2000th Student is Certified by ME Machine Shop

Danny Jares, Certification Class instructor, awards Philip Morrow, a senior ME student, his certification card for using the machine shop.

AUSTIN, TEXAS—July 17, 2008

Philip Morrow, a senior in Mechanical Engineering, recently became the 2000th student certified by the Machine Shop since 1994, when Don R. Artieschoufsky became the shop's supervisor. Morrow is now employed by the shop on a part time basis as an undergraduate research assistant.

Four-hour certification course

Machine shop certification, taught by Danny Jares, allows students to work on their own projects in the shop during business hours. The course is a four-hour, safety-intensive, hands-on training class where students learn to use the vertical milling machines and the engine lathes. Most students who become certified are ME students, but there are students from other engineering disciplines who are allowed to take the course, such as non-ME members of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), who are required to be certified by SAE.

There are two ways a student can become machine shop certified. The first is to take the four-hour course offered approximately twice a month for a class of six. This class is available to undergraduate and graduate students.

ME 350, an upper division elective

The other way to gain certification is to take the popular ME 350 upper division elective taught by Don Artieschoufsky. Danny Jares helps teach the lab as well as several undergraduate assistants who have already completed the course. This course is offered in the fall and spring and is open to 24 students each semester. It is also possible for someone to take the four-hour certification course first and follow up with the more intensive ME350 course for credit.

How to get into the four-hour classes:

Watch the bulletin boards by the elevators, as that is where the notices will be posted. That is the only method used to advertise the classes at this time. Sign up quickly, since only six people may take a class. Classes are usually held at the beginning of the month and are available year round except during exams. Dates are not set up months in advance, since classes are scheduled around ongoing shop production work schedules.