As manufacturing returns to the U.S., driven in part by technological and logistical advances that make operations more cost-competitive, industries will require a workforce well-trained in the latest tools and techniques and ready to innovate further. Mines' additive manufacturing programs focus on 3D printing or technologies that create objects one fine layer at a time. This allows for parts that are lighter, stronger and more intricate and can reduce the need for large and costly equipment.
Faculty with extensive experience in industrial manufacturing environments prepare students to apply cutting-edge techniques to a host of industries, including aerospace, biomedical, defense and energy.
The 12-credit-hour graduate certificate serves as the core of the master's program. Students receive an introduction to additive manufacturing processes, learn about the materials used (with a focus on polymers, ceramics and metals), understand how to design parts for these innovative methods and apply data informatics and programming skills to real-world problems.
Students in the professional master's program choose 21 credits in electives in addition to the core courses, delving further into the various aspects of advanced manufacturing. Mines offers dozens of courses in this area, including Analysis of Metallurgical Failures, Finite Element Analysis for Advanced Design Applications, Lean Manufacturing and Advanced Robot Control, just to name a few.
