Mechatronics Academy at Volkswagen
9-12
Our VW eLab empowers high school apprentices to solve real-world engineering challenges through advanced manufacturing. Equipped with Bambu 3D printers, xTool laser cutters, CNC routing, woodworking tools, heat presses, and embroidery machines, our lab bridges theory and modern industry. Students master technical prototyping, multi-material design, budget management, and 5S standards to prepare for careers with partners like Volkswagen.
Lab description
Grade Levels:
VW eLab Specialist
Ethan Albright & Jackie Myers
As VW eLab Specialists, we guide first- and second-year high school apprentices through hands-on, professional engineering projects. Partnering with Volkswagen Chattanooga and regional leads, we engage Year 1 students in foundational CAD, Micro:bit data logging, and 5S standards, while Year 2 students mentor peers and lead advanced CNC, laser, and multi-material manufacturing runs.
Impact
The VW eLab serves as a vital launchpad for future engineers and industrial technicians by embedding real-world manufacturing standards directly into high school coursework. Students step away from theoretical learning and enter an environment that directly mirrors modern industrial facilities. By working under strict project minimums—such as keeping material scrap under ten percent, capping production costs under twenty-five dollars, and designing for multi-material assembly—students develop high-level problem-solving skills and professional discipline early in their academic careers. Impact in action: Students gain multi-discipline tool mastery by combining traditional woodworking equipment, such as drill presses and CNC milling machines, with rapid digital fabrication tools like Bambu P1S and P2S 3D printers, xTool laser cutters, textile heat presses, and embroidery systems to produce complex composite products. Furthermore, our program focuses on industry alignment and stakeholder reviews, where students regularly present digital CAD models and physical prototypes to Volkswagen engineers and school leaders, gaining invaluable experience in technical defense, public speaking, and iterative design based on critique. Finally, lab activities incorporate workplace optimization and 5S principles, standard tool management, and material conservation to instill shop-floor safety and organization from day one. Through these authentic experiences, our lab transforms students into confident makers ready for apprenticeship pathways and modern technical careers.
Project Highlights
Our lab curriculum focuses on rigorous, project-based learning where students solve real manufacturing challenges using industry-standard tools. For our primary capstone project, the Volkswagen Apprenticeship Graduation Award, students design and manufacture official multi-material graduation awards for incoming VW apprentices. Working within strict corporate constraints—a twenty-five dollar unit cost limit, under ten percent material scrap, multi-material integration combining 3D-printed PLA, CNC or laser-cut wood, acrylic, and metal accents, and hand-held sizing—students navigate a comprehensive six-step engineering design process. Year 1 students produce initial sketches, export digital CAD models, track exact machine times and material weights, build golden samples, and run mass production schedules using Gantt charts, while Year 2 students assist with equipment operation and tool demonstrations. The project culminates in a final pitch presentation delivered directly to VW leadership. In our Micro:bit V2 Environmental Data Logger project, Year 1 students build and program an automated environmental monitoring station using Micro:bit V2 microcontrollers and Keyestudio sensor breakout shields. They code custom state-machine logic in MakeCode to cycle digital displays between live temperature, time, and date readouts using dedicated state variables and master resets. Students design custom protective enclosures for their rigs while learning low-power sleep modes and battery power management. Lastly, in our 3D Printer and Machine Station Tooling Organizer project, students apply 5S workplace standards to design and manufacture custom modular toolboxes and station organizers for our Bambu 3D printers, xTool laser cutters, drill presses, and CNC stations. Students measure hand tools with digital calipers, model custom 3D inserts in CAD software, and calculate print speeds, infill density, and material usage to optimize our lab workflow.
