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Transform Raw Material Into Precision Components
Through Both Manual, Machine, & Computer-Oriented Operations

The Advanced Manufacturing program consists of classroom and shop learning experiences which will train students to successfully be qualified as an entry-level machinist. Major contact areas covered in the program are machine shop safety; measuring instruments; blueprint reading; operation of general machine tools such as drill presses, mills, saws, lathes, grinders, 3D printing, laser engraving, and heat treating. In addition, students will gain valuable experience through the design and production of customer projects. Students will learn how to setup and operate industry scale equipment such as CNC machines and 3D printers. To support this training, students also learn how to create and setup assets in 3D imaging software. Apprenticeships may be available with local machine shops and manufacturing businesses.

Looking for a night class? Advanced Manufacturing is also offered as an evening program.

Program Flyer Steps for Enrollment Pickens Lookbook See the Classroom

What Our Students Learn

  • Measurement and blueprint reading for manufacturing production
  • Machine shop safety
  • Digitally Design 3 Dimensional objects using adobe and solidworks
  • Operation of general machine tools such as lathe, mills, saws, and lathes
  • Operate metal or plastic forming equipment such as CNC machines, Laser Engravers, and 3D printers
Female apprentice skillfully using a yoke machine in Aurora, CO

Career Outlook

  • Employment opportunity in this field is 3 times higher than the national average of a job
  • Entry level salaries start at $32,000 and up
  • Median salary is $46,000
  • 10% of workers earn $65,000 or more
Young scientist in a lab coat conducting an experiment in Aurora, CO

Class Experience

  • Students spend 50% of their time learning concepts in a classroom, and 50% of their time in the shop with hands-on practical work
  • Students gain experience in a simulated shop environment with industry grade equipment
  • Enrollment options are available for both high school students and post-secondary students
  • 2 years of classes

Sean Hennessy

Instructor, Advanced Manufacturing
303-344-4910 ext 27766
smhennessy@aurorak12.org

Shelton Reed

Instructor, Advanced Manufacturing
303-344-4910 ext 27766
shelton.reed@aurorak12.org

Shelton has been teaching for more than 2 years and has been in the manufacturing industry for over 10 years. Shelton gained experience teaching while Cross-training new employees at previous industry jobs. Shelton has worked a range of jobs in the industry, including: Building custom car parts, producing medical technology prototypes, and leading CNC programmer.

Industry Certifications & Degrees:

  • Precision Machining Certificate
  • Welding Certificates
  • Solidworks Associates Degree

Accredited Certificate Courses (49 credits)

All credits earned at Pickens technical college are recognized by the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), and are eligible for transfer to other colleges within the state of Colorado.

Covers safety procedures, use of bench tools, layout tools, power saws, drill presses, precision measurement tools, and various hand tools related to the machine shop. Also included are sharpening drill bits and general purpose turning tools for the lathe and determining speeds and feeds for both the lathe and the milling machine.

Students read blueprints and interpret symbols, note dimensions, and tolerances.

Introduces basic lathe applications which will consist of identifying lathe components and controls, understanding turning safety, calculating speeds and feeds, using various tools and tool holders, identifying basic tool geometry, and the use of common lathe spindle tooling. Students will perform basic lathe operations, which will consist of facing, center-drilling, chuck turning, turning between centers, boring, grooving, tapers, knurling, and single-point threading. Students will be required to produce specified parts to a tolerance of +/- .004 in. and perform competencies set by manufacturing standards.

Teaches students to prepare single-point external and internal unified screw threads to a Class 3 fit, generate angles with the compound rest within one degree, ream holes concentric within .001 inches, determine cutting speeds, and perform facing and turning operations.

Teaches students to identify the major parts of the vertical mill, align a vise, use an indicator, edge finder, and boring head, determine speeds and feeds perform simple indexing, mill flat, square surfaces and slots, drill, bore, and tap holes, and work within a plus or minus .002 inch tolerance. MAC 120 Introduction to Milling Machine 3 credits/67.5 clock hours Teaches students to identify the major parts of the vertical mill, align a vise, use an indicator, edge finder, and boring head, determine speeds and feeds perform simple indexing, mill flat, square surfaces and slots, drill, bore, and tap holes, and work within a plus or minus .002 inch tolerance.

Prepares students to determine hole locations by coordinates and degrees, use a rotary table, use a jig bore to drill holes by the coordinate method, and work within plus or minus .001 inch tolerance.

Familiarizes the student to concepts related to manufacturing environments. Topics will consist of, but not be limited to Material Identification, Shop Floor Management, Just-In-Time Manufacturing, Kan-Ban Systems, Statistical Quality Control, Total Quality Management. Various lectures and demonstrations of these processes will be delivered. Students may be required to research, explore, and report on particular manufacturing processes or topics.

Covers computer numerical control (CNC) lathe operations, control functions, the letter address system, the program format, and machine setup. G & M codes, control functions, the letter address system, and math issues related to CNC are included. This class is NOT offered on an open-entry, open-exit basis.

Prepares students to write basic computer numerical control (CNC) lathe part programs. G and M codes, math related to CNC, setups, speeds, and feeds, straight turning, spherical turning, threading, chamfering, tapering, drilling, tapping, boring, and grooving will be covered. Cutter compensations, sub-programming techniques, repetitive cycles, and both absolute and incremental will be incorporated into programs. Students will also proof and edit the programs to make them valid. This class is NOT offered on an open- entry, open-exit basis.

Provides transitional information between conventional machining applications and the typical applications found in Computer Numerical Control Machining. Topics may consist of Numerical Control Systems, The Cartesian Coordinate System, High-Efficiency Tooling Applications, Objectives of Numerical Control, Calculating Speed and Feed Rates, Defining and Calculating Tool Motion, Fixturing Requirements, Basic Program Structure, Programming Codes, and Basic Conversational Programming. Operations of NC machines will be required.

Teaches students how to identify major parts and accessories of the surface finder and grind flat, vertical, and angular surfaces to a tolerance of .0002 position and size.

Provides the student with the essential concepts and techniques that are required to successfully create part geometry, generate tool path, verify tool path models, and post-process the NC codes. The student will be exposed to a 2-axis machining, 3-axis machining wireframe and surface modeling, lathe programming, and DNC systems. Programming projects and models will be demonstrated in the CNC manufacturing lab.

Requires students to produce a variety of lab exercises on robotic machinery in conjunction with MAG 240. Aspects of tool paths for contour, drill, and pocket will be covered. Chaining geometry, setting parameters, and managing cutter compensations will be addressed in both multi-tool programs and remachining operations. Coursework will primarily focus on 2D geometry projects.

Offers a study of metallurgical terms and definitions in an effort to understand both the behavior of metals and their service to industry. Characteristics during heating, cooling, shaping, forming, and the stresses related to their mechanical properties are covered. The theory behind the alloys, heat treatment processes, and the impact they have on strength, toughness, hardness, elasticity, ductility, malleability, wear resistance, and fatigue resistances is investigated.

Covers material designed for career technical or general studies students who need to study particular mathematical topics. Topics may include measurement, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, graphs, and/or finance. These are presented on an introductory level and the emphasis is on applications.

Provides students with an experiential learning opportunity.

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