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welding

August 8, 2022 by stgschoolcraft

Kenn Forbes is relatively new to welding, but is learning quickly

To help advance his career as a mechanic at Delta Air Lines, Kenn Forbes turned to Schoolcraft College’s Welding Fabrication Technology program to help him earn credentials. Forbes had some welding experience, but his hard work in the classroom combined with first-rate instructors accelerated his development – so much so that Forbes was selected for the Project MFG National Welding Competition and placed 10th overall out of 200 students.

“I was definitely shocked to be selected, but it also meant a lot to be considered for it,” Forbes said. “I’m still relatively new to welding.”

Welder at work
Kenn Forbes already has earned two American Welding Society certifications.

The competition, held June 28 at the WSU Tech campus at the National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita, Kansas, included Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) as well as tests.

Forbes, who started at Schoolcraft College in the fall of 2021 and is tracking toward the Fabrication Technology Associate in Applied Science Degree, already has earned two American Welding Society certifications.

“I had done a little welding with some friends in their garages – nothing serious or in-depth like I’ve gotten from Schoolcraft,” said Forbes, a 2003 graduate of Redford Union High School. “I really got heavily into welding to help further my career and to learn new skills. I love the creativity that welding can bring as well as the ability to build or repair so many things.”

Schoolcraft College’s welding program provides students with hands-on welding skills and knowledge of metallurgy and other materials. The program offers two welding certificates in addition to the associate degree in applied science. Class sizes are limited so instructors can work closely with students to provide that hands-on training and relay knowledge of analytical skills required by modern industrial technology. Learn more about the Welding Technology program.

“Kenn has a great work ethic and is hungry to learn,” said Coley McLean, Professor and Faculty Representative for the Welding Technology department. “He started in welding because it was meaningful for him to be able to advance his career, which makes him easy to work with. He asks a lot of pertinent questions, and he plays the role of a mentor to our younger students.”

Forbes encourages others to check out the Welding program at Schoolcraft College.

Ken Forbes
Kenn Forbes competed in the Project MFG National Welding Competition and placed 10th overall out of 200 students.

“If anyone out there wants to have the best education in this field then they should enroll here,” he said. “We are so lucky to have not just this amazing facility to work/ learn out of, but the instructors are seriously the best.

“I’ve only had two semesters so far, but I can say the experience and knowledge that they bring is unrivaled. Coley McLean, Deb Stuart, Don Neilson, and Clyde Hall (the four I’ve had) are great to work with and have a vast background in the field. Peter Lanczak, my certification instructor, was tremendous as well.”

Registration for the Fall 2022 semester is now open. Classes start Monday, August 29. Go to schoolcraft.edu for more information.

Filed Under: News, Programs Tagged With: Coley McLean, Kenn Forbes, welding

March 7, 2022 by mlemon

Matthew Sweeney earned three credentials, including two Associate Degrees, at Schoolcraft College

Schoolcraft College graduate Matthew Sweeney personifies the need to be flexible, determined and adaptable during challenging times. His path to success has been a bit circuitous to say the least, but now he enjoys a career as working for a company, KCS Advanced Machining Services, that supplies parts to a wide variety of high-tech industries.

Describing Sweeney only as an SC graduate actually does him a disservice – he’s earned three credentials from Schoolcraft College, including two Associate Degrees. The native of Farmington Hills started here in the fall of 2002 after being graduated from Schoolcraft Christian Secondary School.

“I had a great experience at Schoolcraft! It was excellent having so much hands-on training from instructors who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects.”

Matthew Sweeney, Schoolcraft College alumni and 5-axis machinist at KCS Advanced Machining Services

“I had considered Engineering, but really wanted to go into the skilled trades,” Sweeney said. “I chose Schoolcraft because it offered a lot of what I was interested in at the time; what interested me especially was the huge investment the school was making into its welding lab. So, I enrolled in the Welding and Fabrication program and graduated soon after with Schoolcraft’s Certificate in Welding & Fabrication.

