May 2023 Volume 5

OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

interdisciplinary program would meet the growing demand for expertise in this area, fusing both the electric hardware and basic programming skills needed (e.g. working with sensors, actuators, micro-controllers, PLCs, HMIs, and robots) with an understanding of basic cybersecurity, networking, and data analytics. Graduates of the program will increase their employment options by being immersed in hands-on laboratory exercises and have their technical application skills enhanced in automation technology. SCC is also working hard to help industry take the mystery out of the adoption of Digital Thread technologies. Succinctly, “the Digital Thread concept is a technological framework that helps organize data across the life span of a product-- from initial design to manufacturing, operation and maintenance -- interconnecting data, modeling and analysis to enable better decisions at all product life stages.”2 (Wright-Patterson AFB, 2017) For a small or mediummanufacturer, the adoption of digital thread technologies into their business processes can appear daunting. With their monthly DigitalThread Podcast, “DigitalThread Bytes,” and accompanying workshops such as “What Happens When Lean Manufacturing Meets the Digital Thread,” Sinclair is helping to break down this process and digital thread tools into easy-to understand vignettes, use-cases, and examples.

Students choosing this certificate pathway earn six college credits. The training includes manufacturing foundations, employability skills, and OSHA 10 general safety. It can also be taught as a two-week immersive training for the workforce and high school teacher training for those interested in dual enrollment opportunities. The certificate covers entry level technical skills in manufacturing including basic math, measurement, and precision measurement, print reading, SPC and quality, and overviews of Lean Manufacturing and GDT. Students are immediately employable upon completion of this certificate, or they can continue to build on it on a pathway through a Bachelor of Applied Science in Manufacturing Technology Management, supporting jobs at all levels of an organization. All three of these programs are making their models and curriculum available and replicable with other education partners, quickly disseminating Industry 4.0 training programs throughout Ohio and beyond. As a result, employers will have a local training resource, enabling them to quickly reskill workers or hire new employees through this training pipeline. Because these models are technology and vendor agnostic, they can easily be applied to new technologies and can be customized to the forging and casting industry, as well support the development of new certificates and credentials geared toward these industries. If you have a business in the forging and casting industry, this is a great opportunity to start or grow a partnership with your local education providers to make sure they understand your workforce needs, from job roles to technical and employability skills. Lori Baukus Director, Training, Education, and Outreach

SCC is developing non-credit industry focused training and for-credit Short-Term Technical Certificate curriculum with pathways to degree programs to provide training for both employees working at companies that are adopting digital thread technologies and students that are new entrants into the industry. Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio has taken on the challenge of

QR Code to access SCC Digital Thread Bytes podcasts and workshops:

ARCTOS Technology Solutions, LLC Email: lori.baukus@arctos-us.com Phone: 937-306-6743

developing training programs for LaserMaterials Processing (LMP), a technology that is gaining momentum with the Department of Defense. For example, the Air Force is using a high-powered laser system to remove paint from the surface of an aircraft, a process that takes place during heavy maintenance checks, which occur every few years. Traditional methods of removing airplane paint often include using toxic chemicals and blast media. Robotic laser technology is quicker, reduces the amount of hazardous waste produced, and eliminates workers’ exposure to dangerous environments. CSC’s LMP program is comprised of stackable certificates that nest within the existing Associate of Applied Science in Manufacturing Engineering Technologies and can be combined with other certificates to create customizable degrees. The academic curriculum will also be deployable for short-term non-credit training. CSC has developed a Manufacturing Foundations Certificate, which is a foundational certificate for all their short-term technical certificates (less than eight weeks), one-year certificates, two-year associate degree, and their four-year applied bachelor’s degree.

References: 1. Manufacturing industry diversity | Deloitte Insights Wellener, P., Reyes, V., Ashton, H., &Moutray, C. (2021, October 25). Creating pathways for tomorrow’s workforce today. Deloitte Insights. https:// www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/manufacturing/ manufacturing-industry-diversity.html/#the-problem 2. Wright-Patterson AFB. (2017, February 17). Digital Thread laces decision-making, data for Air Force acquisition. https://www. wpafb.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1087681/digital thread-laces-decision-making-data-for-air-force-acquisition/

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