On Tuesday, October 2, the seventh annual National Manufacturing Day (NMD) will be held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The day will once again feature a dramatic morning landing by the New York Army National Guard Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk landing (weather permitting) at 7:30 a.m. Participants will be able to get up close to the Black Hawk during the lab tour segment of the day’s schedule.  

Soon after the helicopter landing, the program for 170 high school students from eight regional urban and rural high schools will be welcomed in the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Auditorium and engaged in a manufacturing presentation by co-sponsors, Sikorsky and Sandvik.

The high school program will begin with a welcome by Lawrence (Larry) Oligny, Class of 2016 mechanical engineering graduate and current manufacturing engineer in the Manufacturing Innovation Learning Lab (MILL) at Rensselaer. Oligny will share his personal career path at Rensselaer and his keen interest in manufacturing. He will then introduce School of Engineering, professor and associate dean Matt Oehlschlaeger, and Sam Chiappone, director of manufacturing innovation at Rensselaer, who will welcome the students and educators. Andrew Kennedy, president and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth, and Patrick Madden, mayor of Troy, will each say a few words on the important role manufacturing plays within our regional and national economy.      

Rensselaer alumnus Ryan Patry (Class of 2000), currently manufacturing engineering lead, Future Vertical Lift Programs at Sikorsky, will be the co-keynote speaker along with Jason Stomski, OEM Specialist, Sandvik; a tool and machining solutions supplier to Sikorsky. They will present the important business and U.S. manufacturing partnerships within the manufacturing industry. Students will have an opportunity to ask questions about manufacturing and pursuing a degree in engineering. 

Following the presentation, the high school students will be divided up into smaller undergraduate-led teams students to explore different manufacturing-related labs and student demonstrations across campus that focus on Rensselaer manufacturing facilities. To view the tour locations, go to http://eng.rpi.edu/NMD.

Another highlight of the day’s NMD events includes a special seminar program where Rensselaer students, along with local industry, will have an opportunity to participate in a Smart Manufacturing Seminar with live demonstrations showing how digital solutions are transforming the metal-cutting industry. The seminar is co-sponsored by the MILL at Rensselaer, Sandvik, and Haas Factory Outlet – Allendale Machinery.