Marshall’s donation helps Saltus design technology department

A generous donation from Trustee Emeritus and past Saltus Association President, Mr. Charles E. Marshall, has allowed for the purchase of a state-of-the-art laser cutter able to produce two-dimensional work as well as a Denford Router 2600 Pro for cutting a range of materials to produce three-dimensional work. Mr. Marshall’s donation also enabled the purchase of new workbenches, a new computer and TV screen, several new power hand tools, DT software, and overseas training for DT Technician, Mr. Mike Hooper.

At the dedication on Friday, DT Technician Mike Hooper will demonstrate how the new CAD/CAM machines work. In addition, selected students will present projects they made using these machines, and a variety of items produced by other Secondary students using this technology will be on display.

According to DT Head Mr. Phillip Heap, “over the past two years, Design Technology at Saltus has been transformed into a high-tech department which can deliver those skills necessary to give students a leading edge for future college careers and employment.”

Currently, Saltus is the only school on the Island with the facilities to allow students access to CAD/CAM manufacturing—the same computer software used by the automotive, aerospace and industrial design industries to create technical drawings and control machines to manufacture products.

“Thanks to Mr. Marshall, students can manufacture their designs using the latest CAM equipment,” according to Mr. Heap. “Students are taught the full design process -- from analytical research, marketing, designing with CAD, planning and construction techniques -- to turn their ideas into actual products.”

DT Head Mr. Heap and his colleagues, DT teacher Patrick Mahon and Bermudian technician Michael Hooper (’79), joined Saltus in 2010 as part of Headmaster Staunton’s push to revamp the DT department and make it a Centre of Excellence at the School. Mr. Heap says the DT Department’s CAD/CAM capabilities, thanks to Mr. Marshall, also will allow Saltus students to compete in the prestigious annual “Formula One in Schools Challenge,” in which students around the globe use CAD software to create100th-scale models of an F1 car of the future and teams compete for the design deemed to be the fastest. “F1 in Schools is a UK-based initiative launched in 2000 to encourage students to follow careers in Engineering,” says Mr. Heap. “We hope Saltus will be able to enter both junior and senior teams in the 2014 event.”