Advanced Manufacturing

In this Section

Our Advanced Manufacturing training programs are designed to elevate your workforce's skills in advanced manufacturing and welding.  They provide participants with the specialized knowledge and hands-on experience necessary to excel in their respective fields.

Automation/Robotics

Robotic Technologies

Course introduces industrial robotics and covers the functions and operations of FANUC robotic systems, including axis configurations, work envelopes, programming, troubleshooting, and maintenance. Specific learning objectives will vary based on the skill level of trainees and requested course content. Potential course objectives are noted below.

Learning Objectives

  • Demonstrate ability to program FANUC robot to perform various functions.
  • Demonstrate ability to build and interface sensor circuits.
  • Understand how to create axis configurations and work envelopes.
  • Conduct basic troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.

Typical Course Length: 16-40 hours

Electrical

AC/DC Industrial Electricity

This course offers an overview of concepts and skills needed to work safely and effectively with industrial electricity. It includes the study of AC and DC electricity basics and AC current emphasizing resistors, inductors, capacitors, transformers, electrical quantities, and units of measure.

Learning Objectives

  • Demonstrate math skills for working with electrical systems.
  • Recognize safe operational practices and potential hazards when working with electrical circuits.
  • Explain electrical concepts and components—Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws; the measurement of electrical quantities; series and parallel circuits and their characteristics.
  • Interpret basic electrical schematics and relate them to physical circuits.
  • Recognize power factors and power factor corrections.

Typical Course Length: 8-16 hours

Industrial DC Motors

This course provides an understanding of DC electric motors and how to maintain and protect them. It also explores control devices and systems, motor control circuitry, construction and units of measure, industrial DC crane control and maintenance, and how to improve uptime and efficiencies.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn about electromagnetism as well as series and shunt DC motors.
  • Build knowledge of DC motor power, torque, speed curves and Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
  • Develop proficiency in AC to DC rectification.
  • Understand brush and commutator maintenance, repair and troubleshoot brush and commutator problems.
  • Learn to read DC nameplate data.
  • Understand principles of magnetism and parts of a motor and generator.
  • Recognize single phase AC motors, 3-phase AC motors, basic relay and motor control starter control circuits and their operation.
  • Understand and read nameplate data.
  • Learn about motor protection and NEC requirements.
  • Troubleshoot motor failures.

Typical Course Length: 16–24 hours

Industrial Maintenance

Fluid Power

Course develops understanding of fluid power equipment operations in participants’ workplace. It 
includes detailed discussion of equipment components and their interactions.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn about fluid properties including pressure and temperature.
  • Understand the roles that hydraulic and pneumatic systems, safety and schematics play in fluid power equipment. 

Typical Course Length: 2-8 hours

Introduction to Hydraulics & Pneumatics

This course  covers  theory and application of hydraulic and pneumatic systems, components,  laws, operations  and maintenance.  It provides opportunities for hands-on experience constructing simple to intermediate circuits. Course can be customized for introductory through advanced skills.

Learning Objectives

  • Develop understanding of basic physics.
  • Build skills in schematics, including formulas and applications.
  • Explain actuators, reservoirs, fluids, pumps, pressure controls, compressors, air-line conductors, filters, regulators, lubricators and vacuums.
  • Build proficiency in valves: directional and miscellaneous valves; cartridge valve identification and manifold block application; Proportional and Servo valves; and specialized valve concepts and application.
  • Learn about preparation and distribution of air dryers.
  • Understand contamination control filtration concepts and selection.
  • Design and troubleshoot circuits. 

Typical Course Length: 16-24 hours

Rotating Equipment

This course covers predictive maintenance in rotating equipment with the goal of contributing to better machine life and reduced operating costs.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn advanced methods and techniques, including vibration analysis, to accurately predict time and extent of equipment maintenance.
  • Understand how to accurately interpret and analyze results.
  • Build sills for conducting maintenance and inspections.
  • Gain awareness to prevent occupational hazards.

Typical Course Length: 24-32 hours

Shaft and Coupling Alignment (Laser Alignment)

This course develops knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of mechanical power transmission devices and systems, including rigid and flexible coupling devices as well as manual, dial indicator and laser alignment  methods. Also covers manual, dial indicator and laser alignment methods.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand proper system operations and preventive maintenance.
  • Develop troubleshooting skills at device and system levels.
  • Apply techniques for manual, dial and laser alignment.

