Advanced Manufacturing

The Advanced Manufacturing Degree at Lakes Region Community College consists of 11 major core courses 5 of which are the core courses of our Advanced Manufacturing Certificate program. Successful students should have the necessary skills to enter the manufacturing workforce, or excel in current manufacturing employment, into positions a step higher than entry level. Students will have an understanding of manufacturing operations and processes. In addition, students will have acquired skills for decision making in the manufacturing environment using quantitative and qualitative data. Students will have knowledge in materials, processes, quality control, machine operations, machine set-up and tool section, employee empowerment skills, critical thinking skills, oral and technical communication skills, and operation management skills.

Students who complete the program will:

  • Demonstrate athematic skills necessary to solve manufacturing problems through the understanding of fractions and decimals, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, linear equations, roots, geometric figures, usage of tolerances, interpretation and usage of formulas and proportions, and practical applications of geometry and trigonometry.
  • Read and interpret blueprints and engineering drawings.
  • Understand machine tools and machine tool operations such as milling, turning, drilling, cutting, grinding, and chamfering.
  • Demonstrate advanced CNC machine operations skills including offsets, work offsets, G-code programming, machine zeroing, and circular interpolation, set-up, tool selection, material selection, and operator maintenance.
  • Demonstrate computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and CAM-Mill skills in processes such as contouring, cycle time estimating, tool selection, material specification, cutter compensation, parameter changes, contour applications, roughing, finishing, and tool paths.
  • Demonstrate operational Management skills in strategic decision-making using tools such as forecasting, basic inventory models, aggregate planning, master scheduling, materials requirements, and scheduling of operations.
  • Understand procurement, inventory movement, storage of materials, and production flows.
  • Understand lean manufacturing principles such as line balancing, standard work, waste elimination, 5-S programs, employee empowerment, quality, lean production flow and inventory control, as well as facilitation techniques.

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

MANF120L: Machine Tool Math

This focused class develops the skills of students in areas of mathematics relevant to modern manufacturing. An emphasis will be placed on practical applications as found in machining. The topics include usage of fractions and decimals, conversion between units, interpreting and using percentages, usage of tolerances, interpretation and usage of formulas and proportions, and the practical application of geometry and trigonometry in interpreting and using drawings. The usage of scientific calculators will be integrated into the course content.

MANF131L: Blueprint Reading

Students will learn the fundamentals of blueprint reading including multi-view drawings and how to sketch one, threads, title blocks, ECOs, tolerance blocks, Rectangular and Geometric Tolerance. Students need a basic knowledge in drafting/design, machine processes and procedures.

MANF132L: Solid Modeling

This class will be using the solid modeling software, SOLIDWORKS. The class will focus on being certifiable for the SOLIDWORKS CSWA (Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate) test. The SOLIDWORKS Certification could make you a more proficient modeler or help you get a job in, for example, drafting/design, tool making, or CNC programming. The class will focus on building solid models (parts and assembly models) utilizing extruded, revolved, lofts and swept additive and subtractive features along with fillets chamfers, patterns and mirror features. Materials will be added to these models and Mass Properties will be explored. Models and drawings will be used using both ANSI and ISO standards. The course will be slightly fast paced to squeeze in all that is required for the certification. The class will be instructor lead along with working on your own.

MANF142L: Machine Processes

This course will present the theory of machine processes through and lessons covering traditional, manually operated machine tools such as band saws, drill presses, milling machines and lathes. Topics covered are selecting the machine stock, proper squaring a block on a milling machine, basic layout, drilling, tapping reaming, countersinking, counter boring, chamfering, machine set-up, grooving, and threading. Also, students will learn about standard precision measuring tools such as but not limited to micrometers, dial calipers, and Vernier scales with an introduction to gauging, tolerance and dimensioning. Machine tool and shop safety will be covered throughout the course.

