Composites Technology

Also see Manufacturing Technology and Marine Maintenance Technology

Overview

Composites Technology is a part of the Manufacturing Technology program at Skagit Valley College. It is designed to provide a comprehensive education for the next generation of composite technicians. Marine, aerospace, transportation, medicine, construction, energy, and sports equipment represent some of the industries where composites are used. The growing demand for stronger, lighter, and more efficient building materials is driving the demand for skilled composites technicians who can work with these new materials and processes.

Students can work toward taking American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) certification exams - the standard for composites credentialing. The Manufacturing Technology program offers composites training as part of the AAS and AAS-T degrees or as a stand-alone micro-certificate.

Learning Outcomes:

Certificate Learning Outcomes

Students that complete the Composites Repair Technician Micro-Certificate will be able to:

Demonstrate the use of parting/release agents and prepare molds for use.
Identify resins, initiators, promoters, solvents, and all chemicals.
Perform hand layup using fiberglass mats.
Demonstrate the proficient application of composite manufacturing methods, materials, and tools.
Identify the correct temperature to control viscosity of a resin.
Show proficiency in spraying gel coat using proper techniques.
Properly prepare molds for use.
Demonstrate an understanding of composite construction governing fiber selection.
Use prepreg and advanced composite nomenclature when discussing composite manufacturing.
Perform contact molding, vacuum bagging techniques, out of oven autoclave oven curing and Hot Bonder repairs.
Demonstrate an understanding of the consumable materials used in vacuum bag/out and in autoclave molding.
Develop production solutions for manufacturing processes using composite technologies.
Develop control documents adequate to manage and maintain production processes.
Produce prototypes using composite technologies adequate for testing and verification to production standards.
Demonstrate the proper application of diagnostic testing on prototype products to verify design and process performance to standards.

Certificates

Composites Repair Technician Micro-Certificate

Specialized Program Information:

For more information, please contact the department chair, Matthew Weaver, at 360.416.6549 or matt.weaver@skagit.edu.