Computer-Aided Mechanical Design

Computer Aided Mechanical Design

Degrees and Certificates

Why Choose This Program

A Computer-Aided Mechanical Design degree from SCTCC prepares graduates for a career of creating designs and graphics for products and machines. Mechanical designers help engineers with the design and development of new products and tools and updating present equipment.

Students in our program will be immersed in the product design process. This includes the selection of the manufacturing processes and materials, design and stress calculations, applying geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, finite element analysis, cost, and safety.

Graduates of our program will be ready to start their career after learning how to create designs using SCTCC’s state-of-the-art computer hardware, the latest 2D drawing/design, 3D modeling, and computer-aided-manufacturing software.

From Degree to Career

When you choose the Computer-Aided Mechanical Design program at SCTCC, you’ll gain skills that will directly transfer to the workplace.  With your degree, you can build your career in medical equipment, plastics, heavy equipment, custom accessories for trucks, ATVs, and diesel and agriculture equipment, as well as many other career fields.

At SCTCC, we teach our students the skills needed for the workforce. Our students learn how to create parts, assemblies, and drawings for a variety of applications using 2D and 3D CADD software.

Graduates from our Computer-Aided Mechanical Design program can design a product from the early stages of the concept to a completed set of drawings ready for manufacturing. Students at SCTCC learn how to use industrial 3D printers to create design prototypes and create geometry that you will use to cut out or etch in different materials using a CO2 laser and a plasma cutter.

To ensure our graduates are prepared for their future employment opportunities, we teach students the basics of Computer-Aided Design Manufacturing (CADM) using Mastercam software and a CNC lathe and router to create real parts.

Quick Glance

  • Create 2D and 3D parts, assemblies and drawings for a variety of different applications. 
  • Design a product from concept to a completed set of drawings ready for manufacturing. 
  • Learn how to use industrial 3D printers to create design prototypes. 
  • Create geometry that you will cut out or etch in different materials using a CO2 laser and a plasma cutter.  
  • CNC lathe and router with Mastercam software. 

Graduates from our Computer-Aided Mechanical Design degree have a variety of future career opportunities. In the state of Minnesota, ATV and snowmobile design and manufacturing are very popular. However, that is just one of the various career options our students can pursue.

Students can also find potential job options designing and manufacturing medical equipment, plastics, heavy equipment, and custom accessories for trucks, ATVs, and diesel market.

You can even find SCTCC graduates working with after-market auto and truck equipment, sporting equipment (i.e. skateboards), and agriculture equipment, as well as many other career fields.

A day in the life of an SCTCC graduate from our Computer-Aided Mechanical Design program often consists of creating production drawings and designing products using 2D and 3D design software. They also find themselves working with engineers, machinists, welders, assemblers, and quality control in the manufacturing of products.  

Quick Glance

Career fields such as ATV/snowmobile -design/manufacturing are two major players in MN. The list below is a sample of career fields you can find yourself working in.  

  • ATV/snowmobile design & manufacturing
  • Medical equipment 
  • Plastics 
  • Heavy equipment 
  • Custom accessories for trucks, ATVs, diesel market 
  • After market auto/truck equipment 
  • Sporting equipment (for example: skateboards)  
  • Agriculture equipment 

SCTCC not only prepares students for the workforce, but also for further academic goals. At SCTCC, we have an excellent 2+2 arrangement with Bemidji State University for a bachelor’s in Applied Engineering. Students in our Computer-Aided Mechanical Design are more than welcome to pursue this program.

Student at laptop with design on the screen
Student at laptop with design on the screen and students in the background
Student at large machine
Student at 3D printer
Student at laptop with instructor helping
Mechnical Design video
What can you do with a Mechanical Design Degree?

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Are you ready to learn more about the Computer-Aided Mechanical Design program and being a student at SCTCC? Contact our instructors directly or join us for a Manufacturing Info Session to meet with instructors and Admissions representatives to get started.

Connect with the SCTCC Admissions team:

  • Call us at 320-308-5089
  • Email us at enroll@sctcc.edu
  • On campus Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Meet the Admissions Staff.


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Paying for College

Students choose SCTCC for a lot of reasons, but saving money is one reason we hear from almost every student at SCTCC. We’ve got a breakdown of the costs for the program, along with information on financial aid and scholarships.

In addition to tuition and fees, students can expect to pay $1010-3615 for books, supplies, and materials.

Students in our Computer-Aided Mechanical Design and Computer-Aided Design Manufacturing program are eligble for the DCI, Inc. scholarship.

To increase accessibility, SCTCC students can also apply just once to be considered for all eligible academic scholarships.

Apply just once, and students are considered for all SCTCC scholarships that are available.

The Computer-Aided Mechanical Design Technology program has a laptop requirement.

Instructions for Purchasing SCTCC Standard Laptop Bundles

  1. Go to the vendor website where you will find laptop pricing and specifications.Vendor site: https://store.nowmicro.com
  2. Register as an individual and follow the prompts to set-up online profile or login in if you already have an account.
  3. Once you submitted registration please check your email for password.
  4. Once logged into the store site, enter keyword “SCTCC” under the product search to access school-approved laptop bundle options.

*NOTE: Customers must select Credit Card as Payment Method, and either FedEx Ground or Will Pick Up at Store as Delivery Method.  Orders that do not comply with these instructions will not be processed.

Current Students

Current Computer-Aided Mechanical Design students - this is your place for information.

Dave Johnson
Phone: (320) 308-5044
Fax: (320) 308-5985
Email: djohnson@sctcc.edu

Our Computer-Aided Mechanical Design program has a student chapter of the American Design Drafting Association (ADDA), which is a professional organization that supports the drafting and design profession. 

Club members meet on a monthly basis to organize the activities for the year, which include the following: 

  • Highway clean up/fall social 
  • Fundraising activities 
  • Donation of time/money to community organizations 
  • Spring manufacturing trip
  • Spring social 

The spring manufacturing trip is a fun and educational trip that is 4-6 days long and allows students to tour manufacturing facilities. This trip is planned by the club members, with oversite from the advisors. Past trips have been to companies like Polaris, Arctic Cat, and Caterpillar in Illinois, John Deere in Iowa, auto manufacturers in Michigan, Kentucky, and Ohio, and Harley Davidson and Milwaukee Forge in Wisconsin.

SCTCC Student Clubs

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