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Department of Technology students will learn how to operate a new ROMI 420 Combination Lathe that arrived at Turner Hall on a flatbed truck on February 17, 2017.

Over spring break, a technician from Titan Machinery set up and trained Kevin Devine and Jeritt Williams on the newest addition to the Department of Technology’s Engineering Technology metals lab. The ROMI 420 is a versatile lathe that is a combination of a fully-functioning CNC lathe and a manual lathe. Following the ROMI training, Devine and Williams will become Certified Siemens Instructors.

The ROMI weighs approximately 5,512 pounds and its footprint is approximately 122.04 inches by 48.42 inches. The ROMI 420 is a Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) Lathe. A CNC uses computerized control motors instead of manual or mechanical controls to define the location of specific tool heads in a 3-D space. The input file created by a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program will determine what the tool will do. A CNC automated machine is able to make almost perfect copies and very rapid design and manufacturing. The ROMI 420 is fast, accurate, easy to use and completely reliable.

Engineering Technology students will learn how to program and operate the ROMI 420 in several classes: In TEC 130 (Introduction to Manufacturing Processes), TEC 233 (Introduction to CNC Programming and Metals Machining Processes), and capstone course TEC 392 (Manufacturing Organization and Management).

Siemens, the control manufacturer, is providing educational support including fully-functional PC-based CNC simulators and a complete training curriculum for the Siemens CNC controls.