economic/market trends. They learned from speaker Dirk Beveridge about how disruption creates opportunity for innovation. Motivational speaker Steven B. Wiley discussed how developing leadership skills can sustain success. The association presented $20,000 in scholarships to 10 college-bound students as well. GAWDA’s Annual Meeting will take place September 25–28 at The Grand Wailea in Kihei, Hawaii. More information is at gawda.org/activities/2016-annual-convention/. Columbus Welding Students Play a Starring Role in Set Fabrication for Sweeney Todd The welding department at Columbus Technical College, Columbus, Ga., recently played a part in the Springer Opera House production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Project assistance started when adjunct welding instructor Tim Vinson learned the opera house’s technical manager was hospitalized and immediate set help was needed. He called Program Director Ronnie McBride, and within a week, the opera house provided materials and specifications for the eight set pieces. This included a two-story staircase and platforms. A total of 28 students participated. “It was amazing,” Vinson said. “It was like watching a well-oiled machine; we blended first semester students with some of our more advanced students. They all learned from each other and now have a better understanding of what it’s like to work under a firm deadline. We had three students serve as quality control managers. The quality control team even caught some mistakes and had to start parts over from scratch — just like in a real shop.” ESAB Reveals “A Cut Above” Contest Winners ESAB, Florence, S.C., recently announced the six winners of its 2015 “A Cut Above” contest for students in welding/ cutting programs at secondary and postsecondary schools. Three individual winners received $250 for their essay on the theme of “A Cut Above,” describing how cutting and welding have influenced their lives. In addition, each member of three winning teams received $500 for their submission of a metal fabrication project. All schools associated with the winners were given a cutting, welding, and gas control package valued at $4000. The 2015 individual winners were as follows: Adele Tantalo, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Newbern, Tenn.; Roxanne Desrosiers, SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary, Alberta; and Carly Loving, McMinnville High School, McMinnville, Ore. The 2015 team winners included Bobby Wallace, Eve Torres, Braden King, Daniel Teniente, and Andy Ochoa, Denton LaGrone Advanced Technology Complex, Denton, Tex.; Austin Erickson, Sam Moore, Pedro Rosario, and Jamison Dimeco, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, Marlborough, Mass.; and Mitchell Cutsforth, Chris Smith, Nic Ostrander, and Andrew Meyer, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Mich. In particular, the Ferris State team helped erect a 35-ft bell tower that represents three local churches joining together. Winners from Denton LaGrone ATC constructed eight benches, each representing different departments, to seat a class of 24 students outdoors. Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School students built a bulldozer to represent the Victor® legacy in building and maintaining heavy equipment. Industry Notes • Comau, Turin, Italy, has been awarded the 2016 NED Innovation Award at the IndustryWeek Manufacturing & Technology Conference in Rosemont, Ill. The company’s Racer3, a high-speed, 6-axis articulated robot, was among the 11 innovations selected from 2000 technologies. • AllTex Welding Supply, Inc., with locations in Waller and Navasota, Tex., along with Wilson Products Compressed Gas Co., Inc., Easton, Pa., have joined the Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative. WJ JULY 2016 / WELDING JOURNAL 105 NEWS OF THE INDUSTRY — continued from page 15 Welding student Wilmer Escorcia uses his skills to fabricate set pieces for the Springer Opera House’s production of Sweeney Todd. (Photo courtesy of Columbus Technical College.) The winners from Denton LaGrone ATC constructed a total of eight benches to seat an outdoor class. Shown (from left) are Andy Ochoa, Eve Torres, Instructor Rebecca Hendricks, Bobby Wallace, and Daniel Teniente. (Photo by photography students Juan Ocampo and Brianna McQuee.)
Welding Journal | July 2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above