Whittier Tech Students Benefit From New State-of-the-Art CAD/Drafting, Engineering Equipment

Student Gabriel Young, a junior from Haverhill, sets up the J55 3-D printer to print a model. (Courtesy photograph.)

Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School students are benefitting from recently purchased cutting-edge technology used in the Computer-Aided Design (CAD)/Drafting and Engineering pathways.

Whittier Tech purchased an Epilog Fusion Pro 32, a laser engraving and cutting machine, for the CAD pathway. The device has a CO2 laser and a maximum laser strength of 120 watts. An 80-watt laser also was purchased for the Engineering pathway.

“Our industry is a groundbreaking one and our students deserve to practice with cutting-edge technology in our area,” said CAD Instructor Scott Robertson. “It’s one of the foundational beliefs of vocational education. Having the tools that are currently being used in industry at our disposal, means our students have the skills for these high-tech career opportunities,” said Robertson, who worked at Whittier Tech for 17 years.

Whittier Tech also purchased a 3-D scanner, as well as a Stratasys J55 3-D printer, which will allow students to print prototypes and parts of various colors, materials, and textures. The school also purchased three laptops and two Alienware Aurora R12 gaming desktops to support Whittier’s Virtual Reality Program. The gaming desktops are designed for high-performance gaming and have tool-less upgradability features.

Everything was purchased using a $300,000 Skills Capital Grant for Technology Funding, awarded by the state during the 2020-2021 school year.

“We are so grateful for this funding because it supports our continued efforts of being a leader in vocational education, specifically in the technology fields. I look forward to seeing all that our students will learn and create with this state-of-the-art technology,” Superintendent Maureen Lynch said.

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