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Sep 24, 2023

Haas Is Putting a 5

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On October 1, 2020, Haas Automation and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced a partnership to install a 5-axis machining center at every community and technical college in the state.

The manufacturing skills gap is widening, and job candidates with 5-axis CNC skills are in high demand. To help meet the need of advanced manufacturers, the Louisiana Economic Development's (LED) FastStart program and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) created a partnership to install the CNCs in all 12 LCTCS schools.

The schools will receive the Haas UMC-500, universal machining centers released in early 2019. The base price starts around $125,000, which works out to a value of $1.5 million.

According to Governor Edwards, Louisiana wants to become a global manufacturing leader. By training the next generation of workers on state-of-the-art equipment, the future workforce should be more prepared.

LED FastStart is covering the costs for all 12 machining centers and all necessary tooling, work holding, and rigging. The Gene Haas Foundation is providing scholarships for teachers and students to help get the program off the ground.

By building machining skills, LED FastStart targets a broader spectrum of manufacturers, including those looking for high-wage skill sets in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries, among others.

For the uninitiated, Haas's Universal Machining Centers enable the automated production of parts on five axes at one time. CNC automation enables a trained operator to oversee production with accuracy, precision, and efficiency.

According to Louisiana Economic Development, in just 2019, it brought the state more than 80 new economic development projects representing 12,300 new jobs, 15,500 retained jobs, and over $8.4 billion in new capital investment.

Schools receiving Haas UMC-500 equipment and training packages include:

Image Credit: Haas Automation