Building Block 1 of 5

Core Skills

Everything a machinist needs before touching a machine. Safety, measurement, mathematics and the ability to read a print — the foundation that decides whether the four building blocks after this one land.

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What this building block covers

  • Safety for Machining
  • Benchwork
  • Layout
  • Materials
  • Shop Mathematics, Levels I and II
  • Reading Manufacturing Blueprints
  • Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
  • Precision Measurement
  • Quality Control
  • Speeds and Feeds

What a student can do afterwards

Every course states its learning objectives up front and assesses against them. A sample from Safety for Machining:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of safety procedures for emergency situations
  • Identify fire extinguishers and confirm proper working condition
  • Demonstrate proper use of compressed air
  • Identify basic OSHA requirements
  • Demonstrate the importance of properly securing workpieces
  • Identify dangerous sounds coming from a machine
  • Recognize the dangers of reaching into a running machine
  • Demonstrate the proper technique for removing metal chips from a machine

Mapping this to your program

The Skills Learning Objectives Overview covers every course and every module in the system. Programs use it to map Total Machinist against their own curriculum and against the standards their accreditation asks for.

Next in the pathway

Core Skills leads into Manual Machining, where students put the measurement and layout work to use on a machine for the first time.

Building Block 2: Manual Machining