Grant allows college to retool machine technology program

Western Nevada College now has the latest technology for automotive machining, thanks to a federal grant of $182,000 through the Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act.

The grant was used to purchase two computer-guided machine tools: a milling center and honing device.

“These are the first two machines of this type in Nevada, and the only ones being used in a teaching setting in Nevada or Northern California,” instructor Paul Eastwood said.

Made by Rottler Manufacturing Company, the new machines will spark a greater interest in machine tool and automotive technology programs at the college, Eastwood said.

“The Rottler machines are used for restoring engine blocks, boring out cylinders, honing cylinders, and resurfacing the heads of engine blocks. With tolerances to one ten-thousandth of an inch, they can also bore out a perfect alignment for crankshafts and camshafts,” he said.

Eastwood said there is a huge interest in cars and rebuilding engines in this area, and the new machine tools provide students the ability to learn on the latest equipment.

“The Rottler tools are a nice complement to our other machinery,” Eastwood said. “Students learn on our manually operated devices and then move up to computer controlled machines, and now we can offer them the very latest in machine technology.”