McDowell Manufacturing inspires districts across the country

Technology Education Teacher Kyle Bucholtz shows an example of a finished product for a local client produced by students using the machinery in the McDowell Manufacturing Lab.

At Millcreek Township School District in Erie, PA, there has been a tremendous effort to provide students with career exploration and training before graduation. One of the programs, McDowell Manufacturing Lab, has gained the attention of school districts across the country.

In October, representatives from the Fresno Unified School District traveled from California to hear from students and explore the lab. Students and the lab’s instructor, Kyle Bucholtz, explained how the lab got started, how it has changed over the years and how it currently operates as a student-run enterprise. Fresno Unified School District is looking to create their own similar program and used McDowell Manufacturing Lab as one of their examples for inspiration. Other districts have visited the lab for the same reason over recent years.

McDowell Manufacturing works with local companies to create various products. Students learn to invoice, create the parts and check for accuracy within a tolerance of +/-.005 inch. For production, students learn to use state of the art machinery including: Lincoln Cobot Robotic Welder, 3 axis CNC Haas Vertical Milling, CNC Haas Lathes, CNC Live Tooling Y Axis Lathe, Haas Laser Tool Presetter, Mitutoyo Height Gauge, Mitutoyo Vision Camera Measuring Machine and more.

All students leave with the Hass Mill Operator Certificate and knowledge of how to use the machines. Students have gone on to study advanced engineering and other STEM careers in higher education as well as being offered employment with local companies before graduation.