Needed for Math: Newsletter June 2022

NEEDED MATH PROJECT

June 2022

Fab Lab - SUNY Polytechnic Institute Thanks to Dr. Robert Geer, COO at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, for setting up a site visit for us to the SUNY Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) on May 20, 2022. We met with Elaine Garrett, CNSE Education Outreach Coordinator, toured the Fab Lab clean room with Darrell Brookhart, a lithographic engineer, and interviewed four impressive technicians: Matt, Bisram, Steve, and Choppy.

The techs explained to us how they serve as the interface between the operations management of the Fab and the engineers who work specifically with the tools, one of which is valued at a quarter of a billion dollars!

Needed Math: We saw how Excel was used to calculate sums and means; how unit conversion was employed to convert from mm to microns; from kPa to TORRs; and graphs and control charts were central to monitoring the various systems.

To Community College Tech Faculty and Community College Math Faculty, we need your help in refining our survey questions, please let us know if you would like to participate in a short pilot test.

To Manufacturing Technicians we also need your help in refining our survey questions, please let us know if you would like to participate in the short pilot test.

Please contact Michael Hacker: Michael. Hacker @hofstra.edu

Team Members Suited Up for Visit

Monin, Inc. One of the many strengths of Monin, is that all workers have an understanding about the other employees’ jobs so that when there is a problem they can accurately determine where the problem originated.

A small group of Needed Math team members visited Monin, Inc. manufacturing facility in Clearwater, Florida. The facility produces syrups, concentrated flavors, and fruit purees in five different bottle sizes for commercial and home use.

Manufacturing VP Angela Reamer, and Megan Meiers, Human Resources, VP led the tour. Our team viewed the Syrup Room, Quality Control, and labeling areas. Following the tour, additional members of our team joined virtually to interview technicians and supervisors to gain an understanding of the math used by the technicians.

Needed Math: Measurements

are made of product temperature to ensure pasteurization, and of the brix (or sugar) content of the products to ensure desired sweetness. The Quality Control tech uses algebra to ensure appropriate fill weights of bottles within a certain tolerance. Algebra (a functional model) is also used in the labeling area to make decisions about almost-spent rolls of labels. Within the production area, a board is visible for all to see that lists efficiency rates (ratios of water used to syrup produced), and yield equations (actual # of bottles on pallets/theoretical # of bottles from produced syrup). There are also different representations for different processes seen as bar graphs & circle graphs.

Monin, Inc.

A big shout-out to the folks at Monin, Inc. for their warmth and generosity in hosting this visit.

We learned so much!

Monin, Inc.

Project Director Contact Information: Michael Hacker, Ph.D. Michael.Hacker@hofstra.edu 518 915-1411 https://www.hofstra.edu/stem -research/needed-math.html

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant # 2100062. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.