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June 7, 2013

Finalizing parts created using 3D technologies

At the National Center for Rapid Technologies (RapidTech), a student uses brushes and a vacuum to finalize parts he created using 3D technologies that use powder and lasers.

More about this image
RapidTech provides industry leadership through additive manufacturing materials and process research; recruits, retains and prepares incumbent and emerging workforce students for careers in the expanding field of additive manufacturing; offers secondary and postsecondary professional development opportunities; and supplies instructional materials for certificate and degree programs that enable college and high-school students to enter a variety of emerging fields in additive manufacturing.

The center and its partners support careers in the expanding field of additive manufacturing technologies and has taken a leadership position within this industry by actively participating in conferences and on national boards. With input from its industry advisory board, RapidTech has also taken a leading role in the preparation of students to support additive manufacturing activities within the U.S. manufacturing base.

About NSF's ATE Program
With an emphasis on two-year colleges, NSF's ATE program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-tech fields that drive our nation's economy. ATE involves partnerships between academic institutions and employers to promote improvement in the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. ATE supports curriculum development; professional development of college faculty and secondary school teachers; career pathways to two-year colleges from secondary schools and from two-year colleges to four-year institutions; and other activities. Another goal is articulation between two-year and four-year programs for K-12 prospective teachers that focus on technological education. The program also invites proposals focusing on research to advance the knowledge base related to technician education.

This image appeared in the ATE Centers Impact 2011 report, which was prepared by the ATE centers with support from NSF grant DUE 1040932, awarded to the Academic and Student Affairs Division of the Maricopa Community Colleges. The full report can be viewed Here. (Date of Image: 2010-11)

Credit: Photo from ATE Centers Impact 2011 (www.atecenters.org)


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