Automation Technology

Locations: Lehi | Orem

Program length
15 months

Total cost
$4,211

Registration opens
1/27/2025

Locations
See Map

The Automation Technology program supports a wide variety of mechanical and automated systems. This program is designed to help prepare students with the necessary skills to become technicians in several critical industries. Students are introduced to a wide variety of tools, practices, and procedures. The program uses a competency based hands-on approach, with other teaching methods that are employed throughout.

77% Completion This data is pulled from fiscal year 2023. The displayed number does not guarantee completion of the program.

90% Placement This data is pulled from fiscal year 2023. The displayed number does not guarantee placement after the program.

Avg. salary $50k-$62k Wage data represents an estimate sourced directly from Career One Stop. Actual salaries may vary.

This program is eligible for Financial and Veterans Aid! Learn more

Registration: This program is considered “non-term”, which means there are multiple registration dates throughout the year. Here are the registration dates with the correlating start date:

Registration Date: 1/29/20242/26/20243/25/20244/29/20245/27/2024
NEXT START DATE: 2/5/20243/4/20244/1/20245/6/20246/3/2024
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Minimum Age Requirement: 16 years old. High school students must be in their junior or senior year.

Registration opens at 8:00 AM on the Student Portal, and remains open until classes are full.

  • Complete and satisfy score requirements on the Entrance Assessment administered by the Testing Center.
  • Must meet with an Admissions Advisor
  • High school students should coordinate with their high school counselor prior to registration.
SECTIONCAMPUSROOM #START DATEEND DATESTART TIMEEND TIMEDAYS
Non-TermLehi Campus – Building B125non-termnon-term7:30 AM10:30 AMM-F
Non-TermLehi Campus – Building B125non-termnon-term11:30 AM2:30 PMM-F
Non-TermLehi Campus – Building B125non-termnon-term6:00 PM9:00 PMM-TH
Non-TermLehi Campus – Building B12501/06/2025non-term2:45 PM5:45 PMM-TH
Non-TermOrem Campus – Building A107non-termnon-term7:30 AM10:30 AMM-F
Non-TermOrem Campus – Building A107non-termnon-term11:30 AM2:30 PMM-F
Schedule Notes:Summer schedule (5/28/2024- 8/1/2024) will be regular class hours on Monday through Thursday with no classes being held on Friday
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Total hours: 900

Course Descriptions
 
Course NameCourse HoursCourse CreditsExternship/Clinical/ WBL CreditsTuition ($120/credit hour)Course Fees
Essential Skills and Safety9030$360.00$242.00
Pneumatics6020$240.00$31.00
Hydraulics6020$240.00$17.00
Industrial Mechanics9030$360.00$0.00
Electrical Systems6020$240.00$0.00
Motor Controls9030$360.00$42.00
Programmable Logic Controllers12040$480.00$0.00
Applied System Diagnostics6020$240.00$0.00
ELECTIVES: Students will work with their instructor to choose 270 hours/9 credits of electives
Electronics Soldering3010$120.00$30.00
Conduit Bending3010$120.00$15.00
HMI & PLC Troubleshooting9030$360.00$0.00
Robotics I3010$120.00$0.00
Fanuc Robot3010$120.00$100.00
Inroduction to RF Plasma301$120.00$0.00
Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing6020$240.00$0.00
Rotating Machines 6020$240.00$0.00
Basic VFD Operation3010$120.00$0.00
Electro-Fluid Power3010$120.00$0.00
Welding Simulator3010$120.00$0.00
SolidWorks3010$120.00$90.00
Introduction to Statistical Process Control3010$120.00$0.00
Sensors and Timers3010$120.00$0.00
Wiring Board3010$120.00$0.00
Lean and Six Sigma3010$120.00$0.00
Mechanical Drive and Laser Alignment6020$240.00$0.00
TOTALS:900300$3,600$567.00
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Upon registration, you will register and submit payment for the first course in the program. While not required, you may make a deposit, in person or online, for the full program upon registration to be held in your student account.

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Tuition/FeesCost
Tuition:$3,600.00
Application Fee$0.00
Registration Fee:$40.00
Total Course Fees:$567.00
Required Materials:$4.00
Industry Exam Fee:$0.00
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Note: High school students attend MTECH tuition free, and are only responsible for fees and materials.

Course-by-course cost breakdowns can be found on the “Courses” tab above.

Upon registration, you will register and submit payment for the first course in the program.

While not required, you may make a deposit, in person or online, for the full program upon registration to be held in your student account.

