Wittmann boosts molder's STEM initiative

A STEM initiative developed by a North Carolina injection molder recently got a boost with the donation of equipment from Wittmann USA. 

Core Technology, Greensboro, which began the Molding Kids for Success program as part of CEO Geoff Foster’s vision of creating opportunities for underserved youth, recently took delivery of a Wittmann WP80 sprue picker and a W818 three-axis robot. 

Hundreds of students in grades kindergarten through 12 have participated in the free program, which offers hands-on and classroom experiences at the molding shop. Students conduct multiple experiments learning about plastics, thermosets, polymers and more.  

“We are really impacting the community by providing hands-on, project-based learning activities,” Foster said. “We are seeing tremendous interest and growth. A crowd favorite is robotics and hands-on experiences with our three-axis robots.” 

The program is looking to expand its offerings to older students, including those in college. 

Next year, when Core moves from its current 36,000-square-foot facility to a new 100,000-square-foot location, also in Greensboro, it will feature a lab dedicated to the program. The lab will house the donated Wittmann equipment. 

Now in its fourth year, Molding Kids for Success has attracted many repeat participants, including one boy who is aging out after his third year. But, Program Director Brandon Frederick said, that boy plans to return to Core as an intern next year; meanwhile, his 10-year-old sister will return to the program. 

The daughter “was doing some stick welding and she was phenomenal,” Frederick said. “She got in, she sat in the seat and the welder said, ’OK, let's go.‘ She pulled the trigger and never looked back. She produced one of the most beautiful pieces of art that I've seen.“