Hamill Manufacturing Company (Trafford, Pa.) specializes in precision machining, welding and fabrication of complex components for a variety of industries, as well as engineering services, including drafting, tool design, structural analysis, nondestructive testing and metallurgical evaluation.
Hamill wanted to boost their community involvement without losing sight of their core interest -- manufacturing. Additionally, the company recognized the growing need to attract young talent to the local manufacturing industry.
Catalyst Connection’s Adventures in Technology program is an industry-focused business, education and community partnership designed to bring more visibility to the variety of careers available in manufacturing and technology by providing area high school students with the opportunity to participate in problem resolution projects with local companies. Through this program, Hamill has challenged students with interesting real-world challenges each year for the past five years. In 2005, Hamill charged the student team from Franklin Regional High School with the design and engineering of a hydrotesting fixture for a commercial nuclear application.
Hamill gave the Franklin Regional student team a design concept for the hydrotesting fixture and had the students detail the design and do the engineering work, selecting appropriate materials, calculating material sizes to meet application requirements and other related tasks. When their work was complete, the students made a final, formal presentation to Hamill’s management team and engineering staff. The students’ parents also were invited to attend and those who did were surprised that a manufacturing organization took such an interest in high school students.