Specialized Manufacturing
Metalworking & Precision Manufacturing
This capability family covers the major metalworking processes used to create precision parts, fabricated assemblies, tooling and production hardware.
Capability map
What this industry requires Industrial Skillset to cover.
Technical body of knowledge
Capabilities connected to published technical topics.
Machining & CNC · Foundational
Manual Machining Fundamentals
Understand the basic operating principles of manual lathes, mills, drills and grinders, including workholding, cutting tools, speed/feed concepts and measurement.
Open topicMachining & CNC · Intermediate
CNC Machining Centers
Study the architecture and workflow of CNC milling and turning systems from program and setup through offsets, tool management, machining and inspection.
Open topicMachining & CNC · Intermediate
Turning Operations and Lathe Process Fundamentals
Study common turning operations, tool geometry, workholding and process variables used to produce cylindrical features.
Open topicMachining & CNC · Intermediate
Milling Operations and Machining Strategy
Understand common milling operations, cutter selection, toolpath concepts and workholding relationships used to create prismatic features.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Intermediate
Laser Cutting Fundamentals
Understand laser-cutting machine architecture, beam-material interaction, assist gas, nesting and the variables that affect cut quality.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Foundational
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Understand the end-to-end sheet-metal workflow from material identification and cutting through deburring, forming, hole preparation and inspection.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Intermediate
Press Brake Forming
Understand press brake terminology, tooling, bend geometry, material behavior and the variables that affect repeatable sheet-metal bending.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Intermediate
Metal Stamping and Press Operations
Understand stamping presses, dies, feeders and the process variables used to blank, pierce, form and draw sheet metal.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Intermediate
Hydroforming Fundamentals
Explore how pressurized fluid and tooling are used to form sheet or tube material into complex shapes, with attention to material flow, tooling and defect prevention.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Intermediate
Welding Processes: GMAW, GTAW and SMAW
Build conceptual understanding of common arc-welding processes, equipment, consumables, joint preparation, heat input and the quality controls used around welded fabrication.
Open topicFabrication & Forming · Intermediate
Die Casting Fundamentals
Understand pressure die casting equipment, dies, molten-metal handling and common quality considerations for repeatable cast components.
Open topicMachining & CNC · Intermediate
Precision Grinding Fundamentals
Understand grinding-wheel selection, dressing, workholding and process variables that control geometry, thermal damage and surface finish.
Open topicMetrology & Quality · Intermediate
Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs)
Understand CMM fundamentals, probing, alignment, datum establishment and how inspection programs translate drawing requirements into measured results.
Open topicRepresentative roles and role maps
Typical industry roles
CNC Machinist
A machining pathway connecting drawings and metrology to setup, offsets, G-code, cutting tools, workholding and first-piece verification.
Role curriculumFabrication Technician
A fabrication pathway connecting drawings and measurement to sheet-metal processing, press brakes, hydroforming, welding and dimensional verification.
Role curriculumQuality Inspector
A verification pathway connecting engineering drawings and GD&T to metrology, CMM inspection, FAI, nonconformance and statistical process control.
Role curriculumBuild an industry-specific academy