Campus contact for this program:
Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Felisha Guirand, FGuirand@housatonic.edu

Certificate

Advanced Manufacturing Program

The Southwestern Connecticut Advanced Manufacturing Center, established at Housatonic Community College in 2012, is part of a statewide initiative to provide skilled employees for the growing manufacturing industry.

The Advanced Manufacturing Program is a one school year (9 month) certificate program. It is an intense thirty-five hour per week, thirty-four college credits* program designed to provide students with the 21st Century manufacturing skills needed by today’s manufacturers. Students can choose a day or night schedule.

Admission to the Program

All students need to complete the program information package and admissions process. Admission to the program is selective and completion of minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Applicants are responsible for obtaining the most current Advanced Manufacturing Program application requirements and paperwork. Once admitted, students are required to maintain a grade of “C” in each program course for progression in the program. For more information, please contact the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing program.

The CNC Machine Technology Certificate is designed to provide students with an advanced level of manufacturing skills for employment in machine technology and CNC manufacturing environments. Building on the skills developed in the first semester, students develop advanced manufacturing skills in mathematics, blueprint reading, principles of quality control, machine technology, and CNC. Students will spend approximately half their time in classroom activities and half in hands-on activities in the Advanced Manufacturing Center. In the second semester, students in good standing (grade of “C” or better in all classes and a strong attendance record) will be allowed to participate in the Internship Program. Students find, or are placed into, internships at local manufacturing organizations gaining insight and understanding of the full production environment. Interns will be evaluated by the participating company. Poor on-the-job performance will mean loss of the internship opportunity.

The student who completes this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the application of various geometric and trigonometric functions including machine shop math applications towards set up cutter speeds and feeds material response to these operations
• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of basic blueprint reading skills including orthographic projections lines and line weights and sectional views along with some drafting concepts using standard design and manufacturing practices.
• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the safe and proper use of measurement instruments, measuring machines, gages , indicators , digital read outs, point clouds and manufacturing inspection set up equipment relating to an understanding of quality control methods and procedures
• Demonstrate an basic knowledge and understanding and be able to operate basic manufacturing machinery including drill press, saws, grinders, lathes, and milling machines including basic Proto Trak and or conversational  CNC language milling machines or lathes
• Basic set up and operating practices in the use of CNC equipment, learn overall G and M code language including basic tool change and cutter compensations. Evaluate the quality of completed parts determine the source of any quality error found.
• Demonstrate the use of all hand tools and manual operations used in multiple applications including Manufacturing shop layout, scribing tools, surface plates, height gages. Also in conjunction, work with tools for a variety of manufacturing applications including but not limited to hammers screwdrivers pliers cutters, shears, wrenches and any tool to support manufacturing and building or assembly operations.
• Demonstrate the ability to use computer design software to create drawings, Blue Prints, designs, fixtures or parts. Understand the applications of how it supports manufacturing and assembly industries.  Understand these applications between surface creations planes and data driven points and languages across the CNC machines using Cartesian Coordinates and machine drafting practices
• Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of advanced blueprint reading skills that support manufacturing and assembly operations of all industries relating to manufacturing.
• Demonstrate the role Geometric Dimension and Tolerance plays in industry including form fit and function along with Quality Assurance and Quality control along with interchangeability and how to read and interpret and particularly how it combines itself with blueprint and drafting along with designing software such as but not limited to Solidworks Mastercam and solid modeling.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of manufacturing machinery operations including semi complex set ups using sine plates, tooling jigs and fixtures. Advanced grinding, lathe, and complex milling machines operations and techniques including intermediate Proto Trak and or conversational type and or CNC language milling machines or lathes and beyond
• Intermediate set up and operating practices in the use of CNC equipment, semi- complex G and M code and language interpretation. Advanced cutter compensations projects requiring circular interpolation and tool change and cutter compensations. Evaluate the quality of completed parts determine the source of any quality error found.
• Understanding processes within manufacturing that utilize methods of SPC (Statistical Process Controls) and the ability to use and understand Sampling charts, plans, Inspection plans including First Article inspection and histograms to remove process variation. Understand how to calibrate equipment and the purpose of intervals, traceability and Six Sigma Lean manufacturing principals.