Materials Training by Amatrol
Every product that gets designed, built, or repaired depends on someone who understands the materials it is made from. Whether it is selecting the right metal alloy for a structural application, testing a component for fatigue strength, or understanding how heat treatment changes a material's properties, materials knowledge is foundational to engineering, manufacturing, construction, and product design careers.
As manufacturing processes grow more sophisticated and material choices more complex, the demand for workers who can evaluate, test, and correctly apply industrial materials continues to grow. Engineers and technicians alike need to understand not just how to work with materials, but why certain materials are chosen for specific applications and how to identify failures when they occur.
Klein Educational supplies Amatrol materials training systems and curriculum to K-12 schools, colleges, and workforce development programs across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. As the only authorized Amatrol distributor in these seven states, we help programs get the right systems specified, installed, and running.
What is Amatrol materials training?
Amatrol's industrial materials training line spans a wide range of topics, from materials testing and metals identification to plastics technology, structural engineering, and surveying. The systems are built around industrial-quality components and world-class multimedia curriculum that teaches both the theory behind why materials behave the way they do and the hands-on skills needed to test, evaluate, and apply them in real-world settings.
Many of Amatrol's materials systems feature computerized data acquisition technology, allowing learners to measure stress, strain, and material properties in real time using sensors integrated with software. This level of technical depth prepares learners for roles in engineering, quality control, product design, and industrial maintenance. The materials training systems are featured prominently in Amatrol programs including Engineering Technology, Construction Technology, and Industrial Maintenance.
What students and trainees learn
Amatrol's materials curriculum covers a broad range of skills that apply directly to engineering, manufacturing, and technical roles across industry:
Tensile, compression, shear, and hardness testing
Destructive and non-destructive testing methods
Computerized data acquisition operation, calibration, and programming
Ferrous and non-ferrous materials identification and properties
Steel alloy chemistry and numeric identification systems
Material strength analysis and product design
Heat treatment processes and effects on metal properties
Plastics technology including injection molding, blow molding, and extrusion
Structural engineering fundamentals including bridge and building analysis
Design of structures including scale model construction and load testing
Surveying principles and equipment operation
Material quality control and fracture analysis
Learners who complete Amatrol materials programs graduate with skills that apply across architecture, construction, manufacturing, product design, and engineering technology careers.
A closer look at key training systems
Amatrol's materials line includes dedicated learning systems for each major subject area, allowing programs to build a curriculum that matches their focus and learner population.
The Materials Engineering 1 Learning System is the flagship system for industrial materials testing. Using industrial-quality components, learners conduct a wide array of tests including tensile testing on steel alloys, compression testing, shear testing, hardness testing, and both destructive and non-destructive testing methods. Non-destructive testing covers visual inspection, penetrants, magnetic-particle testing, ultrasonic testing, and radiographic testing. The system's computerized data acquisition setup allows learners to measure stress and strain in real time, create custom formulas, configure channels, and display graphical results. A high school version of this system is also available, offering the same depth of content in a format suited to the CTE classroom.
The Plastics Technology Learning System is an all-in-one trainer capable of performing injection molding, blow molding, and extrusion molding operations. Learners study the chemistry and properties of plastics, work through molding operations and troubleshooting, and advance into topics like plastics part design and material selection. A companion Design Processes Learning System extends this curriculum into CAD and CAM-integrated plastics part design for programs that want to connect materials skills with manufacturing processes.
The Design of Structures Learning Systems cover the design, construction, and analysis of structures including bridges, buildings, and tunnels. Learners build scale models of Warren, Howe, and Truss bridges, study the forces acting against structures, and test and analyze how different loads affect structural performance. Advanced systems extend into statics, beam and column design, concrete fundamentals, and building materials.
The eLearning curriculum for materials topics includes dedicated courses on ferrous materials, non-ferrous materials, heat treatment principles, plastics technology, and materials quality control, giving programs flexible options for delivering content in blended or online formats.
Systems built for every training environment
Amatrol builds materials training systems for a range of institutional environments, from high school CTE labs to college engineering programs to workforce development centers.
For high schools, Amatrol offers materials engineering and plastics technology systems designed to fit within the CTE environment while still delivering the depth of content needed to prepare students for post-secondary study or direct entry into technical roles. These systems use the same industrial-quality components as the post-secondary versions, so learners work with equipment they will actually encounter on the job.
For colleges and engineering programs, Amatrol's post-secondary materials systems go deeper into testing methodology, data analysis, materials science, and design, preparing learners for engineering technology, quality control, and product development careers that require a thorough understanding of how materials perform under real-world conditions.
Why materials training matters now
Material selection and testing errors are among the leading causes of product failures and industrial accidents. As manufacturing processes grow more complex and the range of available materials continues to expand, the ability to correctly evaluate, test, and specify materials becomes more critical at every level of a production organization.
Quality control specialists, materials engineers, and manufacturing technicians with strong materials knowledge are consistently in demand across industries ranging from automotive and aerospace to construction, pharmaceutical, and consumer products. Programs that deliver hands-on, technically rigorous materials training are giving learners skills that apply across a wider range of careers than almost any other technical discipline.
How Klein Educational supports your program
Klein Educational is more than an equipment supplier. We work with CTE directors, college department heads, and workforce administrators from the first conversation through installation and beyond. That includes needs assessment, equipment specification, lab layout planning, and staff training.
As the only authorized Amatrol distributor in the western US, we have direct access to the full Amatrol product line, curriculum, and support infrastructure, which means faster service and deeper product knowledge than you'll find anywhere else in the region.
Frequently asked questions
What is Amatrol materials training? Amatrol materials training is a hands-on technical education program that teaches learners how to evaluate, test, and apply industrial materials used across manufacturing, engineering, and construction environments. It covers metals testing, plastics technology, structural engineering, heat treatment, and data acquisition using real industrial components and comprehensive multimedia curriculum.
Who is Amatrol materials training designed for? Amatrol materials systems are built for K-12 CTE programs, community colleges, four-year engineering programs, and workforce development centers. Systems range from materials engineering and plastics technology options suited for high schools to advanced testing, structural analysis, and design systems for college and workforce training environments.
What careers does materials training prepare learners for? Materials training prepares learners for roles including quality control specialist, materials engineer, manufacturing technician, product designer, and engineering technology professional, positions found across manufacturing, construction, aerospace, automotive, and consumer products industries.
Does Klein Educational help with lab setup and installation? Yes. Klein works with programs from needs assessment through equipment specification, lab layout, installation, and staff training. We guide the entire process so your program is set up correctly from day one.
What states does Klein Educational serve? We serve California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska as the only authorized Amatrol distributor in these seven states.
Ready to Bring Materials Training to Your Program?
Whether you're building a new lab or adding materials science to an existing program, our team will help you find the right Amatrol systems for your space, budget, and goals.