Design and Manufacturing Technology

The Career

Look around you, everything you see that was produced my humans, from the computer monitor you are looking at to automobiles in a nearby parking lot to the building you are sitting in were first designed and then built using a well tested design and manufacturing or construction process.  A few decades ago this process was done almost entirely on paper.  This is no longer the case; Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems are used to create both two-dimensional line drawing and three-dimensional models of the parts or buildings.  Once the computer models are completed physical models called prototypes are often created to test the functionality of the parts.  These prototypes can either be built on Computer Controlled (CNC) machine tools such as lathes and milling machines or on new machines called Rapid Prototyping machines that build the parts one layer at a time directly from the computer model.  The computer model can also be used to create Computer Simulations to further test the functionality of the part.  Architectural designs often require the designers to show how the buildings will look before construction starts.  This is accomplished through Computer Rendering and Animation software that produce photo-realistic images of the buildings and animations called Walkthroughs that allow a virtual tour of the building.  Throughout the entire process the parts or building must be created to high quality control standards so Statistical Process Control (SPC) is often integrated into the design process.

 

Further, the design process is no longer isolated but rather collaborative where technicians, architects, engineers, production and construction workers team up to work on design and manufacturing or construction processes simultaneously.

 

This process requires technicians to be cable of following proper design procedures and using sophisticated computer software such as CAD software, CNC machine tools, Rapid Prototyping machines, and precision inspection equipment.

 

 

The Programs (Beltline Campus)

The Design and Manufacturing Programs

Computer Aided Design Certificate (CAD)

Manufacturing Certificate (MF)

Rapid Prototyping Certificate (RP)

Building Systems Certificate (BS)

Mechanical Systems Certificate (MS)

Associates in Occupational Technology (AOT) Major: Design  Cross Tech: Manufacturing

Associates in Occupational Technology (AOT) Major: Manufacturing  Cross Tech: Design

Course Descriptions, Objectives and Prerequisites

Faculty 

Alan Grier 

803-738-7757  

griera@midlandstech.edu

Dan Livingston

803-738-7746

liv@midlandstech.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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