To give his students a clearer understanding and view of airflow dynamics, Matthew Hawkins, Red River College Polytechnic (RRC Polytech) Sheet Metal Instructor, facilitated an interactive demonstration that brought duct design principles to life.

His students fabricated an RRC sign from sheet metal, while the front panels of each duct section were replaced with transparent RockGlass supplied by ClearSecure Manufacturing and Distribution. This custom assembly transformed a standard duct system into a fully visible learning tool.

“The strong panels proved to be exceptionally easy to work with throughout the fabrication process,” shares Hawkins. “The students were able to cut, drill and attach the material to ductwork using a variety of common fastening methods. Despite using different types of fasteners, the panels remained strong and durable, exceeding expectations for both stability and performance.”

Once the system was complete, smoke from a theatrical smoke machine was introduced into the ductwork, allowing students to watch airflow patterns in real time. The visual demonstration revealed how duct fitting design can affect airflow patterns, with poor designs contributing to increased turbulence, pressure losses, and reduced system efficiency. The outcome turned abstract classroom concepts into memorable, firsthand lessons that reinforced the importance of proper HVAC design and craftsmanship.

“We were able to bring the lessons out of the textbook into a real live forum that the students could see, touch, feel, and experience themselves, rather than just read about it in a book, and I think that visualization really helped,” says Hawkins. “I’m always looking for ways to improve the student experience, and demonstrations like this allow students to see firsthand how the concepts they’re learning apply in the real world.”

Students could see where turbulence developed, where airflow remained laminar, and how design choices directly affected system performance. By making the invisible visible, the demonstration transformed complex airflow concepts into an engaging, unforgettable learning experience.

And that kind of experience is what ClearSecure is wanting to facilitate for RRC Polytech and for other colleges and trade schools.  “Repurposing donations of RockGlass off-cuts to schools is a win-win,” explains Richard Wagner, ClearSecure’s Safety Coordinator. Instructors and students get a valuable resource to enhance real-world applications to their lessons, while we benefit from seeing how they use RockGlass in new and innovative ways. Plus, it keeps unused product out of landfills, which serves our green sustainability initiatives at ClearSecure.”

The donation to RRC Polytech is part of ClearSecure’s RockGlass Material Recovery Program. A key component of this program is donating to educational programs that can use off-cuts of RockGlass to enhance the learning experience.

If your school or college would like to explore using RockGlass for educational purposes, fill the request form found at https://rockglass.ca/community/