The lab is the first of its kind in Florida, according to FSCJ associate dean of engineering and industry Chris Lee. Its systems let students learn manufacturing processes and troubleshoot mistakes in a training setting before entering a factory.

Students work with electrical systems, pneumatics, quality control and artificial-intelligence inspection, as well as programmable logic controllers, robotics, mechatronics and autonomous vehicles, Lee said.

Semiconductors are made using silicon and are essential components in products such as phones, cars and televisions. Lee said FSCJ hopes the program will help attract semiconductor businesses to Northeast Florida while building a workforce for advanced manufacturing. The pandemic-era chip shortage demonstrated how disruptions in semiconductor production can contribute to higher prices and manufacturing delays, he said.

The training is not limited to chip factories. Lee said similar technology and production methods are used by employers in beverages, pharmaceuticals, cars and consumer goods. He cited regional companies including Anheuser-Busch, Bacardi, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Vistakon.

FSCJ is also using the lab to introduce younger students to manufacturing. At a girls’ STEM camp, middle school students programmed a system to transfer a part between stations and used a light and camera image to determine where it belonged.

The approach gives students room to experiment, Lee said, describing the middle schoolers as curious and emphasizing the value of asking questions and learning from mistakes.