JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – East Tennessee State University’s engineering technology program has received $250,000 in equipment and grants from DENSO Manufacturing and Siemens.

Dr. Paul Sims, a program faculty member, says, “Four advanced electrical motors workbenches, part of a grant from DENSO, will replace outdated ones used since 1981. Each bench has everything needed for students to learn about six types of industrial motors, including how to set them up, test them for multiple parameters and examine how they function under actual conditions, such as high voltage three-phase operations.”

DENSO also supported the purchase of four mini-manufacturing centers, which can be used to simulate manufacturing production lines. Through programmable logic controller (PLC) units, students can set up and program various simulated production line activities.

Siemens donated the workbenches, PLC systems, software and computers to support interfacing with the mini-manufacturing centers.

Sims adds, “With these new additions to the program, students will benefit from using equipment found in modern manufacturing, gaining hands-on experience while they are still in school and making them better equipped to enter the workplace.”