Learn CNC machining easier with new bite‑size, interactive ACE online course

The refreshed America’s Cutting Edge Fusion CNC Machining course features short, engaging lessons designed to fit your busy schedule.

March 9, 2026 – Learning CNC machining just became more engaging and easier to complete.

Participants in the free online America’s Cutting Edge Fusion CNC Machining course can now experience a refreshed learning format built around short microlessons and interactive features, designed specifically for today’s busy learners.

Following months of feedback from students, instructors, industry partners, and other stakeholders, the course has been updated to better support how people learn today.

Learn quicker

The refreshed course introduces microlesson videos – in some cases lasting under one minute – making it easier to start, stop, and return to learning without losing momentum.

Learn by doing, not just watching

Interactive features help reinforce key concepts and improve retention, including:

• Drag‑and‑drop labeling for equipment
• Clicking through on‑screen buttons
• Matching information through multiple‑choice drop‑down menus

“Participants will stay more engaged now,” says Dave Roberson, IACMI manager of workforce trainers. “They’ll retain more from the online course, which will help them be better prepared for an ACE in-person bootcamp.”

“This update is a direct investment in the learner experience, and shows we’re listening to feedback,” says Justin Brooks, IACMI deputy director of workforce development. “It takes strong content we’ve built over time and modernizes how it’s delivered so it’s easier to access, easier to absorb, and easier to complete.”

Together, these updates transform the ACE online experience from passive learning into active learning, helping participants remember more and progress with confidence.

For learners balancing work, school, or other commitments, the shorter lessons make it easier to fit training into a busy schedule.

“It also makes the course more usable across different audiences, including students, incumbent workers, and instructors who want to integrate modules into training plans without losing alignment to ACE’s learning objectives,” Brooks adds.

A modern path into a modern career

The refreshed format also positions CNC machining as a modern, in‑demand career path.

The online course introduces CNC machining fundamentals while covering topics such as:

• Computer‑aided machining
• Machining dynamics
• Machining cost
• …and more

“I strongly believe skilled trades, like CNC machining, are one of the most valuable and overlooked career pathways,” says Kelly Gideon with Texas A&M University, who was the lead project specialist for the course redesign.

“Getting to collaborate with ACE to redesign a world‑class CNC training program to introduce more people to CNC machining was not only personally fulfilling, but vital to national security and the manufacturing industry,” she adds.

Be among the first to experience the improved ACE Fusion CNC Machining course by clicking here.