CAVS Extension

This 3-day (24 Hours) course covers the tasks that an operator, technician, engineer or programmer needs to setup, record and/or troubleshoot programs on a FANUC CRX-Series Collaborative Robot.

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Understand the different types of collaborative operation.
• Understand the requirements for unpacking and installing a new CRX-Series robot.
• Become familiar with the Tablet Teach Pendant and CRX User Interface.
• Perform a backup and restore.
• Jog the robot by manual guidance.
• Create and test motion programs to pick and place workpieces.
• Gain an understand of collaborative functions related to a CRX-Series robot.

The course consists of lectures, chapter reviews, demonstrations, and a series of lab exercises designed to reinforce what the student has learned. In addition to lab exercises, a pre-test and a post-test are used to measure mastery of objectives. Through our partnership with Aim Up, Carver Middleton will provide support for the training program.

This course is intended for the person who must set up and record a program on a Collaborative Series Robot.

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell

Date(s): March 10-12, 2026

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Communiversity - 7003 South Frontage Road Columbus, MS 39701

Cost:$475.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This two day workshop is structured so that participants gain a solid understanding of the use of Statistical Process Control to drive process improvement. The class is taught through a balance lecture, class discussion, class exercises, and follow-on participant projects. Specific topics include both variables and attribute control charting. Specific variables control charting tools include X-BAR and R charts, as well as X and Moving R. Specific Attribute charting techniques are also presented including P, C, and U Charts. Also process capability indexes are presented and explained (i.e., Cp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk). Throughout the class a strong emphasis is placed on how to connect SPC with root causes oriented problem solving. Key concepts are reinforced through the use of catapults to simulate the real world linkage between SPC and process improvement.

• Basics of Process Variation
• Introduction to the Control Chart
• Using Systematic Problem Solving to Drive Improvement
• How a Control Chart Really Works
• Basic Measures of Process Capability
• SPC Class Exercise using Catapults

Who Should Attend? Manufacturing Engineers, Quality Engineers, Managers, Supervisors, and other professionals.

Instructor(s): Adam Collins, PE

Date(s): March 12-13, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This TPM workshop provides students with a high-level introduction of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). The information shared in this session will provide an understanding of TPM (definition, importance, and key components), explain the benefits of TPM implementation, review the TPM tools and techniques, discuss real-world applications of TPM, and provide examples of successful TPM implementations.

Instructor(s): Harry Kitchens

Date(s): March 18, 2026 (Communiversity)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Communiversity - 7003 South Frontage Road Columbus, MS 39701

Cost:$225.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

Lean 101 is a class designed to introduce students to the principles of Lean Manufacturing, focusing on efficiency and waste reduction in processes. Students will learn how to identify and eliminate unnecessary steps through a combination of lectures and hands-on activities.

Instructor(s): William (Billy) Peacock, PE, Harry Kitchens and Montrell Marshall

Date(s): March 31, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

In this course, using interactive business simulation where you will be immersed in setting and running your own business, you will develop a new ability to visualize corporate financial information as a single landscape of interacting forces. You will experience how other departments affect how you do your job, and how you do your job affects other departments.

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell and Harry Kitchens

Date(s): April 2, 2026 (Communiversity)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Communiversity - 7003 South Frontage Road Columbus, MS 39701

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

Lean 101 is a class designed to introduce students to the principles of Lean Manufacturing, focusing on efficiency and waste reduction in processes. Students will learn how to identify and eliminate unnecessary steps through a combination of lectures and hands-on activities.

Instructor(s): William (Billy) Peacock, PE, Harry Kitchens and Montrell Marshall

Date(s): April 8, 2026 (Communiversity)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: Communiversity - 7003 South Frontage Road Columbus, MS 39701

Cost:$175.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This class will cover basic design and modeling practices that can be used across all design platforms. The goal of this course is to teach the fundamental skills and concepts to build parametric models, parts, and assemblies and how to make simple drawings of those parts and assemblies. This will be accomplished by using SolidWorks to create 3D models of parts from drawings and within assemblies. These parts will then be assembled in SolidWorks to confirm fitment and create 2D drawings. This will be accomplished over 2 days of hands-on modeling exercises led by a certified SolidWorks professional with industry experience. No prerequisite skills are required, but familiarity with SolidWorks is recommended.

• Sketching
• Part Modeling
• Sub-Assemblies
• Assemblies
• 2D-Drawings

Instructor(s): Jonathan Howell and Jonathan Curtis, PE

Date(s): April 8-9, 2026

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$200.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.

This three day course is taught by Ramesh Gulati, who is the world leader in this area and the author of 'Maintenance & Reliability Best Practices'.

The M&R fundamentals course will boost your technical workforce's understanding of reliability & maintenance principles and help create a sustainable reliability culture to maximize the benefits.

The asset/equipment management practices in any organization determine whether an operation is considered a financial drain or a well-run business unit, which operates utilizing best reliability & maintenance practices to ensure assets reliability, safety, improved productivity, and profits.

• Introduction to Asset Management and It's Business Impact
• Reliability Culture Examples
• Defining Best Practices and Asset performance
• Understanding Maintenance Role - Capacity Assurance
• Workflow and Roles
• Planning & Scheduling
• Materials Management
• Operations Role - Operator Driven Reliability
• Workplace Design - 5S Plus
• Optimizing Maintenance - RCM/CBM
• Designing for reliability and Maintenance
• Improvement Tools (Including 6 Sigma)
• Workforce/People Development Organization, Team Building and Communication
• Current Trends - Lean, Energy & Safety
• Sustaining Reliability and Safety Culture

• Reliability Engineers
• Manufacturing Managers
• Process Engineering
• Maintenance Engineers
• Technicians
• Maintenance and Reliability Managers

Date(s): April 21-23, 2026 (Canton, MS)

Time: 8:00AM - 5:00PM

Location: MSU CAVS Extension - 153 Mississippi Parkway Canton, MS 39046

Cost:$575.00 ¹

Please contact Coretta Price at cprice@cavse.msstate.edu or 601-407-2770 if you have any questions.

¹Pricing is contingent upon participant eligibility for state funding. Eligibility will be assessed during registration. For more information about eligibility click here.