MANF145L: Manufacturing Processes

This course will cover a qualitative and quantitative study of manufacturing processes. Fundamental principles of value-added processing of materials into useable forms for the customer will be covered. Topics will include material properties and traditional and non-traditional manufacturing processes with an emphasis on process selection for optimum design with quality, strength and economic evaluations.

MANF151L: CNC Machines I

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Milling machines and their programming. Covered in this course is the basic operation of CNC machines with topics such as safety, simulation, tooling with tool selection, and machine zeroing. Students will be exposed to absolute and incremental positioning, circular interpolation, program interpolation, and cycle pausing. CNC machine safety will be stressed throughout this course.

MANF152L: CNC Machines I Lab

This course will immerse students in CNC I by their actual demonstrated use of CNC machining centers and turning centers. Student will demonstrate proper safety practices while setting up and programming various operations such as: linier and circular interpolation, canned cycles, and sub programming.

MANF211L: CNC Machines II

In this course students will expand on knowledge from CNC Machines I as well as be introduced to Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). CNC Machines topics will include machine speeds and feeds, feed rate, and cycle time optimization. Students will also learn alternative drilling cycles, subprograms, cutter compensation, and scaling/mirroring. CNC Machine safety will be stressed throughout this course. Students will also be introduced to CAD/CAM with topics to include part geometry, CAM-Mill processes, contouring, cycle time estimation, tool selection, material selection, cutter compensation, parameter pages, contour applications, roughing, finishing and tool paths.

MANF212L: CNC Machines II Lab

In this course students will be immersed in CNC II using what they have learned to demonstrate safe machining practices while using the Renishaw tool offset probe to find work offsets, tool heights, digitizing, and inspection. Students will also be able to demonstrate the proper use of CAD/CAM to program and manufacture parts from CAD files, while following safe machining practices.

MANF220L: Properties of Materials

This course introduces the student to the processes and materials used in modern manufacturing, with an emphasis on steels and nonferrous metallic alloys. After establishing the sources of stock materials and the means to modify them to adjust material properties, the selection of why certain materials is appropriate for different applications is covered. The understanding of manufacturing processes is central to the course, including machine tooling, hot working, cold working, casting, joining processes, and powder metallurgy. In addition, the processes required to manufacture plastics and composites will also be incorporated.

MANF230L: CAD/CAM

This course covers Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM). The course includes demonstrations as well as hands-on of CAD/CAM software and hardware. An emphasis is placed on geometry creation and editing functions, process planning, proper cutter selection, speed and feed selection, and tool path generation along with post processing to CNC machines. Students need a basic knowledge in drafting/design, machine processes and procedures, and computer operating systems (MS Windows).

MANF240L: Lean Manufacturing

This course will cover all of the aspects of Lean Manufacturing. Topics will include line balancing, batching versus single piece flow, standard work, inventory control models, value stream mapping, 5-S, and waste elimination. Students will learn tools for identifying and reducing waste such as fishbone modeling, brainstorming techniques, “spaghetti” mapping, and observation techniques. An emphasis on quality control and people empowerment will be stressed throughout the course.

MANF250L: Advanced CNC Machine Processes

This course expands on the machining skills presented in the CNC I & II courses. This course will include 3-D and solid modeling, programming, machine setup, and operating procedures. Tool selection, quality measurement/control, and operator maintenance are also topics covered.

MANF270L: Advanced Manufacturing Capstone

This course provides the vehicle for students to demonstrate overall competency in advanced manufacturing and in the specific operations in which they have chosen to concentrate. Under the supervision of a faculty advisor, working individually or as part of a team, the student will select and successfully carry out a major project which pertains directly to advanced manufacturing.

MANF280L: Advanced Manufacturing Internship

This course provides the opportunity for the student to utilize learned course competencies in a real-life setting. A supplemental laboratory experience on an extensive array of equipment and processes may be provided. Resume, cover letter, weekly journal, and employer evaluation are required. Student needs to work a minimum of 300 hours in a manufacturing job related environment. Cumulative GPA2.0 minimum required.