Typical Course Length: 12 hours

Machining

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)

Course ranges from fundamentals to advanced topics. Fundamentals content provides a solid understanding of the graphic language for engineering drawings, known as GD&T. It uses the ASME Y14.5 standard to which most recent drawings have been made and explains the most recent standard revisions. Advanced topics cover more complex processes that can be applied to specific components and in specific use cases such as for  designers; product, manufacturing, assembly and quality engineers; and CMM operators.

 

Learning Objectives

  • Learn GD&T terminology and the benefits of coordinate dimensioning and tolerancing.
  • Understand the myths and misconceptions of GD&T.
  • Develop skills for specifying, manufacturing and inspecting products to the maximum allowable 
    tolerances and lowest manufacturing cost.
  • Review functional dimensioning and simultaneous and separate requirements.
  • Describe advanced form controls.
  • Understand various aspects of Datum: common errors and misconceptions about the system; 
    special and complex feature types; advanced target concepts; use of the  customized reference frame and translation modifier.
  • Learn about control of nonrigid parts.
  • Explain multiple single-segment, composite, advanced position and profile tolerancing.

Typical Course Length: 24-32 hours

Machining Operations & Safety

This course  provides  an overview  of machining methods, mechanical operations and tools needed to operate mill and lathe machines safely and productively. It also covers presses, grinders, bandsaws and other common machining equipment. It can be customized from basic to advanced use of mill and lathe machines—manual and CNC – and other equipment.

Learning Objectives

  • Demonstrate skills in milling machine and lathe set-up, measurement and safety.
  • Understand speeds and feeds, troubleshooting.
  • Build proficiency in  G&M codes, production processes, process controls  and manufacturing 
    documentation.

Typical Course Length: 20-40 hours

Blueprint Reading

This course presents various types of prints, drawings, and schematics used in manufacturing, construction and other industries. Participants will learn why drawings are needed, how they are used and standard drawing information.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand and interpret schematics, dimensional drawings and exploded view drawings.
  • Use the border system to locate key parts or components in drawings.
  • Discuss each of the four basic drawings used to convey information - single-line drawing, pictorial diagram, schematic diagram and ladder diagram. 

Typical Course Length: 8-16 hours

Motors & Controls

Motors & Controls

Course covers both theory and application for industrial motors, control systems, units of measure and improving up-time and efficiencies.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain how complete control circuits progress through three basic areas and a seal circuit is used.
  • Describe the function of the timer sequence symbol above each timer contact.
  • Draw a sequence bar chart for an electrical control circuit and a simple electrical control circuit from a given set of requirements.
  • Demonstrate how various electrical components are used to: gather information from a machine or system; decide how to use this information and how decisions affect machine output. 

Typical Course Length: 16-24 hours

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)

Course can be customized to cover introductory through advanced level content. Introductory level focuses on how PLCs are used in the field, understanding their capabilities for controlling processes, equipment, and other functions in an industrial setting. Intermediate to advanced level covers ways to monitor PLCs for status and faults and the most efficient and effective procedures for isolating and correcting problems.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand main PLC components, systems and functions, and set-up communications.
  • Learn numbering systems, ladder logic programming basics, timing sequences and trending.
  • Develop familiarity with industrial prints to identify field to PLC connectivity.
  • Perform data transfers, set and retrieve status bits, use Producer/Consumer tags, and manage
    electrical noise and grounding.
  • Learn how to wire, program clamp, drill and set up garage door interface.
  • Understand Ethernet networking and fiber optic Ethernet; Distributed IO (over Ethernet).
  • Learn how to: identify, isolate and correct faults; force input and output; create trends to monitor
    a project; and program a PLC ladder logic PID controller and PanelView HMI interface.
  • Understand Analog inputs and outputs (4-20mA and+/-10V).

Typical Course Length: 24-32 hours

Welding

Welding: Foundational Skills to Process-Based Welding Specializations

Welding courses can be segmented to cover foundational skills and/or specialized topics  on welding equipment, set-up, operation and use of one or more of the following processes: Stick (SMAW), Gas Metal Arch (GMA),  MIG (Metal Inert Gas)  and  TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas)  as well as sanitary welding and Oxyaceteline torch. Learning objectives will vary and focus on the desired skill level and depth of training requested. Same objectives are listed below.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the welding process and typical uses of welding in the workplace.
  • Demonstrate welding safety as well as proper cutting and grinding techniques.
  • Building competency in welding techniques specific to the target welding process.
  • Demonstrate understanding of appropriate welding process for different metal types.

Typical Course Length: 8-40 hours