Machining Technology | AAS with Emphasis Areas

Associate of Applied Science Degree

This program is no longer accepting new students. PPSC is committed to supporting students who start the program through completion, no later than the Spring 2028 semester. 

Recommended basic skills courses are

  • College Readiness in English
  • College Readiness for Quantitative Literacy

There are two AAS degree emphasis in the Machining Technology program, Machining Technology Emphasis and Advanced Manufacturing Emphasis. These two-year programs are designed to provide individuals with entry level machining and technology skills, as well as addressing the needs of those seeking upgrade training for the purpose of continuing employment, employment upgrades, and/or promotions.

Students should schedule a meeting with the Machining Technology program advisor prior to enrolling in classes. During this meeting, students’ goals and preparedness can be assessed.

Students may complete deficiencies concurrently with the beginning courses in the program. Students not meeting a course prerequisite must have instructor permission to enroll.

Students must meet with an advisor to select appropriate technical electives.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Machining degree program, students should be able to:

  • Maintain a safe work area by demonstrating safety knowledge and proper use of hand tools and machining equipment
  • Read and interpret industry prints, using current drawing standards in dimensioning, symbology, linetypes, lineweights, drawing notes for working drawings, engineering assembly and design related manufacturing drawings
  • Demonstrate basic and advanced measurement processes and skills utilizing common measuring instruments to ensure projects are within given specifications
  • Apply the principles and theory of manufacturing processes and basic operation manual machining operations using lathes, mills, drill presses and surface grinders
  • Determine part function and relationship to each other, to include tolerancing of parts for assemblies while calculating mating part conditions to guarantee parts fits
  • Create two-dimensional objects using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software and processes for mills and machining tool paths
  • Generate Numeric Control (NC) code using G-codes to machine parts to specifications
  • Set up, program, and operate computerized numerical control (CNC) mills and machining centers in accordance with NIMS standards
  • Create rapid prototypes using additive manufacturing to include identifying vendor parts to make a functional prototype

Emphasis Areas

This program requires students to select one of the emphasis areas below. Students will complete 15 credit hours for all emphasis areas, and then an additional 49 credit hours focused on the emphasis area. 

Advanced Manufacturing

The Advanced Manufacturing emphasis will provide training in technology using software such as SolidWorks, MasterCAM 2D and 3D, and CamWorks. The emphasis also offers courses in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance (GD &T) and 3D Printing for prototyping.

Machining Technology

The Machining Technology emphasis degree will advance their hands-on fundamental skills of machining using MasterCAM 2D and 3D software, while developing applied math skills and problem-solving techniques.