About the
Manufacturing Technology Program at

Terry Price - Department Chair and the CTC Program Manager.

Meeting the well-established need to inform and educate this region's small and medium manufacturers and project personnel in "dual use" of properties processes, and advantages in manufacturing technology, is the project vision. Plans are to implement this program on a regional basis targeting the identified 16,000 small manufacturers in the region. This project has been developed through collaborative meetings and discussions over the past years, and will continue to solicit this important business and industry input.

The goal is to provide at least 20 educational and training events annually for local manufacturers and personnel in the areas of composites materials, characteristics, tooling, processes, and prototyping. At least 400 Participants from industry, education, and government will perform cooperative, "hands-on" activities. Participation in these scheduled events will include over 50 companies either as participants, presenters, or expert resources. This will be accomplished through a series of educational events to disseminate and transfer technical information. Once the program is established and a successful "case book" is compiled with many examples, we envision continuing these events in the out-years.

These events range from one-day seminar overviews, to extensive multi-day "hands-on" training events at the CTC. This incubator user-facility concept makes it possible for the private sector to reap the benefits of new technology without incurring the time, expense, and risk of the "trial-and-error" approach to improving manufacturing processes, by providing focused training and information dissemination events.

Some manufacturers will utilize these training resources to test and evaluate materials and processes while others will use this as a first step toward making important future decisions to include composites in their own manufacturing operation. Those companies (including associates), already using composites will learn how to make better use of composites materials and processes especially in transitioning to more commercial applications.

 Goals

• Increased awareness of composites technology usage in commercial products
• Increased awareness of technology resources
• Access to information networks, resources, and consortium contacts
• Development of company personnel composites application techniques
• Development of company personnel composites technology understanding
• Encourage and foster the development of new products
• Encourage and foster the use of new composites manufacturing techniques
• Develop new manufacturing jobs, preserve potentially displaced workers' jobs.

Advantages of the CTC

• Excellent laboratory facilities, supported by major corporations throughout Southern California with donations of equipment and materials.
• Centrally located in Southern California.
• Classes can be given throughout the year: Fall, Spring, or Summer semester.
• Many classes are offered after business hours.
• Special needs can be handled, such as contract courses, bilingual courses, satellite off-campus courses, or 9-week short courses.

Multi-functional training is available in the following areas:

• Cutting
• Computer Integrated Manufacturing
• Manufacturing Processes
• Mechanical Testing
• Plastics Manufacturing
• Composites Manufacturing
• Robotics

In these days of shrinking training and travel budgets, the Manufacturing Technology Department at Cerritos College can provide cost effective training alternatives.