Sheldon, IA — Think about your favorite grocery store item—maybe it’s a pre-made ice cream or a bag of chips. Every time you buy it, you expect the same great taste and quality. That consistency is what keeps you loyal to that product.
The same principle applies to countless other manufactured goods, from toiletries to car additives. Behind the scenes, ensuring that consistency requires precise instrumentation—and that precision depends on proper calibration of the manufacturing processes. As manufacturing evolves and becomes more high-tech, Northwest Iowa Community College’s Industrial Instrumentation and Control program is committed to keeping pace. By continuously enhancing curriculum and upgrading lab equipment to ensure that graduates enter the workforce with the most relevant and advanced training possible.
The demand for these skilled graduates is undeniable. With a 100 percent job placement rate and more openings than NCC can fill, the need for trained instrumentation technicians is immense. One company that recognizes the value of skilled instrumentation technicians is Electric Pump, LLC, based in Des Moines. Having experienced firsthand the impact of well-trained professionals, they were inspired to make a significant contribution to NCC’s program: the donation of a DACW Smart Process Workstation.
To the untrained eye, a Smart Process Workstation might not seem like a big deal—but for our students, it’s a game changer. Previously, NCC had multiple separate machines to measure variables like temperature, flow, pressure, and pH levels. Instructors worked to integrate these machines into a cohesive lab experience to simulate real-world manufacturing settings.
Now, thanks to this generous donation, all these processes can be calibrated within a single, state-of-the-art system. Even more exciting, today’s technology-driven world means students can modify and monitor the workstation remotely, using phones or tablets to adjust processes and analyze data—skills directly aligned with the Manufacturing 4.0 and 5.0 revolutions shaping the industry.
Russ Gaalswyk, NCC Industrial Instrumentation and Controls instructor, emphasizes the impact of this upgrade:
“The equipment donated by Electric Pump will allow our students to work with updated technologies currently used in the industry. This trainer offers hands-on experience with a modular system designed by industry leaders, replicating real-world scenarios and providing more opportunities for advanced loop tuning practices.”
For Tom Miller, CEO of Electric Pump, this gift goes beyond preparing the next generation of workers—it’s also about giving back to northwest Iowa. Tom’s father, who owned a feed mill in Germantown, credited much of his success to the support of this region. That legacy led to the family foundation’s partnership with Electric Pump in making this contribution possible.
NCC is incredibly grateful for partners like Electric Pump, whose generosity helps us equip our students with the tools they need to succeed. Together, we’re shaping the future of manufacturing—one skilled graduate at a time.
