Photo of Adjacent Skills all Machinists Should Know

CNC Machining is a rapidly advancing industry that offers an array of career paths for the individual interested in constantly evolving with the technology. Here at NTMA, our goal is to give students access to the latest CNC equipment and arm them with the relevant skill sets to launch into the fulfilling and in-demand career of manufacturing. Below are just some of the skills we see in today’s successful machinists:

CAM Programming/G-Code – Knowing even the basics of taking a 3D design and being able to apply Design for Manufacturability (DfM) and translating that into a CAM program is essential in today’s highly automated factory floor. 

Workholding/Tooling Setup – Any good machinist will need to have the ability to set up their own machines, whether it be a manual knee mill for one-off work, or a fully automated, multi-axis turning center. 

Quality Assurance/Inspection – Although most plants will have a separate team for doing QA and metrology inspections, knowing how to do so on your own is invaluable. 

Having a broad set of skills is essential in today’s manufacturing world, as well as being adaptable to your environment. Standards and procedures for CNC Machining remain fairly consistent across all industries. If you’re ever interested in learning what we teach in our 7-Month Machinist program, check us out here.