News and Events
Watch this page for DMT updates and upcoming activities.
STAR Award for DMT's Mike Appio
Mike Appio, a longtime instructor and chair of De Anza's Design and Manufacturing Technologies (DMT) Department, has been named this year's De Anza College Educator of the Year by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce, which presents annual STAR awards to individuals who make outstanding contributions to the community.
The award recognizes Appio as a student-focused instructor who helped build the DMT program into a regional powerhouse – known for combining innovative curriculum and cutting-edge equipment to prepare students for highly skilled manufacturing jobs. He and other STAR award winners will be honored by the Chamber
of Commerce at a black tie event on Friday, Nov. 8.
See the YouTube video: Career Training: Design and Manufacturing Technologies | De Anza College
DMT Department Co-Hosts NorCal HTEC Regional Educators' Conference on February 3, 2024
January 17, 2024
De Anza College's Design and Manufacturing Technologies (DMT) Department is partnering with Gene Haas Foundation to co-host the 2024 Northern California HTEC Educators’ Conference on February 3. This FREE event will feature presentations and equipment demonstrations by Haas Automation, the Paton Group, Autodesk, Mastercam, CAM Instructor, Zeiss, Verisurf, and more. Manufacturing thought leaders and government agency representatives will present on the current state of the industry and future trends. We will be showcasing upcoming professional development opportunities sponsored by De Anza’s National Science Foundation MAADE project. Mark Terryberry, YouTube celebrity and host of “Haas Tip of the Day” will be the Keynote speaker and share some of his latest CNC milling strategies and solutions.
For more information and to register, please follow the link below.
2024 NorCal HTEC Regional Educators' Conference
DMT Awarded National Science Foundation Grant
March 17, 2022
De Anza’s cutting-edge Design and Manufacturing Technologies Department has been awarded a $525,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to satisfy a growing need for skilled manufacturing workers – by developing new courses and certificates in 3D printing, robotic automation and related technologies.
The funding comes from the science foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program, which supports the education of workers for “the advanced-technology fields
that drive the nation’s economy.”
De Anza’s DMT Department will use the grant to prepare students for work in these fields – with a focus on women and other historically underrepresented population groups – and to provide professional development training for instructors at other colleges in the Bay Area. The initiative will be called the Manufacturing Automation and Additive Design Excellence program, or MAADE.
The department will survey manufacturers to identify their needs and use that information to expand its already extensive courses and certificates in 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing), computer-aided design, computer numerical control machining and other fields.
DMT Expands PPE Production to Meet Pandemic Needs
May 29, 2020
Since partnering with local nonprofit Maker Nexus seven weeks ago, the 3D printing experts in De Anza’s DMT Department have been busy.
Mike Appio, department chair, and a team of four DMT staffers have been running the
Additive Manufacturing Lab’s 3D printers seven days a week, 20 hours per day, to turn
out parts for protective face shields.
“Based on the success we’ve had and excellent coordination with Maker Nexus, we’ve expanded the manufacturing processes and started ramping up printing of a new medical device, along with the face shields,” adds Appio.
DMT Producing Needed PPE for Health Workers
April 6, 2020
De Anza’s cutting-edge Design and Manufacturing Technologies program is using its 3D Printing capabilities to assist health care workers on the coronavirus front lines.
The DMT Department is joining with a nonprofit group called Maker Nexus that is producing transparent plastic face shields, using designs vetted by medical personnel. The shields are being delivered directly
to workers at local hospitals and medical offices.
Face shields are among the types of personal protective equipment that are in short supply around the country, as health workers and emergency responders care for thousands of people who are infected with the new coronavirus.
Gene Haas Foundation Awards $1 Million to DMT
February, 2016
De Anza College was awarded a $1 million gift by the Gene Haas Foundation to expand its Design and Manufacturing Technologies (DMT) classrooms and labs.
"The Gene Haas Foundation board has chosen to honor Gene's commitment to manufacturing education by investing in the top CNC programs in North America,” noted Kathy Looman, the foundation’s administrator.
“De Anza College’s Design and Manufacturing Technologies Department is one of those stellar programs. Thanks to the leadership of Mike Appio, the college has been an integral part of the Haas Technical Education Centers (HTEC) network."
Last year, De Anza was chosen as HTEC's western teacher training facility in response to the need for more instructors to prepare students for the anticipated 3.5 million manufacturing jobs anticipated in the next decade. In addition to the $1 million grant, the Gene Haas Foundation is committed to providing scholarships to the region's students and teachers.