布莱斯在机器人项目中获得成功

Emilie Jenson, Public Information Office
6/4/2024

Alexander Blaess，洪堡，IA

机器人，2024届

通过Joel Collins教授的CNC/工业机械师课程，Alexander Blaess第一次被介绍到机器人和机械的世界，Joel Collins是爱荷华中央社区学院计算机集成制造项目的协调员。

通过这些课程，他结识了费雪液压公司，一个工业液压缸的制造商在劳伦斯，他后来接受了一份工作。

在Fisher工作期间，Blaess熟悉了几种带有自动化和机器人部件的设备。

“We had a lathe with robotic parts,” said Blaess. “It was at Fisher that I got a great side by side look into what we did manually and what is done automatically. We had one guy who could work with and program all the robotics and I had the opportunity to work with him.”

布拉斯很快就对机器人设备的相互作用产生了浓厚的兴趣，同时也渴望推动自己的职业发展，并开始考虑重返学校。

在考察学校时，他发现了爱荷华中心的机器人和自动化课程。

“I knew I wanted to move up in my career and going back to school was the best way to do it,” Blaess said. “As I checked around the program at Iowa Central really stood out to me.”

布莱斯说，他是怀着成功的愿望入学的，但在机器人方面经验有限。 Iowa Central’s program and instructors quickly put him on a path to success.

“I came in with limited experience,” said Blaess. “All of the instructors have different teaching styles and give different perspectives, but they are all so interactive and willing to help you succeed.”

他很欣赏机器人实验室及其各种各样的设备，这些设备帮助他学习并获得了在自动化和机器人领域取得成功所必需的实践经验。

“We have an awesome lab and equipment at Iowa Central,” said Blaess. “As I went through the program, I discovered that there are unfathomable opportunities to use and work with robots when you know how to go about it.”

One of the highlights of the from his final semester was working with and programming “Zeus,” the program’s Stokes Robotics “Unitree” robotic dog.

“It’s been fun to have Zeus around and learn how he works,” said Blaess. “Zeus has so many capabilities that I would love to be around longer to see what else he can be programmed to do.”

Blaess said he enjoyed the “trial and error” processes of making robots work.

“Troubleshooting and de-bugging was my favorite part,” he said. “You work with it and retry to get things working if it doesn’t go the first time. It is all a learning process.”

作为一名非传统的学生、丈夫和五个孩子的父亲，Blaess现在居住在洪堡，他很高兴能够在离家近的地方继续接受最先进的教育，同时在CTI食品公司全职担任维修技术员。 他平衡了学业和工作，同时还参加了学生会，并以优异的成绩毕业。

“I appreciated the benefits of having such a great program close to home,” he said. “I was able to work full-time and go to school full-time. 我可以运用我所学到的技能，并且得到了回报。 With the knowledge I now have there are more opportunities for good paying jobs and opportunities to move up in the workforce.”