How to become Solar Gators Machinist
Written By: Trevor Bendik [trevorbendik@gmail.com]
ACE Certification through UF
This is the first full stage of becoming a certified CNC member of the team. Through this process you should become acclimated with best machining practices and the machinery that is at your disposal. This process may look a little different as the years progress, as the program ages, and as new lead CNC TA's come and go, but the general principles stay the same.
- Using this link (https://go.iacmi.org/ACE_Machine_Tool_Fusion360_Online) you can register and complete the 'Machine Tool' certificate through a canvas section.
- Submit the completed certificate to Isabel Stalcup (isabel.stalcup@ufl.edu), the lead CNC TA (as of Spring 2026).
- Then, when they have an opening, a CNC TA will reach out to schedule 5 days of 'at-machine' CNC training, going over general procedures such as workpiece installation, probing sequences, tool building, and general CNC practices.
Side Note: Taking the CNC Course, EML4535C with Sean Niemi and Katie Basinger, satisfies the ACE requirement and enables you to have sole CNC access in the eyes of the DML Lab, however, we will still require the completion of the following curriculum to be Solar Gators Machinist eligible.