Ivy Tech Community College will celebrate the addition of a new Advanced Manufacturing Lab at its Franklin campus with a ribbon cutting ceremony starting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 20, at
Ivy Tech Franklin, 2205 McClain Drive. State and local officials along with area high school representatives will join in celebrating the new lab, which is designed to support local industry
employers in upskilling and training their workforce and will offer programming opportunities for high school early college initiatives.
The Ivy Tech Franklin Advanced Manufacturing Lab is a 4,000-square-foot addition to the college’s Johnson County location that will provide hands-on experiences in quality control
concepts and techniques, modern manufacturing requirements, and manufacturing processes,
including mechanical, electrical, and fluid power principles.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will feature remarks from Ivy Tech President Dr. Sue Ellspermann,
State Rep. Michelle Davis, Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett, and local high school and industry partners. Tours of the lab and the entire Ivy Tech Franklin campus, including a recently
renovated Nursing Simulation Lab, will follow the ceremony.
Academic programming for the Advanced Manufacturing Lab includes an initiative with Center Grove High School and Clark-Pleasant community schools to offer the Johnson County
Advanced Manufacturing Program (JC AMP) in which high school students can earn an associate degree from Ivy Tech in industrial technology while concurrently earning their high school
diploma. As part of JC AMP, students have opportunities in their junior and senior years to participate in paid, on-the-job training with local industry partners, including Endress + Hauser,
NSK, and Caterpillar Remanufacturing. This year the first cohort of students participated in the program with seven freshmen from Whiteland High School and 22 from Center Grove High
School.
All hands-on activities in the lab will use the latest technology and software, such as Amatrol, Allen Bradley, and SIEMENS equipment supported by Automation Studio, Rockwell, TIA Portal,
and RoboGuide software. Students will learn on state-of-the-art equipment, including Skill Boss,
Mechanical Systems and Drives, AC/DC Electrical Systems, Hydraulic and Pneumatic Trainers, Mechatronic Station, and a variety of industrial power tools.
The lab was made possible through support from the Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC), American Water, Caterpillar Inc., Duke Energy Foundation, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, Johnson County Community Foundation, Milwaukee Tool, and the
National Havoc Robot League.