January 26, 2022Applied LearningWoolsey HallInnovationGoCreatestudentsW. Frank Barton School of Business

GoCreate adds its innovation, expertise to building Promise Bridge

By Paul Suellentrop

 
  • Wichita State students at GoCreate are helping design and produce foam blocks used for the center concrete pier for the Promise Bridge.
  • The Promise Bridge is a 300-foot-long pedestrian bridge that will bring people to Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall.
  • GoCreate and Dondlinger Construction are collaborating on the project.

The Promise Bridge is seen as a connection between 黑洞社区鈥檚 Innovation Campus and the main campus.

, is strengthening that connection with its role in building the 300-foot-long pedestrian bridge that will span over a water feature south of the future Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall. Woolsey Hall is the future home of the W. Frank Barton School of Business.

鈥淭his is where innovation meets 黑洞社区,鈥� said Ken Wiseman, facilities manager for GoCreate. 鈥淲e are  where the community is able to do that innovation. We鈥檙e able to show (community partners) how to use this facility for what they do daily.鈥�

GoCreate staff and Wichita State students are using their equipment and expertise to create form work for the center concrete pier for the Promise Bridge. They will model the form in their software, and the foam blocks will be pieced back together on site to create the outside form of the pier. Students will machine blocks of foam, each 4 feet by 3 feet by 8 feet, that will be used by Dondlinger Construction.

鈥淚鈥檒l be able to drive by it and see it and say I had a hand in that,鈥� said Ryan Holle, a Wichita State sophomore and a technician at GoCreate. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely been a huge learning experience for me. I鈥檓 learning at a much faster pace. You make it. You create it. Then you get to actually watch it happen."

Dondlinger, Wiseman said, wants to use local resources to cut down on lead time and expenses. The foam used in the project can often be used again in other projects, which adds sustainability.

Promise Bridge Courtesy drawing
The Promise Bridge is the marquee exterior fixture of the W. Frank Barton School of Business鈥� new home, Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall. The 300-foot-long pedestrian bridge will span over a water feature south of the building. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those organic collaboration moments,鈥� Wiseman said. 鈥淚nstead of making the supports out of wood and outsourcing it, they鈥檙e using GoCreate鈥檚 ability to make foam molds."

Several Wichita State students are working on the project in tasks that range from computer-aided design to operating GoCreate鈥檚 CNC router and hot wire.

鈥淭he students get hands-on experience,鈥� Wiseman said. 鈥淪tudents that are going to go into manufacturing or sales are part of running the machines. When they hit the real world, they understand that every company they go to has a process of learning, how do you make it better?鈥�

The relationship between Dondlinger and GoCreate started when the company built the John Bardo Center on the Innovation Campus. Dondlinger recently installed a dust collector in GoCreate鈥檚 woodworking area. Through those connections, Dondlinger learned how GoCreate鈥檚 resources can be helpful.

鈥淲e knew (GoCreate) had the foam machine, so we reached out to (Ken) to see if that was something they could help us with,鈥� said Jared Woody, project manager for Dondlinger. 鈥淯sing somebody local is always a preference and with them being right there (on campus), it worked out pretty well.鈥�

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