Required MaterialsQuantityNotes (ISBN numbers, etc)Cost
Safety Glasses1Available in the bookstore$4.00
SACA Annual Subscription1Membership and access to educational resourcesincluded in fees
Amatrol e-Learning Annual Subscription1Multimedia library and training platformincluded in fees
Total Cost of Required Materials$4.00
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  • MTECH Program Certificate in Automation Technology
  • Students are prepared to take the: Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Exam
  • Fanuc HandlingTool Operation and Programming
  • Fanuc Certified Robot Operator (NOCTI)
  • SACA Certifications
    • C-101 Certified Industry 4.0 Associate 1 – Basic Operations
    • C-103 Associate-Robot Systems Certification
    • C-201 Electrical Systems 1
    • C-202 Motor Control Systems 1
    • C-203 Variable Frequency Drive Systems 1
    • C-206 Electrical System Installation 1
    • C-207 Programmable Controller Systems 1
    • C-208 Programmable Controller Troubleshooting 1
    • C-209 Pneumatic Systems 1
    • C-210 Mechanical Power Systems 1
    • C-215 Robot Systems Operations 1
    • C-255 Hydraulic Systems 1

What kind of jobs are available?
Automation Technology prepares you to be an equipment technician. Equipment Technicians troubleshoot and problem-solve all of the components involved in automated manufacturing.

How and where are the things I learn in this class used?
Automated processes (manufacturing line, automated assembly line) are used in almost everything. The primary businesses in Utah using these technologies are food production, packaging, and microchip manufacturings.

Do we get to see any of these machines working?
We schedule tours with industry leaders several times per year. Students will see many of the concepts and components in-action as they particpate in tours at various manufacturing facilities.

How to Apply

Submit MTECH application

Applying is free and easy! When you apply, please choose “undecided” as your program choice. You will select Automation Technology after being accepted to MTECH.

Take the Entrance Assessment

Admission requirements may be met by taking the Entrance Assessment OR by providing qualifying documentation. The Entrance Assessment can be taken at a Testing Center, and qualifying documents can be sent to transcripts@mtec.edu.

Learn more about the assessment HERE

Meet with an Admissions Advisor

Appointments can be scheduled HERE.

Register for Automation Technology

Once previous steps have been completed, eligibility is met to register for the first course within the program. Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. Tuition and fees are due for the first course upon registration.

Prospective students can register through the Student Portal, or in person at Student Services.

Need more information?

Program Coordinator
Jeff Erickson

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Admissions Advisors

AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIPS

Program length
15 mos
Total cost
$4,211
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Course Descriptions

Essential Skills and Safety
TEAM 1010
The Essential Skills and Safety course teaches the basic concepts and terminology used in automation technology. Students gain proficiency through applying concepts of fasteners, measurement equipment, tolerances, and hand and power tool operations. The course covers safety and workplace skills as well as school and shop specific operations, standards, and procedures.
Pneumatics
TEAM 1020
The Pneumatics course prepares students with the fundamentals needed to work with pneumatic systems. Pneumatic systems are used in a variety of industries where cleaner, faster, and more cost-effective work needs to be done. Competencies include safety, maintenance, operation, installation, component identification, principles of pressure and flow, air logic, troubleshooting, analysis of performance and efficiency, and design of pneumatic systems.
Hydraulics
TEAM 1030
The Hydraulics course prepares students with the fundamentals needed to work with hydraulic systems. Hydraulic systems are used in a variety of industries where extra force may be required. Competencies include safety, maintenance, operation, installation, component identification, displacement principles, troubleshooting, analysis of performance and efficiency, and design of hydraulic systems.
Industrial Mechanics
TEAM 1040
The Industrial Mechanics course is designed to introduce students to the world of mechanical drive systems and their characteristics. Students can demonstrate competency in the following: couplers, component identification, system related calculations, alignment, the effects of wear and vibration, component failure detection and prevention.
Electrical Systems
TEAM 1050
The Electrical Systems course teaches students to troubleshoot most electrical circuits they encounter in everyday life. Our world runs on electrical power and is fundamental to all work being done in automation. Students in this course gain relevant working knowledge in both AC & DC electrical systems. Competencies include: basic electrical circuit design, analysis, troubleshooting, instrumentation, schematic and component identification, physics of electricity and applicable math.
Motor Controls
TEAM 1060
The Motor Controls course prepares students with a working knowledge and understanding of real-world motor control operations. Students who complete this course are able to proficiently setup and design motor control circuits utilizing schematics. Students in this course identify components and utilize instrumentation to troubleshoot and maintain systems.
Programmable Logic Controllers
TEAM 1070
The Programmable Logic Controllers course teaches students to interface with programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Programmable logic controllers are the brains of all modern automation technology systems. In this course students develop a working knowledge and skill set in the following competencies: ladder logic, programming standards, hardware selection, various inputs and outputs, communication, troubleshooting, setup and installation.
Applied System Diagnostics
TEAM 1080
The Applied System Diagnostics course covers the essentials of system diagnostics, the essence of what a technician does day to day. This course is designed to simulate real world troubleshooting scenarios. Students apply troubleshooting methodology by using all of the skills that they have learned so far in the program. Students are expected to properly diagnose, repair, and document their work on a variety of systems and challenges.

