Dan Stine, a Centralia College mechatronics student, works on a project on in March 2017 in Kemp Hall. The program has since been moved to the TransAlta Commons.
The Centralia College mechatronics program — which trains students for jobs in high-tech manufacturing using robots and automation — has received a $40,000 grant from the Dart Foundation to purchase equipment.
The Mechatronics Lab is located in the TransAlta Commons building.
Kathy Warren, from the Dart Foundation, presented the check on Tuesday to instructors David Peterson and Dan Whalen, Dean of Workforce Education Durelle Sullivan and Vice President of Instruction John Martens.
“The money will go towards automation equipment to expand our courses that teach industrial control systems — classes that integrate conveyor belts, sensors, robots and computer controls,” Peterson said. “It also has money for our advanced manufacturing courses, CNC and 3D printing technologies.
The mechatronics program has 30 first-year students and 17 second-year students who are scheduled to graduate in June.
The Dart Foundation is a private family foundation that awards grants for educational programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Dart Container Corporation’s Washington facilities are in Tumwater and Tacoma.
