A long-standing partnership between Owensboro Community & Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (AMTEC) and Lowry Controls has resulted in the launch of a new industrial training simulator designed to help prepare students and technicians for careers in modern manufacturing.
AMTEC, a national network housed at OCTC that focuses on training industrial maintenance and mechatronics technicians, has partnered with Lowry Controls, an engineering design and manufacturing company based in Loveland, Ohio, since 2014. Together, the organizations have developed training equipment used in classrooms and industrial training facilities across the country.
The latest addition is The CUBE Simulator, a compact version of the larger AMTEC V2 Simulator. The new trainer includes hydraulic and pneumatic systems, along with a conveyor, providing users with hands-on experience using equipment commonly found in manufacturing environments.
According to AMTEC and Lowry Controls, The CUBE is built with industrial-grade components and is designed to help students and entry-level technicians gain experience with Industry 4.0 technologies and smart manufacturing systems before entering the workforce.
Kelly Lowry of Lowry Controls said the new simulator builds on a partnership that has spanned more than a decade.
“We have had a great journey with AMTEC over the years, and The CUBE is only strengthening that partnership,” Lowry said. “We cannot wait for educators and future maintenance technicians to get their hands on this new piece of equipment that allows students to safely learn real-world skills while also experiencing and troubleshooting just like they will as a technician.”
Jason Simon, director of AMTEC, said the simulator is intended to help address workforce shortages in the manufacturing sector by providing educators and trainers with up-to-date instructional tools.
“We could not be more excited to launch The CUBE Simulator and cannot wait to have this trainer in schools across the country,” Simon said. “Lowry Controls has been an amazing partner of AMTEC, and we are proud to work with them to develop training equipment that helps students prepare for the workforce.”
Simon said manufacturers are already experiencing significant demand for skilled workers and that AMTEC’s mission is to help close the skills gap.
“The tsunami of open positions in manufacturing is already being experienced, and our mission is to help address the skills gap by equipping educators, trainers, and workforce departments with the tools they need to stay industry-relevant,” he said.
The CUBE Simulator is available through Lowry Controls for educational institutions and industrial training facilities. Those interested in learning more or requesting pricing information can contact Simon at 270-686-4616 or [email protected].
