Tormach announced its plans to invest in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs by developing a comprehensive CNC metal milling curriculum and introducing a new 4th axis for its xsTECH Tabletop CNC Router.
The company will collaborate with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) to develop a curriculum that certifies students and equips them with industry-recognized credentials for positions in manufacturing and production.
“This curriculum supplements existing school programs with a blend of classroom presentations, labs and exams and culminates in an in-depth, knowledge-based test,” Tormach Education Sales Advisor Domenic Giunta said.
The xsTECH is an entry-level CNC router designed for hands-on learning and provides students with a foundational understanding of CNC fundamentals. It is sized for craft rooms or makerspaces, effortlessly cuts various materials like plastic, wood and aluminum and comes standard with Tormach’s free and open source PathPilot control software.
The company launched a 4th axis kit for the tabletop router during the fall semester.
“With an ER32 spindle that can hold workpieces up to .75 inches, an adjustable tailstock for workpieces up to eight inches and an integrated homing switch for positional referencing, the addition of the 4th axis enables more advanced operations to help prepare students to work with the types of technology they’ll encounter in real-world manufacturing environments,” Guinta said.
Tormach also recognized the work being done today in CTE programs through its Instructor of the Year Award program. The 2024 award went to Danielle Ward of Hilldale High School, who successfully integrated four of Tormach’s xsTECH routers into her curriculum and provided students with practical, applied experience. Every nine weeks, Ward’s students rotate through different curricula, including the xsTECH and Dremel 3D45 printers, to earn certifications that prepare them for future careers.