Elective Course Descriptions

Electronics Soldering
TEAM 1625
This soldering course will teach the students a basic skill level of soldering for both surface mount and through-hole technologies. They will also learn basic electrical components using hands-on skills.
Conduit Bending
TEAM 1615
Students will learn the use of conduit in industry. They will learn how to make measurements and various bends without defects. Students will also learn the different types of conduit and various parts used in industry.
HMI & PLC Troubleshooting
TEAM 2030
Students will learn how to use and design basic Human-Machine Interface programs, using Allen Bradly’s FactoryTalk. They will learn how to make the connections between the PLC and HMI. They will also learn how to navigate and use alarms. Students will learn how to read and troubleshoot PLC circuits. They will learn basic troubleshooting techniques and how to use symptoms to diagnose troubles. They will also learn how to use multimeters to verify the working contrition of different components.
Robotics I
TEAM 1115
Robotics 1 will instruct students in robotics safety, economics impacts, hardware, design and coding. They will also design a robot and program to perform a task. Students will discover the fields and career opportunities in robotics.
Fanuc Robot
TEAM 1130
Students will learn the basic operation and program design for Fanuc robots. This will get them the basics that are needed to become a Fanuc robot operator and teach them how to operate a robot safely.
Inroduction to RF Plasma
TEAM 2300
An introduction to chemistry concepts for students interested in semiconductor careers as well as those who wish to gain an overview of basic chemistry. Semiconductor focused students will gain basic knowledge to aid in understanding process interactions and hazard identification. Course material includes atomic structure, molecular structures, chemical bonding, periodic table, chemical reactions and equations, stoichiometry, states of matter, oxidation and reduction, acids and bases.
Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing
TEAM 1840
Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing is a course for students interested in semiconductor careers, as well as those who wish to gain an overview of basic semiconductor processing. Semiconductor focused students will gain basic knowledge of overall process flow and logic gate device functionality. Course material includes definition of a semiconductor, n-type and p-type doping, geometries and units of measure, basic semiconductor manufacturing, process module overviews, clean room overview and protocols, and automated material handling system (AMHS) overview.
Rotating Machines
TEAM 1112
Students will learn the different types of motors that are used in industry and also the reasons why certain motors are used for different conditions. They will also learn how they are wired internally and externally. Students will also perform different measurements and do calculations to see how the motors perform under different loads.
Basic VFD Operation
TEAM 1730
In this course students will learn how to wire a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) for basic operation. They will also learn how to set the VFD’s settings, using both 1 phase and 3 phase applications.
Electro-Fluid Power
TEAM 2145
In this course students will learn how to combine electrical controls with hydraulic and pneumatic circuits. They will learn to read, design, and troubleshoot circuits that are using a wide range of devices used in industry.
Welding Simulator
TEAM 1245
In this course students will learn the history and basics of welding. They will learn how to safely operate a welder and use correct settings. They will also learn the correct techniques for metal-inert gas welding (MiG).
SolidWorks
TEAM 1122
In this course the student will learn the basics of 3d designing in SolidWorks. They will learn to design parts and assemble multiple parts into one object. They will also learn how to turn their designs into a drawing.
Introduction to Statistical Process Control
TEAM 1590
Statistical Process Control is an introduction to statistical process control (SPC) for students interested in semiconductor careers, as well as those who wish to gain an overview of basic SPC practices. Semiconductor focused students will gain basic knowledge to maintain control of critical manufacturing processes. Course material includes overview and benefit, common cause vs. special cause variation, distributions and histograms, basic statistics, process capability, standard deviation, sigma, and control chart basics.
Sensors and Timers
TEAM 1630
Students will identify the use and purpose of inductive, capacitive, and photoelectric sensors. They will learn how to design and read schematics, and to troubleshoot designs using troubleshooting methods.
Wiring Board
TEAM 1670
Students will identify the design and wiring of industry standard control panels. They will use wiring organization to make a clean and professional control panel, using the various tools designed for this application. In this course students will learn how to wire a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) for basic operation. They will also learn how to set the VFD’s settings, using both 1 phase and 3 phase applications.
Lean and Six Sigma
TEAM 1815
Six Sigma is a team-focused managerial approach that seeks to improve performance by eliminating resource waste and defects. In this course, students will learn Six Sigma methods and tools, combined with the Lean Manufacturing philosophy, which strives to eliminate the waste of physical resources, time, effort, and talent while assuring quality in production and organizational processes.
Mechanical Drive and Laser Alignment
TEAM 1045
This course is a continuation of the industrial mechanics course where students will learn more advanced bearings, gaskets, seals, gear drives, and laser alignments. Students will demonstrate their working knowledge and ability to perform troubleshooting, along with demonstrating attention to safety practices.
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