Toolmaker

Manufacturers are looking for highly skilled workers to create increasingly complex and important products. If you want a stable career in an industry that needs you, consider becoming a toolmaker. This online Toolmaker course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to prove competency and begin your new career quickly.

The Toolmaker course provides an intensive overview of the skills necessary for toolmaking, including workholding, math, inspection, safety, machining, materials, quality, grinding, and stamping.

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12 Months / 160 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
Offered in partnership with your preferred school

Butler Community College

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Toolmaker

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Course code: GES781

What you will learn

  • Production Floor Safety
  • CNC Controls and Programming
  • Metallurgy
  • Machining and Grinding Processes
  • Six Sigma, 5S, Lean, and TPM
  • Workholding Principles

How you will benefit

  • Prepare for a career as a toolmaker, tool and die maker, or tool and die machinist
  • Gain the skills you need to confidently perform your job
  • Enrolled students are invited to attend our exclusive annual virtual National Apprenticeship Week events, featuring live webinars, workshops, and employer interactions

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 12 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 160 course hours
  1. Workholding
    1. Intro to Workholding 104
    2. Locating Devices 107
    3. Clamping Basics 108
    4. Chucks, Collets, and Vises 110
    5. Drill Bushing Selection 230
  2. Math
    1. Math Fundamentals 101
    2. Math: Fractions and Decimals 111
    3. Blueprint Reading 131
    4. Algebra Fundamentals 141
    5. Geometry: Lines and Angles 151
    6. Geometry: Triangles 161
    7. Geometry: Circles and Polygons 171
    8. Trigonometry: The Pythagorean Theorem 201
    9. Trigonometry: Sine, Cosine, Tangent 211
    10. Statistics 231
  3. Inspection
    1. Basic Measurement 101
    2. Introduction to GD&T 301
    3. Major Rules of GD&T 311
    4. Inspecting a Prismatic Part 321
    5. Inspecting a Cylindrical Part 331
  4. Metal Cutting
    1. Cutting Processes 111
    2. Safety for Metal Cutting 101
    3. Overview of Machine Tools 121
    4. Basic Cutting Theory 201
    5. Band Saw Operation 211
    6. Introduction to Metal Cutting Fluids 221
    7. Metal Cutting Fluid Safety 231
    8. Toolholders for Turning 260
    9. Speed and Feed for the Lathe 301
    10. Speed and Feed for the Mill 311
    11. Machining Titanium Alloys 325
    12. Lathe Tool Geometry 351
    13. Mill Tool Geometry 361
    14. Drill Tool Geometry 371
    15. Intro to EDM 100
  5. Machining
    1. Manual Mill Basics 201
    2. Engine Lathe Basics 211
    3. Manual Mill Setup 221
    4. Overview of Engine Lathe Setup 205
    5. Benchwork and Layout Operations 241
    6. Manual Mill Operation 251
    7. Engine Lathe Operation 225
    8. Holemaking on the Manual Mill 271
    9. Threading on the Engine Lathe 235
    10. Taper Turning on the Engine Lathe 240
    11. Introduction to CNC Machines 201
    12. Basics of the CNC Lathe 211
    13. Basics of the CNC Mill 212
    14. Coordinates for the CNC Lathe 221
    15. Coordinates for the CNC Mill 222
    16. CNC Specs for the Mill 220
    17. CNC Specs for the Lathe 225
    18. Basics of G Code Programming 231
    19. Introduction to CAD and CAM for Machining 241
    20. Control Panel Functions for the CNC Lathe 251
    21. Control Panel Functions for the CNC Mill 252
    22. Creating a CNC Turning Program 301
    23. Creating a CNC Milling Program 302
    24. Calculations for Programming the Mill 312
    25. Turning Calculations 285
    26. Canned Cycles for the Lathe 321
    27. Canned Cycles for the Mill 322
    28. Haas Mill: Control Panel Overview 250
    29. Haas Lathe: Control Panel Overview 255
    30. Haas Mill: First Part Runs 320
    31. Haas Lathe: First Part Runs 325
    32. Fanuc Mill: Control Panel Overview 250
    33. Fanuc Lathe: Control Panel Overview 255
    34. Fanuc Mill: First Part Runs 320
    35. Fanuc Lathe: First Part Runs 325
    36. Mazak Mill: Control Panel Overview 250
    37. Mazak Lathe: Control Panel Overview 255
    38. Creating an EIA/ISO Program for the Mazak Mill 286
    39. Creating an EIA/ISO Program for the Mazak Lathe 287
    40. Creating a Mazatrol Program for the Mill 288
    41. Creating a Mazatrol Program for the Lathe 289
    42. Mazak Mill: First Part Runs 320
    43. Mazak Lathe: First Part Runs 325
  6. Safety
    1. Intro to OSHA 101
    2. Personal Protective Equipment 111
    3. Noise Reduction and Hearing Conservation 121
    4. Respiratory Safety 131
    5. Lockout/Tagout Procedures 141
