Page 14 - TTMNFallWinter2025

Manufacturing
Page 14 Electronic Edition: www.teachingtodaymn.com

Mechatronics: Students Explore How Machines Work

“I’ve always been into engineering to jobs with companies like Bühler, RMS or
and mechanics,” says Bennett. “When I was International Paper.
younger, I built things out of cardboard and “It puts kids a step ahead to leave this
paper, now I have my own 3D printer where course and already be certified to work on
I design and print my own projects. This class equipment and maintain equipment in the
lets me do it all – engineering, mechanics, industry,” says Zac.
building, creating. I just love to create stuff.”
So far, Bennett has learned about electric Gearing up for the future
currents, voltage, fastening and how to safely All aspects of the course - from learning
use heavy tools. the skills, gaining hands-on experience and
“Soldering a wire together has been a hearing from the experts - help students make
favorite project so far,” he says. “It wasn’t as informed decisions for their futures. Zac says
hard as I thought, and it was really cool to see this course is meant to help students test-drive
it work.” their interests and see how classroom learning
Each topic and activity helps students connects to potential careers.
understand how machines operate and interact. “I always say my job isn’t to teach a
“Students are getting an introduction to student the actual trade, although they’re going
many areas and are learning necessary skills,” to learn trade tendencies, but to see how the
says Zac. “They get to see what interests them rest of their schooling applies to that trade and
– or doesn’t – where they have natural abilities if there is an area in the trades they’d like to
and how it all connects to what they’re learn- pursue in their futures,” says Zac. “I like to
ing in other classes.” think of it as a dip in the shallow end.”
For Lincoln and Bennett, the future is
Spring Lake Park Schools industries such as automotive, diesel, technol- Beyond the classroom already coming into focus.
In the Intro to Mechatronics (How ogy, maintenance and engineering. They’re As part of the course, students hear Lincoln plans to study mechanical engi-
Machines Work) course at Spring Lake Park learning about systems that control all other directly from industry experts and take immer- neering and computer science next year. In
High School, curiosity meets creativity as systems.” sive site visits. addition to this course, he has also taken the
students explore how robotics and machines Throughout the “I like going out How to Make Almost Anything course.
come together. Through hands-on projects, trimester, students in the industry for “The skills we learn in these classes
they discover how mechanical, electrical and explore seven skill “When I met with my visits because kids will prepare me for college courses and my
digital systems work in harmony to make areas of modern counselor, they helped me can see what a job is career,” says Lincoln. “I think I can even be a
machines move, think and perform. manufacturing. They confirm that engineering is a like,” says Zac. “They step ahead of others who don’t get the chance
Part of the Technology, Engineering and include: measure- good path for me to pursue so can talk to people who to take these types of courses where we learn
Design (TED) Pathway, this course introduces ments and fasteners, have experience, can a lot of skills needed for our jobs someday.
students to the foundations of mechatronics - engine theory and I definitely want to keep taking get advice, see what And its skills that go beyond technical, it’s
a field that fuses mechanics, electronics and pneumatics, electron- courses like this. It’s a passion skills are needed to the problem solving and teamwork skills that
computing. It’s a space where students are ics, hydraulics, robot of mine so it just makes sense be successful in that matter, too.”
challenged to think critically and gain authen- operations, machine to keep going with it, keep field — so they’re not Bennett plans to continue through the
tic, practical experience while experimenting, programming and learning, and hopefully be an walking into a career TED Pathways and hopes to pursue engineer-
tinkering and creating in a cutting-edge lab. logic systems. engineer one day.” blind.” ing after high school.
“This course is kind of the introduction One day, stu- Students taking
into smart factory work,” says Zac Humphrey, dents might be —Bennett Planting, freshman Mechatronics also
TED Pathways Instructor. “The skills stu- measuring bolts with have the chance to
dents learn in the course apply across many micrometers and cali- earn certifications springlakeparkschools.org
pers. The next, they’re working together to through the course, credentials that can lead
program a robotic arm or using math to calcu-
late voltage in a circuit.

Learning in action
As part of the measurement and fasteners
unit, students practice tapping and threading
medal – a skill that’s fundamental across many
fields.
“We cut metal into chunks, drilled holes
and then tapped them so we could screw in
bolts,” explains senior Lincoln Sheck. “It’s the
kind of thing you’d need to know how to do in
a lot of jobs, so it’s a great experience to have.”
Lincoln says what he enjoys most about
the course is seeing work come to life.
“We recently got to program a robot arm
to move blocks – it was really cool to see the
how our programming led to the robot actually
working,” he says.
For freshman Bennett Planting, the
course is a perfect fit for his lifelong hobby of
building and creating.