Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Eighty-nine industrial studies students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville put their skills to work to bring a little joy into the lives of area children. The students donated 24 handcrafted wooden airplanes to the Platteville Holiday Project, which distributes toys to underprivileged children in the community.

Lori Bahr of First National Bank, the company who sponsors the program, said, "They are a group of hardworking college students with such big hearts to donate handmade toys to the program."

Frank Steck, professor of technology education and Colleen Kaiser, professor of industrial technology management, met and planned the activity, collaborating the Introduction to Manufacturing, Production Planning and Control, and Industrial Design for Production classes. Production Planning and Control students planned and scheduled the project while Industrial Design for Production students created the design for the planes. Steck's Introduction to Manufacturing students were responsible for the actual production and creating a design for next year's toy. Students constructed the airplanes in four hours.

A portion of the students' grade was dependent on their efforts and leadership while constructing the airplanes. Some students demonstrated their leadership by putting in extra hours outside of class to prepare the lab areas and setup equipment so production on the airplanes could begin.

"Students learned about the manufacturing process and how to plan, schedule and organize. They were responsible for selecting and purchasing the material. They gained leadership skills and developed methods for improving the production process," said Kaiser.

Introduction to Manufacturing students were divided into 10 groups and presented their designs for a new toy to Kaiser, Warner Smidt, professor of building construction management and David Heimerdinger, professor of industrial technology management. The design chosen will be constructed by next semester's Introduction to Manufacturing students. Kaiser's students will again plan the manufacturing process and make the schedule. The plan is for the project to roll over each semester to the next class of students.

"I think this exercise has given Kaiser's students and the Introduction to Manufacturing students much more of a real world picture of the manufacturing process," said Steck.

Anyone wanting more information about the donation may contact Kaiser at (608) 342-1159 or kaiserc@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Colleen Kaiser, professor, industrial technology management, (608) 342-1159,kaiserc@uwplatt.edu Prepared by: Krystle Kurdi, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,kurdik@uwplatt.edu