NIMS CNC study plan

Decode a 25-line G-code program block by block, naming the function of every G code, M code, and word address it contains

Write a complete program from scratch, without CAM, for a four-hole bolt-circle part including safe-start line, tool change, and program end blocks

Identify the required PPE, guarding, and chip/coolant handling rules for a CNC mill before any spindle start

Locate and physically demonstrate the emergency stop, feed hold, single block, and optional stop controls on a machine panel

Explain the difference between machine coordinates, work coordinates, and reference return, and where each appears in a program

Convert a dimensioned print into a numbered coordinate point list using both absolute (G90) and incremental (G91) addressing

Calculate spindle speed and feed rate from surface footage, cutter diameter, and chip load for three different tool/material combinations

Interpret feature control frames for position, flatness, and perpendicularity and state how each one changes the machining and fixturing strategy

Program a drilling canned cycle (G81/G83) and a cutter-compensated profile pass (G41/G42) entirely on paper

Read a title block, revision block, and section view to extract every dimension needed for setup

Read a micrometer, a digital caliper, and a dial indicator to 0.0001 in and 0.001 mm, recording ten blind measurements that fall within stated tolerance

Measure flatness, parallelism, and hole position on a machined part and compare each result to the print's GD&T callout

Select the correct inspection instrument for five given features based on tolerance, geometry, and access, and justify the choice

Explain how part temperature, measurement force, and tool pressure bias a reading, and describe how to control each

Verify a bore and a shaft fit against a specified tolerance class

Execute a dry run and a single-block first-article run, documenting each step and what you were checking for

Perform a first-article inspection, then adjust work or tool length offsets to bring two out-of-tolerance features back to nominal

Set an in-process inspection interval and produce three consecutive parts that measure within tolerance

Diagnose three common running faults - chatter, dimension drift, and poor surface finish - and state the corrective action for each

Explain how tool life monitoring, tool change intervals, and offset wear compensation interact in a production run

Mount and indicate a vise to within 0.0005 in, then secure a workpiece and verify it is seated and rigid

Load tools, set tool length offsets using both a touch-off and a tool setter, and prove each offset with a test cut

Sequence a full setup in the correct order: clean, mount, indicate, load program, set offsets, dry run, first cut

Describe and rehearse the recovery procedure after a mid-cycle tool break, including re-entry point selection

Explain how fixture rigidity, clamping location, and support placement affect chatter and part deflection

Identify the six most common workpiece materials by chip appearance and match each to an appropriate insert grade and coating

Select cutter type, helix angle, and coating for aluminum, mild steel, and stainless steel, justifying each choice in one sentence

Recognize built-up edge, flank wear, chipping, and thermal cracking on used tools and prescribe the corrective action for each

Explain how rake angle, relief angle, and core diameter change tool strength and chip evacuation

Explain how hardness, machinability, and heat treatment of a workpiece change the cutting parameters you would choose

Perform the daily and weekly maintenance routine: lubrication, way and screw cleaning, coolant concentration check, and filter inspection

Diagnose five common machine faults - servo alarm, spindle overload, coolant flow loss, low air pressure, and positioning error - by likely cause and first check

Calculate and interpret Cp and Cpk from a run of 25 part measurements

Apply a 5-Why root-cause analysis to one recurring dimensional deviation and identify the verified root cause

Explain how backlash, thermal growth, and worn way surfaces show up as dimensional error over a production run

Complete a full-length timed practice exam spanning all eight domains and score at least 80 percent

Review every missed item and rewrite the underlying concept in your own words

Recite the required safety practices for coolant handling, chip handling, lockout/tagout, and fire prevention around cutting fluids

Re-perform the two slowest calculation types - speeds and feeds and bolt-circle coordinates - under a five-minute time limit each

Re-run the two lowest-scoring domain quizzes from earlier in the plan and confirm improvement