Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 25 O C T O B E R 2 0 , 2 0 2 5 F O C U S M A N U FA C T U R I N G / I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R A D E square-to-round shape, from one in 30 minutes to four in 12 minutes. e result is increased capacity, both for premium made-to-order products and for utility stock that has since launched, under the brand name Woodland Oar and Paddle, at a lower price point through business- to-business deals. e center is also assisting with the prototype for an axe handle, a more complicated pattern, as part of a part- nership between Shaw & Tenney and South Portland hand-forged axe-maker Brant & Cochran. Gutekunst calls the relationship with the center "a real collaboration." "Luckily we were nearby because they were back and forth," he says of the center's staff willingness to travel. "We have a graduate of the UMaine engineering school who worked here and was able to produce drawings of the pattern. ey cut the steel to make the pattern, we bring it back, sometimes it just needs tweaks, we test it, they remake it. Now we're turning oars." Student involvement About 20 undergraduate and graduate students work at the center each year. ey're trained on the equipment and work on specific projects. In the center's student lab, Ean Canfield, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, is working with a computer-assisted design program to refine a paper-cutting machine. His screen shows renderings of "hard stops" that make it easier to position the paper. A simple computer instruction sends the design to a 3D printer for prototyping. Daniel St. John, a junior, has been working on improvements for the blue- berry harvester. "We've completed the first round of testing and gone back to the client," says St. John, who came up with some of the concepts and worked directly with the client, under the supervision of his project manager. It's exciting to work on solving com- plex engineering problems, he says. "You have an idea in your head and you can make it — you're creating things," St. John says. "I really like that." Industry roots e level and breadth of technolo- gies in one shop and available to industry as a whole makes the center unique, says Wentworth: "You might see all of the pieces of equipment in a handful of machine shops, but C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » HOW'S YOUR TEAM? Healthy business starts with healthy people Northern Light Health Work Health partners with Maine businesses to keep your workforce safe, productive, and supported. Reduce downtime, control costs, and help your business thrive. See our full offerings at workhealthllc.org or call 1.844.975.4584. Our commonly requested services: � Work injury management � Testing services � Immunizations � Physical Exams � Ergonomics � Fit Testing Daniel St. John, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, bags blueberry-size beads for testing in a harvester prototype at the University of Maine's Advanced Manufacturing Center in Orono. P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R

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