Professional Development Courses

Unlock the power of continuous improvement to drive productivity, quality, and innovation in manufacturing. This course equips engineers with practical tools and lean strategies to identify inefficiencies and lead sustainable change.

Master the fundamentals of supply chain management and learn how to align logistics strategies with business goals. This three-day asynchronous course equips engineers and operations professionals with practical tools to optimize capacity, inventory, and service levels for maximum efficiency.

Master Agile principles and practices through immersive, hands-on simulations tailored for technical teams. This course bridges theory and execution, empowering participants to lead Agile projects with confidence and clarity.

A reliable maintenance organization depends on having the right material, in the right condition, at the right place, at the right time, and at the right cost. When storeroom data, inventory practices, purchasing processes, or material flow break down, maintenance work slows, costs rise, and equipment reliability suffers. The Materials Management seminar equips storeroom, purchasing, maintenance, and reliability professionals with the strategic practices, tactical processes, and practical tools needed to improve material availability while controlling inventory investment. Participants learn how to strengthen data accuracy, optimize stocking decisions, improve procurement and storeroom workflows, and build a customized improvement plan for their site.

Unlock the power of statistically designed experiments to identify key process variables, reduce variation, and optimize performance. This self-paced course introduces factorial and fractional factorial designs, equipping participants with practical tools to drive quality improvement in industrial settings.

This introductory course provides a foundational understanding of Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM), emphasizing lead time reduction to enhance organizational competitiveness. Participants will explore key strategies for eliminating inefficiencies and fostering enterprise-wide improvements.

This course is the first in the Laser-Based Manufacturing Series and provides the foundational knowledge required for advanced study of laser processing technologies. Participants develop an understanding of laser operation, optics, beam behavior, safety, and the fundamental principles that govern laser-material interactions. Successful completion of this course is required before enrollment in Laser-Based Manufacturing II: Laser-Material Interactions or Laser-Based Manufacturing III: Synthesis & Projects.

This course serves as Module II of the Laser-Based Manufacturing Series, building upon the foundational concepts introduced in Module A: Fundamentals of Laser-Based Manufacturing. Participants explore the physical principles governing how laser energy interacts with materials and how these interactions influence process performance, product quality, and manufacturing outcomes. Successful completion of Module I is required.

This course serves as Module III of the Laser-Based Manufacturing Series, focusing on the practical application of laser technologies in manufacturing environments. Participants apply the foundational concepts developed in Module I: Fundamentals of Laser-Based Manufacturing to evaluate manufacturing processes, troubleshoot performance issues, and explore emerging laser technologies and successful completion of Module I is required.

The UW–Madison METAL Bootcamp is a four-day, hands-on program that introduces participants to the world of metallurgy, forging, and casting through immersive learning experiences led by industry and academic experts.