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World
Center for Concrete Technology
New
Activities
The World Center for
Concrete Technology (WCCT), located on the campus of Alpena Community
College, Alpena, Michigan, is a
treasure for the concrete products
industry. Staying true to its mission the WCCT is providing hands-on
training and classroom instruction on a variety of topics that focus on
producing quality concrete products. Additional services include
research, testing and production of new concrete products to meet ASTM
specifications.
More than 16,000
students have attended the Blockmakers Workshop® courses since the
inception of the program in 1954. The Blockmakers Workshops are now
housed in the WCCT, which contains cutting-edge technology. Students
have access to laptop computers and simultaneous translation, a
materials lab and a fully operational concrete products plant that
features the Besser V3-12 Vibrapac® concrete products machine.
Relocation to the WCCT has provided the opportunity to add new
educational courses and workshops to the updated Blockmakers series.
This past spring Specialty
Products and Preventive Maintenance courses were offered. Specialty
Products teaches the skills needed to refine the production of
architectural and landscape units. Preventive Maintenance focuses
on properly maintaining production equipment. Students appreciate the
opportunity to further their education through the Blockmakers
Workshops. During a recent Blockmakers Workshop Vibrapac course, a
student shared that, "This course has opened my eyes. I have
learned a lot from my boss but I’ve learned more here!"
Students in the
SmartPac vibration course learn how to make amplitude and transducer
adjustments.
In September, a
special workshop for architects was presented in conjunction with the
Michigan Masonry Institute. The course consisted of instruction on the
manufacture of concrete masonry products, proper testing techniques for
grouts, mortars and masonry units and the many uses of loadbearing
architectural concrete masonry units. Instruction was also provided in
the art of block laying. This new knowledge was put to immediate use as
the architects tried their hand at laying up block walls.
In research and
development, many new proprietary concrete units have been produced on
the Besser V3-12 Vibrapac at the WCCT. The ability to produce units in a
complete plant allows the developer to evaluate the entire production
process and implement design improvements to the unit on site. Once
produced, the units can be tested to ASTM specifications by staff
technicians in the WCCT’s laboratory.
The global concrete
industry continues to benefit from the contributions made by students
educated in the two-year Alpena Community College Concrete Technology
Program and graduates of the Blockmakers Workshops. Benefits are also
realized from product testing and research, which is the backbone and
future of the concrete products industry. The resources of the WCCT are
available to help you realize your ambitions for concrete. Call the
concrete specialists at 989.358.7404 and find out how these services can
assist your business in reaching its goals.
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