Automotive Machinist
The automotive department's project car is pictured below. This car was built from the ground up by the SCC Automotive Association, a
student club, as an extracurricular activity. The club members come from the automotive technology program,
automotive collision and refinishing technician program, and the automotive machinist program.
Due
to industry decline and budgetary reductions, the Automotive Machinist program has been suspended indefinitely.
We anticipate limited, non-credit offerings in the future as demand dictates. Please refer to the CCS Continuing
Education website (www.ccs.spokane.edu/ContinuingEd)
for further information. To learn more about the SCC automotive machinist program and what it has to offer you, explore this site.
The automotive machinist program at SCC is one of the leaders in the industry in training students for a rewarding career in the
automotive field. Explore the virtual tour of the automotive machinist program,
which allows you to visit the shop and learn about the program.
Program Description
The successful completion of the two-year automotive machinist program will enable graduates to enter the field as skilled workers. They
will possess a thorough understanding of the internal combustion engine and the methods required to remanufacture the complete product.
They also will have the knowledge and ability to safely and successfully operate sophisticated machinery. Students learn about the
materials used in today's high-tech engines with emphasis on the exacting tolerances necessary for successful operation of the finished engine.
The automotive machinist certificate program is offered to the person who has an automotive background and wishes to
specialize as an automotive machinist. This program consists of the last three quarters of the two-year automotive machinist program.
To enroll in the certificate program, the student should have industry experience. Instructor permission is required
before enrolling.
Program Goals
Upon completion of the automotive machinist program the student will have the necessary entry level skills and with minimum supervision be
able to:
- Tear down an engine and identify core parts
- Set up an engine block in the cylinder boring fixture and re-bore the cylinders to industry standards
- Set up an engine block and power hone the cylinders using a deck plate and vitrified (stones) plus diamond honing technology
- Set up an engine block, cylinder head, manifold, or flywheel on the resurfacing machine and regrind as needed plus use the latest PCD and CBN cutter technology
- Set up a cylinder block and align bore and/or align hone main bearing bores to factory specifications
- Set up, regrind, and polish a crankshaft to specified factory undersize
- Magnaflux® engine parts and determine if they are cracked
- Use the industry's finest cylinder head equipment from companies including Sunnen, K.I. Petersen, Sioux, and Kwik Way
- Use the Sunnen power hone to recondition connecting rods and fit new piston pins
- Precision balance the engine assembly using industry standard computer-aided equipment
- Pressure test cylinder heads
- Turn disc and drum type brakes
- Use an engine lathe to machine outside, inside, and face of aluminum and steel
- Dyno-test an engine using the computer-assisted dyno cell
- Set up, regrind, and "park-rise" camshafts
- "TIG" weld and straighten aluminum cylinder heads
- Use a computer and AERA's "PROSIS" program to identify engine specifications and technical information
- Use a computer to understand the design and efficiency of modern camshafts
- Use a computer to calculate the maximum stress points in today's engines