FANUC Certified Automation and
Advanced Machining
The manufacturing skills gap is one of the most pressing workforce challenges in the United States. According to The Manufacturing Institute, more than 600,000 manufacturing positions go unfilled because applicants lack the skills the jobs require, and that number is projected to grow to as many as 2 million over the next decade. At the center of that gap is CNC machining. FANUC CNC controls are the most widely deployed platform in manufacturing worldwide, yet trained CNC operators, programmers, and setup technicians remain chronically in short supply.
FANUC's Certified Education program for CNC addresses that gap directly by bringing the world's most recognized CNC control platform into the classroom in a format that is practical for education. Through portable CNC training carts, a classroom CNC simulator based on the actual FANUC control platform, and a structured curriculum aligned with industry certifications, FANUC gives schools and colleges the tools to develop CNC competency that translates directly to the shop floor.
Klein Educational supplies FANUC CNC certification training equipment to high schools, community colleges, and universities across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. We help programs get the right equipment, connect with the certification pathway, and give students credentials that matter to employers.
Closing the gap between education and industry
FANUC's Certified Education programs are built around a simple and important premise: students should train on the same equipment, the same software, and the same programming environment they will use in industry. FANUC collaborates with industry technology leaders in automation, advanced manufacturing, and education to develop certification programs that address employer needs and align with secondary and post-secondary programs of study.
FANUC is an authorized provider of Continuing Education Units, and all FANUC education programs meet the national ANSI/IACET standards. Student certifications earned through FANUC CNC programs are recognized by employers in every sector that uses CNC machining, from aerospace and automotive to medical devices, defense, and precision manufacturing.
CNC Certification Cart, Lathe
The FANUC and Levil CNC Training Cart for turning operations enables students to gain hands-on exposure to CNC lathe practices including on-machine programming, setup, and operation. The cart incorporates FANUC's industry-recognized CNC control platform with AC servo motors and drives in a self-contained, portable unit with a small footprint and easy access for student use. The compact design allows the cart to be moved from classroom to classroom through any standard doorway, making it practical to deploy in any school or college facility without dedicated machine shop space. Students program and operate real CNC turning operations on actual cutting equipment, building the hands-on competency that classroom instruction and simulation alone cannot fully develop.
CNC Certification Cart, Mill
The FANUC and Levil CNC Training Cart for milling operations incorporates FANUC's latest industrially-recognized CNC control platform, with AC servo motors and drives, in a self-contained portable milling center. Like the lathe cart, the mill cart is designed to pass through a standard doorway, making it deployable in any classroom or lab environment. Students use the milling cart to practice CNC machining center setup, programming, and operation on real CNC equipment using the same FANUC control platform found on production machining centers across manufacturing industries worldwide. The CNC mill cart gives students genuine machine time that builds muscle memory, procedural knowledge, and problem-solving skills that only come from working with real equipment under real cutting conditions.
FANUC CNC Simulator
The FANUC CNC Simulator brings the world's most popular CNC control directly into the classroom in a compact, portable unit that requires only a standard electrical outlet. The simulator is based on the FANUC Series 0i-MODEL F platform, the same control architecture used on a vast installed base of production CNC equipment worldwide. It is not a software approximation of a FANUC control. It is an actual FANUC CNC control, giving students the real look, feel, function, and layout of the platform as they navigate, program, and operate it.
At power-on, the simulator can be configured for either a milling or turning system, allowing a single unit to serve both machining center and lathe programming curricula. Students can write and test programs using ISO G-code programming or FANUC MANUAL GUIDE i, the conversational programming interface used on production equipment that allows users to graphically generate programs and simulate them in 3D before converting back to conventional NC programs. Toolpath simulation and 3D solid modeling visualization allow students to verify programs and visualize cutting operations before any chips are made.
Program upload and download functions use Flash ATA and USB interfaces, and DNC functions are supported by Ethernet, allowing programs developed on the simulator to be transferred directly to machine tools using FANUC controls. This direct transfer capability makes the simulator a genuine bridge between classroom programming work and production machine operation. The simulator's screen display function also allows instructors to replicate the simulator display on a PC via Ethernet for instructor-led classroom demonstration on a projector.