    6. SDS and Hazard Communication 151
    7. Bloodborne Pathogens 161
    8. Walking and Working Surfaces 171
    9. Fire Safety and Prevention 181
    10. Flammable/Combustible Liquids 191
    11. Ergonomics 102
    12. Hand and Power Tool Safety 201
    13. Safety for Lifting Devices 211
    14. Powered Industrial Truck Safety 221
    15. Confined Spaces 231
    16. Environmental Safety Hazards 241
    17. Machine Guarding 140
  7. Materials
    1. Basics of Siemens PLCs 200
    2. Siemens PLC Hardware 210
    3. Siemens PLC Inputs and Outputs 240
    4. Siemens Human Machine Interfaces 250
    5. Siemens SIMATIC Modular PLCs 260
    6. Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 PLCs 340
    7. Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 PLCs 350
    8. Siemens Safety Integrated for Factory Automation 360
    9. Intro to PLCs 200
    10. Hardware for PLCs 210
    11. PLC Inputs and Outputs 240
    12. Hand-Held Programmers of PLCs 280
    13. Overview of PLC Registers 305
  8. Quality and Manufacturing Management
    1. Lean Manufacturing Overview 101
    2. Essentials of Leadership 110
    3. Essentials of Communication 120
    4. ISO 9001: 2015 Review 122
    5. Continuous Process Improvement: Managing Flow 124
    6. Manufacturing Process Applications: Part I 124
    7. Continuous Process Improvement: Identifying and Eliminating Waste 125
    8. Manufacturing Process Applications: Part II 125
    9. Managing Performance: Best Practices 130
    10. Approaches to Maintenance 131
    11. Managing Performance: Corrective Actions 135
    12. Equipment/Tool Design and Development 137
    13. Total Productive Maintenance 141
    14. Conflict Resolution Principles 150
    15. 5S Overview 151
    16. Conflict Resolution for Different Groups 155
    17. Team Leadership 160
    18. Intro to Six Sigma 171
    19. Quality and Customer Service 175
    20. Manufacturing Management 180
    21. Troubleshooting 181
    22. Personal Effectiveness 190
    23. Conducting Kaizen Events 191
    24. Managing the Diverse Workplace 210
    25. SPC Overview 211
    26. Harassment and Discrimination 215
    27. Performance Management and the Law 230
    28. Metrics for Lean 231
    29. Process Flow Charting 241
    30. Strategies for Setup Reduction 251
    31. Management Tools: Problem Solving 270
    32. Management Tools: Product and Process Design 275
    33. Six Sigma Goals and Tools 310
  9. Grinding
    1. Grinding Processes 201
    2. Grinding Safety 211
    3. Basic Grinding Theory 221
    4. Basics of the Surface Grinder 231
    5. Basics of the Cylindrical Grinder 232
    6. Basics of the Centerless Grinder 233
    7. Setup for the Surface Grinder 241
    8. Setup for the Cylindrical Grinder 242
    9. Setup for the Centerless Grinder 243
    10. Surface Grinder Operation 251
    11. Cylindrical Grinder Operation 252
    12. Centerless Grinder Operation 253
    13. Introduction to Grinding Fluids 261
    14. Grinding Variables 301
    15. Grinding Ferrous Metals 311
    16. Grinding Nonferrous Metals 321
    17. Grinding Wheel Materials 331
    18. Grinding Wheel Geometry 361
    19. Dressing and Truing 341
  10. Stamping and Fabrication
    1. Die Components 130
    2. Die Cutting Variables 200
    3. Fabrication Process 232

This is not an instructor facilitated course; however, support will be provided through email.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, this course requires basic computer skills, including the ability to open and manage windows, navigate websites, and perform common online tasks such as downloading files, completing forms, and using web-based tools.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

No.

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

This course is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start when you want and finish at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive twelve (12) months to complete the course.

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

Our courses are designed to accommodate various learning preferences. Depending on the course structure, you may get different forms of support. Self-paced courses are designed to be user-friendly and independent, minimizing the need for external support. In courses with instructors, our direct platform support feature includes opportunities for questions, discussions, and remediation, with email and phone support available for select courses. Our student advising team is available to guide you on program requirements and administrative requests, but they do not provide assistance with course content. Our goal is to provide you with the necessary support for success, whether it's through self-paced exploration, direct communication, or guidance from our advising team.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us" form.