Pembrokeshire College in Haverfordwest runs a fabrication and welding engineering course, which covers fabrication and welding disciplines for learners who want to work within the engineering sector. The NVQ qualification enables apprentices to demonstrate their occupational competence through gaining of knowledge and experience of using machinery that they would use in the industry. The college purchased the Morgan Rushworth Press Brake for the purpose of giving apprentices this experience.
We spoke to Malcolm York, the Curriculum Area Manager for Mechanical Engineering and Marine, about the college’s experience of the machine.
What’s really important to us is the training element of it. We can be really accurate now, with bending substantial thicknesses of plate.
What led you to purchase the press brake?
We had a hand-operated bending machine before, we didn’t have a press brake. We run a welding fabrication course where we need to bend plate. We train apprentices for the energy sector and we supply apprentices to local businesses. We needed a machine to train them in welding fabrication.
What features attracted you to the Morgan Rushworth?
We knew Morgan Rushworth was a good company. We didn’t want to get a Chinese import or something and find things going wrong within a year or have to try to source spares. We needed reliability, so we went for the Morgan Rushworth.
Did it meet your expectations?
Yes, it has. We had it serviced not long ago and we also had more guys trained on it. We’ve had a change of staff recently too, so they’ve had training on it. And we’ve got more training booked so we’ll be able to do more work on it.
What has been the biggest impact on apprentices’ learning?
Learners are able to bend plate accurately. With the Morgan Rushworth, they are using a similar machine to what they’d use when they go out into the industry. That’s really important to us, the training element of it. We can be really accurate now, with bending substantial thicknesses of plate.
What are your thoughts on the aftercare and service throughout?
I cannot fault the service – from getting the quotes to the training given – Selmach are very patient with us. We had to get quotes, go through procurement. And from when we placed the order to when it arrived, when they put it into commission and trained us on it they’ve been great, and very patient.
“I cannot fault the service”
Published 5th March 2019