Red Seal Tool and Die Maker study plan

Set up a personal machine-safety checklist covering lockout/tagout, guarding, PPE, and safe handling of workholding, and apply it before every practice run.

Identify the major components and axes of a vertical mill and an engine lathe from memory, and state the function of each control on a machine you can access.

Perform and document a basic mill setup: mount a vise, indicate it square within 0.02 mm, load a cutter, and verify spindle and feed directions.

Calculate cutting speed and feed rate for three material/tool combinations (mild steel with HSS, aluminum with HSS, steel with carbide) and compare to a shop reference chart.

Turn a multi-feature shaft on a lathe to ±0.05 mm on diameters, including facing, straight turning, shoulder, and chamfer.

Drill, bore, and ream a hole to a specified tolerance, and explain when reaming rather than boring is the correct choice.

Grind a flat surface on a surface grinder and measure flatness and parallelism, adjusting wheel dressing and depth of cut as needed.

Diagnose and correct two common machining faults (chatter and taper) by changing speed, feed, rigidity, or setup.

Produce a stepped and slotted part on a milling machine using edge finding, squaring, and slot milling to a stated tolerance.

Select and correctly use hand tools such as scrapers, files, hones, and taps, and identify the failure mode of a dull or misapplied tool.

Demonstrate safe use of a pedestal grinder and a drill press, including wheel ring-test, guard position, and clamping practice.

Explain the function of jigs, fixtures, and soft jaws in repeatable machining, and describe one workholding improvement you made.

Read and interpret a CNC program line by line, identifying G-codes for motion, work offsets, tool changes, and canned cycles.

Write a short program for a simple 2D profile using G01, G02/G03, tool radius compensation, and a safe approach and retract.

Set work offsets and tool length offsets on a CNC machine, then run a program in single block and verify position before cutting.

Compare conventional and climb milling, and explain how cutter compensation and feed direction affect finish and tolerance.

Program and machine a simple pocket or contour using a canned cycle, and inspect the result against the drawing.

Identify the main components of a stamping die, injection mold, and checking fixture, and state the function of each.

Describe the sequence of die assembly: alignment, doweling, fitting, and tryout, and explain why each step matters.

Explain how clearance, shut height, and die-set guidance affect part quality and tool life.

Read a multi-view drawing with tolerances, GD&T symbols, and a title block, and extract every dimension needed to make a part.

Interpret a datum reference frame and explain how position and profile tolerances are verified in inspection.

Fit and assemble a small die or fixture using dowel pins, press fits, and fasteners, achieving the specified alignment.

Troubleshoot a tryout problem such as galling, misalignment, or poor part form, and propose a corrective action.

Measure a set of features with calipers, micrometers, height gauge, and a dial indicator, and record results with correct resolution and uncertainty.

Explain and apply GD&T inspection for one position tolerance and one flatness tolerance using a surface plate setup.

Select a tool steel for a given die application and justify the choice based on wear resistance, toughness, and hardenability.

Describe the heat-treatment sequence for a die component, including preheat, austenitizing, quench, and temper, and explain the effect of tempering temperature on hardness and toughness.

Diagnose three common tooling failures (wear, cracking, and dimensional drift) and propose inspection and repair steps for each.

Describe a preventive maintenance routine for dies, molds, and fixtures, including cleaning, lubrication, and wear inspection intervals.

Review safe work practices for the whole shop, covering lifting, hand tools, machine guarding, and emergency response, and correct any gaps in your checklist.

Complete a timed mixed-domain practice set and review every missed item against the relevant source material.