry. From manufacturing management to machining, the sessions also brought our classroom curriculum to life with real-world application.”
ANTHONY GENOVESE
Manufacturing Teacher | Rolling Meadows High School
Some thoughts from participating students...
“This program was very engaging and really solidified my want to do engineering as a profession.” - Peter
"It was amazing to see how much goes into making a single part." - Jacob
"The presentations were very detailed and well explained. They helped me see how the engineering process works and sparked many interests for me." - Greg
"It was great to see how complicated it is to make a part that looks simple to make." - Emily
"I really enjoyed having the ability to see how manufacturing happens in a real company. As students, we may be told some experiences, but never get the chance to see the process up close and personal." - Nicole
"You guys did an amazing job at explaining each and every part and keeping us engaged in the sessions overall. You guys are amazing." - Cristian
"I enjoyed learning how parts are created in a professional environment." - Wess
Equally important in this project was to highlight the many solid career opportunities in manufacturing for the students to consider. The students also learned the importance of teamwork and how professional teams work together. Weekly presentations were given by Acme’s team, which included technical sales, marketing, engineering, quality control, machining, and Human Resources.
Due to the success and interest in these Q2P sessions, GCAMP is planning on additional virtual manufacturing experiences such as Q2P, in 2021.
Contact us for more information if you are interested in participating in a future Q2P at your facility or school.