Sometimes in the course of our work we get lucky. I have to say I’m luckier than most. Regular readers of my blog will know what fun I have in my role at Wenzel America working with our CT systems, experimenting with new ideas and fixing customers’ problems by allowing them to measure things in ways that would have been unimaginable not many years ago.
Another thing that I find equally rewarding is having the opportunity to teach others about our systems and seeing them enjoy the same pleasure as I do and it really doesn’t get better 
than when you have great students located in a spectacular location with good weather!
The Navajo Technical University is located in the New Mexico sector of the Navajo Nation reservation and it was my great pleasure and privilege to go there to train their students on their Wenzel exaCT CT scanner.
The drive to the campus was like nothing else I’ve experienced. As you can see from the photos there is tremendous space between towns and the massive rock formations that characterize the land. The campus itself was unlike any other University I’ve been to; let’s say my fears of not finding somewhere to park were unfounded.
The Center for Digital Technologies Director Harold “Scott” Halliday is the coolest course leader any student could want. I know this exposes my bias somewhat but Halliday not only shares my passion for the technology – he rides a Triumph Motorcycle too.
Halliday is not from the Navajo Tribe having landed there from Maine but he’s fully assimilated in his environment and the students’ greatest champion. The Students themselves are tremendously smart and fast to learn the CT technology along with many other measurement technologies and additive manufacturing making them a leader not just in the Southwest but nationally in the delivery of on-line education.
Wenzel’s appreciation of NTU is reciprocated in their embrace and delight with their CT Scanner; According to Course Director Halliday the exaCT CT scanner is “the best bang for the buck of any piece of equipment he has bought.” What he like most about it is that it does “exactly what Wenzel said it would do; No buts”.
There is a lot to enjoy on a visit to the Navajo Nation and I can recommend it highly not withstanding the fact that every where you go is at least 50 miles from the next nearest place!
The people are tremendously friendly and welcoming and the food is spicy and delicious. Don’t leave New Mexico without stocking up on “Hatch” roasted green chile to which I am now so addicted I need to buy it on-line.
If you are interested in finding out more for yourself how easy it is to get into CT scanning with one of our ergonomic and easy to use desktop CT machines then give me a call.
The next time I got to see the Navajo team was when they came to the Wenzel America office in Michigan for advanced training with WM Quartis for GD&T programming.
In January. In the snow. Not so lucky!