“I had a great experience at Schoolcraft! It was excellent having so much hands-on training from instructors who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects.”

Sweeney put his skills to good use as a fabricator until a slowdown in the automotive industry led to a layoff. As a next step, he considered joining the military before an ad for the Farmington Hills Fire Department caught his eye. So it was back to Schoolcraft College, where he earned his Associate Degree in Firefighting Technology.

Another career reinvention

He enjoyed working as an On-Call Firefighter/EMT for six years, but also wanted a full-time position. Unfortunately, no departments were hiring. “So I want back to Schoolcraft once more to reinvent myself,” as Sweeney put it.

Skilled trades were still appealing, but this time he was intrigued by the Machining Lab run by Gene Keyes. 

“He helped me get into a special Department of Defense Grant class being offered at the time that taught G&M code, the programming language CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines use,” Sweeney said. “So I took that as I attended my other classes and earned my second Associate Degree from Schoolcraft – an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Degree.”

Sweeney then worked for a few different manufacturing companies making plastic injection molds, gears, components and tooling. He joined KCS Advanced Machining Service in Livonia in 2019 as a 5-axis machinist. (A very basic description of a 5-axis machine is one that can reach five sides of a part and machine features on it in one setup.)

Sweeney describes KCS as a high-mix, low-volume 5-axis machine shop that creates prototype parts for a wide variety of industries, including consumer robotics, aerospace, automotive, marine and firearms.

“We make a range of components for all of them,” Sweeney said. “All of the work here is interesting, generally complex and often requires innovative fixture designs and creative approaches to machine them.”

These high-tech industries need parts created on high-tech machines by skilled professionals.

Matthew Sweeney
Schoolcraft College graduate Matthew Sweeney was featured on the cover of the January 2022 issue of “Modern Machine Shop” magazine.

“We use hyperMILL, which is top-of-the-line CAD/CAM software, to create out G&M code for our 5-axis machines,” Sweeney said. “Our machines are made by HURCO and MATSUURA, cutting-edge multi-axis machining centers. They are fast, powerful, and extremely accurate, capable of mass-production as well as short product runs. 

“It’s great having new, state-of-the-art machines and software to work with — and a lot of times we push the envelope with both. Because of that we frequently find ourselves host to other industry leaders who are interested in what we do and how we do it.”

One particularly interesting project involves NASA.

“Two of our customers are developing NASA’s next-generation flight suits and extra-vehicular spacesuits as part of the Artemis program that’s headed first to the moon, then to Mars,” Sweeney said. “We’re the sub-suppliers making virtually all of the difficult components for the suits.”

Involved throughout the process

Sweeney said a unique aspect of KCS how one person will see a project through completion – being handed a print and a CAD model and taking it all the way to a finished part.

“All of us make programs, set up the machining centers, and then run the job,” he said. “Each of us programs, designs and builds fixtures, sets up machines, runs parts, and inspects them for accuracy. 

“KCS’s owner, Kyle Szczypienski, continually invests in new technology, software and upgrades that constantly add to what we can do. He encourages all of us to continue learning as much as we can and it’s a very stimulating place to work because of it. I’ve been at KCS for three years now and have seen it grow rapidly. We don’t have worn-out machines and we don’t do things one way just because that’s how it’s always been done.”

Sweeney said manufacturing is a dynamic career with many opportunities.

“Automation is becoming more and more common even in small businesses, so learning about that is very important and offers more room for growth,” he said. “The impact of automation is only going to grow and accelerate.

“New manufacturing processes, techniques and increasing capabilities of software are all happening at once and so the overall impact is magnified. Employers are eager for talented and enthusiastic employees. It’s an exciting environment and young machinists are getting into the industry at a great time. Anyone with a strong work ethic, a positive attitude, and a desire to learn and grow can do really well!”

Filed Under: Alumni Spotlight, News Tagged With: Firefighting Technology, Gene Keyes, KCS Advanced Machining Services, Matthew Sweeney, welding

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