What students learn in FANUC CNC training
FANUC's CNC education programs cover the full range of skills that manufacturing employers need in CNC machining personnel. The curriculum is structured in multiple levels covering machining center and lathe operations, programming, and setup.
Entry-level training covers CNC machine safety and safe work practices, control navigation and panel operation on the FANUC 0i-MODEL F platform, coordinate systems and work offsets, basic G-code program structure and syntax, linear and circular interpolation, tool length and radius compensation, canned cycles for drilling, boring, and tapping, program editing and verification, and basic setup and operation procedures. Conversational programming using FANUC MANUAL GUIDE i is covered alongside conventional G-code programming, reflecting the dual-mode programming environments common in production machining facilities.
Advanced training extends into custom macro programming, multi-axis machining operations, and the specialized programming skills used in high-complexity production machining environments. Students who complete the full curriculum and pass the academic and practical skills assessments earn FANUC CNC certifications that document their competency at each level.
How CNC training integrates with machining programs
The FANUC CNC certification equipment and curriculum are designed to integrate naturally with existing machining, manufacturing technology, and engineering technology programs. The CNC Simulator is particularly valuable as a classroom tool that extends students' access to the FANUC control beyond the limited time available on physical machines, allowing programming practice, program verification, and control navigation exercises to happen in the classroom without tying up machine time. Schools that combine the CNC Simulator for classroom instruction with CNC Certification Carts for hands-on machine practice give students the most complete and efficient path to genuine CNC competency.
Why FANUC CNC certification matters
More manufacturers trust their operations to FANUC CNC controls than any other platform. Students who earn FANUC CNC certifications and are familiar with FANUC controls from their training have a measurable advantage in the job market compared to those with only generic CNC exposure. Employers in precision machining, aerospace, automotive, medical device, and defense manufacturing specifically look for FANUC CNC familiarity when hiring CNC operators, programmers, and setup technicians, and a FANUC certification provides documented evidence of that competency that sets candidates apart in a competitive hiring environment.
How Klein Educational supports your program
Klein Educational works with CTE directors, machining department heads, and program administrators from the first conversation through equipment delivery and ongoing support. We help programs select the right combination of CNC carts and simulator units for their curriculum and facility, connect with the FANUC certification pathway, and get students on a credentialed track toward high-demand manufacturing careers.
We have direct access to the FANUC CNC education program infrastructure and equipment for programs across our seven-state region.
Frequently asked questions
What FANUC CNC education products does Klein Educational supply? Klein Educational supplies the FANUC and Levil CNC Certification Cart for turning, the FANUC and Levil CNC Certification Cart for milling, and the FANUC CNC Simulator based on the Series 0i-MODEL F platform, along with the associated FANUC CNC certification curriculum.
What is the FANUC CNC Simulator? The FANUC CNC Simulator is an actual FANUC Series 0i-MODEL F CNC control in a compact, portable unit that can be configured at power-on for either milling or turning operation. It supports both G-code and MANUAL GUIDE i conversational programming, 3D toolpath simulation, and program transfer to production machine tools via USB and Ethernet.
Can programs developed on the FANUC CNC Simulator be used on real machines? Yes. Programs written and verified on the simulator can be transferred directly to machine tools using FANUC controls via USB or Ethernet, making the simulator a genuine preparation tool for production machine operation.
What certifications can students earn through FANUC CNC programs? Students who complete the FANUC CNC curriculum and pass the academic and practical skills assessments earn FANUC CNC certifications recognized by manufacturers nationwide. Certifications are available at multiple levels covering machining and turning operations and programming.
What CNC control platform does the FANUC training equipment use? All FANUC CNC training equipment, including the simulator and CNC carts, is based on the FANUC Series 0i-MODEL F platform, the same control architecture used on the vast majority of FANUC CNC machines in production manufacturing environments.
What states does Klein Educational serve?We serve California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska.
Ready to Bring FANUC CNC Certification Training to Your Program?
Whether you are launching a new CNC machining program or adding FANUC certification capability to an existing curriculum, our team will help you select the right equipment and connect your program to the FANUC certification pathway.