Mastercam: Manufacturing companies who don’t use this will miss out

The powerhouse software now fuels in-person training through America’s Cutting Edge, a national initiative designed to re-establish American dominance in machining

/EIN News/ -- BELLEVILLE, Ill., March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Career advancement. Improved productivity. Cost savings.

These are a few of the benefits you could get after the latest development in a partnership between the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) and Mastercam.

Last year, the two organizations announced a combined effort supporting America’s Cutting Edge (ACE), an IACMI-managed workforce development program focused on revitalizing the United States machining industry. Mastercam was added as a featured option for ACE’s no-cost online curriculum.

Today, the advantages for students, manufacturing employees and companies are raised as Mastercam and IACMI announce the software has been added to ACE’s no-cost, in-person training offerings.

”Mastercam is dedicated to investing in education and ensuring the future of manufacturing by providing students with access to the latest advancements in CAD/CAM software,” said Peter Mancini, Education Manager at Mastercam. “Our commitment to education is reflected in our partnerships with programs like ACE which prepares students for successful careers in manufacturing.”

“We're thrilled to expand our ACE in-person CNC machining training capabilities to include Mastercam programming,” said Dr. Tony Schmitz, ACE curriculum developer. “Our intent is to provide industrially-relevant machining experiences for our participants and this partnership increases our opportunities.”

The inaugural Mastercam bootcamp was held this month at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC), located east of St. Louis, Missouri. SWIC was selected to host the first Mastercam-focused bootcamp in the ACE network because of its strong connection to the software and newly updated facilities.

“SWIC has long utilized Mastercam in our machining programs, and we’re excited to see it integrated into the ACE curriculum,” said David J. Berry, Coordinator at Southwestern Illinois College. “Mastercam is the most utilized computer-aided machining software in our local industry and our team is excited to have the opportunity to pilot the program at our new Advanced Manufacturing Academy.”

Participants in the bootcamp will use the software as part of classroom-style instruction and hands-on CNC machining training.

More ACE partner sites will host Mastercam bootcamps in the future. To find an ACE site near you, click here. A schedule of upcoming in-person training offerings can be found here.

To qualify for an in-person bootcamp, the online ACE Mastercam CNC machining course must be completed first. Click here to register.

About IACMI

The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI–The Composites Institute^®, is dedicated to securing U.S. global leadership in advanced manufacturing by connecting people, ideas, and technology. IACMI is a 165-plus member community of industry, academic institutions, and government organizations working to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, with a strong focus on technology, commercialization and workforce development. Established in 2015 by the Department of Energy, IACMI is one of 18 Manufacturing USA Institutes collaborating to accelerate new technology, create new products, reduce costs and risks, and equip the workforce with future-ready skills. IACMI also partners with the Department of Defense to scale up industry-driven job skills and revitalize American manufacturing. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, IACMI is managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation, a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation.

www.iacmi.org

About America’s Cutting Edge

America’s Cutting Edge, supported by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, is a national training program designed to reestablish American leadership in the machine tool industry through transformative thinking, technological innovation, and workforce development. The curriculum – developed by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Professor Dr. Tony Schmitz and Dr. Uday Vaidya, IACMI CTO and the UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor’s Chair for Advanced Composites Manufacturing – combines advanced training and techniques from the University of Tennessee, the scientific expertise of the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the proven workforce development capabilities of IACMI.

To-date, over 13,800 people have registered for an ACE online course. Nearly 3,000 have completed an in-person bootcamp.

www.americascuttingedge.org

About Mastercam

Shaping the Future of Manufacturing®, Mastercam is the world's leading provider of CAD/CAM solutions. As part of Sandvik, we empower manufacturers to enhance productivity, streamline processes, and drive innovation. With a global network of resellers and an extensive developer community, Mastercam continues to set industry standards by delivering comprehensive, connected solutions across the manufacturing enterprise. We lead the way with cutting-edge technology and unparalleled expertise. Discover more at www.mastercam.com, follow us on LinkedIn, and join the conversation with #mastercam. 

About Southwestern Illinois College

SWIC’s Technical Education & Workforce Development Division offers a wide variety of programs designed to help individuals create and further develop well-rounded skill sets to be very competitive and marketable in today’s workforce.

Media Contact:
Michael Alachnowicz, IACMI Communications Specialist
michaela@iacmi.org