Precision Power: Advanced Manufacturing Boot Camp at SWIC
Sponsored by Seyer Industries

Calling all future innovators and engineers! Three days. Three merit badges. One serious deep dive into the world of modern manufacturing.

Location: SWIC Advanced Manufacturing Academy – Gene Haas Advanced Manufacturing Lab
Dates: Wednesday, June 10 – Friday, June 12, 2026
Southwestern Illinois College
Gene Haas Advanced Manufacturing Lab
2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville, IL 62221

This inaugural boot camp is built for Scouts 13 and up who are ready to move beyond theory and step onto the production floor. From hand-drawn sketches to CNC-machined metal parts, Scouts will follow the exact workflow of today’s professional machinists: 

Design → Prototype → Production

What They’ll Earn

Scouts will complete requirements for:
• Drafting
• Engineering
• Inventing

Plus receive a special inaugural event patch!

Early bird pricing is $30 for three full days, only $10 per day!
(Regular price is $35.00)

Pizza lunch is provided daily, or Scouts may bring their own.

Daily Schedule

Check-in begins at 9:00 AM to allow for a 9:30 AM start.
Program runs approximately 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM each day.
Scouts must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

This is a day camp. Scouts head home each afternoon with sparks in their imagination! 

Day 1: The Drafting Intensive - Scouts begin with the foundations of precision. By the end of the day, their designs are queued for 3D printing. 

Day 2: Prototypes & Engineering Experiments - The printers hummed overnight and the Haas Lab comes alive today! Scouts rotate through live CNC machining sessions, producing real metal components under professional supervision. This is where invention meets physics and reality pushes back.

Day 3: Manufacturing & Career Exploration - 

Scouts explore real career pathways in drafting, engineering, and manufacturing technology. They leave with requirements completed and a deeper understanding of how ideas become products.

Pre-Requisites

To maximize lab time, certain merit badge requirements must be completed beforehand. Complete the following, bring your work, and be prepared to discuss:

Drafting

• Watch the "Isometric Drawing Made Easy" and "Border and Title Block" videos. They don't have to draw, but they need to see how it's done in preparation. (Found here, under Requirement 2: https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/drafting/)
• Requirement 7(b): Research the history of drafting tools and media (Da Vinci to CAD) and be prepared to discuss the evolution with the counselor.
• Requirement 8. Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in Drafting. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career.

Engineering

• Requirement 1: Investigation of a home appliance. Write down how/why it works and what engineering was involved.
• Requirement 2: Research one major engineering achievement (e.g., Brooklyn Bridge, Moon Landing) and its impact.
• Requirement 6(b) or 6(e): Energy/Electricity. List 10 appliances at home and their monthly energy use. Write down the results.
• Requirement 8: Read the Engineer’s Code of Ethics. Think of one way it is similar to the Scout Law.

Inventing

• Requirement 1: Write down your own definition of "Inventing." List three inventions that have helped humankind.
• Requirement 2: Read about three inventors and pick your favorite to tell the counselor about.
• Requirement 3(c): Find a patent number on a piece of your Scouting gear. Research it online and compare the actual item to the patent drawings.
• Requirement 5: Sketch an improvement for a piece of camping gear you’ve used.
• Requirement 8: Write a short summary of a robotics club you've participated in OR a museum visit you've made dedicated to inventions.

Dress Code & Safety

This is an active manufacturing lab. Required dress code to ensure safety:
• Closed-toe shoes
• Pants
• Scouting or Camp T-shirt (Class B)
• Long hair pulled back
• No jewelry

Precision Power is not a lecture series. It is immersive, hands-on, and built around real industry equipment in a working lab environment. Scouts will see how design thinking, material science, technology, and skilled trades come together to shape the modern world.

If your Scout loves building, tinkering, designing, or solving real problems, this is where sparks turn into skill!