How Sandvik’s Digital Manufacturing Portfolio Is Powering SkillsUSA
Mastercam, Vericut, and Verisurf each occupy a distinct and critical role in the modern manufacturing workflow. Together, as part of the Sandvik digital manufacturing portfolio, they form an integrated ecosystem that mirrors how parts move from design to finished product in industry. That integration is exactly what makes their shared commitment to SkillsUSA so powerful and purposeful.
All three companies believe the future of manufacturing is shaped by the opportunities we create for students today. That belief moves from principle to practice at the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC) in Atlanta, Georgia, where Mastercam, Vericut, and Verisurf unite to support hands-on competition, technical excellence, and the next generation of skilled professionals.
A Shared Mission Across Three Companies
SkillsUSA brings together thousands of students, educators, and industry professionals each year to celebrate technical excellence and elevate career and technical education (CTE). In competitions such as CNC Programming and Automated Manufacturing Technology (AMT), expectations are high, and the outcomes can meaningfully influence a student’s career path.
Each company within the Sandvik Digital Manufacturing Portfolio brings a distinct area of expertise to SkillsUSA. What makes our involvement especially impactful is how those contributions work together. The collaboration reflects the same integrated workflows students will experience in real manufacturing environments once they enter the workforce.
Mastercam: From Preparation to the Competition Floor
Mastercam’s involvement with SkillsUSA runs deep. As a proud SkillsUSA partner and co-chair of the CNC Programming competition, Mastercam serves on the technical committees for both CNC Programming and Automated Manufacturing Technology. In that role, our teams help design and prototype the competition test projects, ensuring that each challenge reflects current industry practices and appropriate skill progression.
To support student preparation, Mastercam provides no-cost timed software licenses of the Mastercam Educational Suite so competitors can practice using the same industry-standard CAD/CAM tools they will use during regional, state, and national competitions. When NLSC begins, Mastercam team members are on-site providing technical support and judging, applying the same expectations and rigor students will encounter in professional manufacturing environments.
Vericut: Verifying Programs, Validating Skills
Vericut, also part of the Sandvik Digital Manufacturing Portfolio, contributes an essential dimension to both competition design and execution. Vericut team members serve on the technical committees for CNC Programming and AMT, collaborating with partners to develop and validate the test projects during the design and prototyping phase.
At NLSC, Vericut software is used to verify competitor programs for safety and scoring accuracy by simulating real CNC machine behavior and analyzing actual G-code for errors. Competitors have access to Vericut during the competition, giving them the ability to test their CNC programs in a realistic environment, reduce costly mistakes, and improve precision before submission. Vericut personnel are also on site in support and judging roles, reinforcing the technical realism that makes SkillsUSA competitions so valuable to employers and educators alike.
Verisurf: Closing the Loop with Quality Inspection
Once parts are machined by AMT competitors, the final determination of part quality comes down to Computer-Aided Inspection (CAI) using a Master3DGage portable coordinate measuring machine and quality reporting with Verisurf metrology software. As part of the AMT technical committee, Verisurf contributes to the design and prototyping of the test projects, helping ensure measurement requirements align with real-world quality standards. During the competition, Verisurf provides on-site judging and metrology services using professional-grade model-based measurement tools. These are the same technologies trusted across aerospace, automotive, and highly regulated manufacturing industries requiring traceable quality. For students, this is where the full manufacturing loop is closed, and their work is validated using industry-standard software and repeatable quality processes.
The Bigger Picture: A Complete Manufacturing Ecosystem
The SkillsUSA competition environment mirrors modern manufacturing workflows. A part begins as a design, is programmed using CADCAM software, verified for safety and accuracy, machined, and finally measured to confirm it meets quality and accuracy specifications.
At NLSC, students experience the complete process powered by Mastercam, Vericut, and Verisurf. Together, the Sandvik Digital Manufacturing Portfolio delivers an integrated ecosystem that reflects real production environments. Students are not simply preparing for a competition. They are developing technical fluency, confidence, and problem-solving skills that translate directly into the workplace.
Investing in the Workforce Means Showing Up
The manufacturing industry faces a growing workforce challenge. Millions of skilled positions will need to be filled in the coming decade, and the strength of that pipeline depends on students choosing technical career pathways and being supported in them today.
Our partnerships with SkillsUSA represent a broader commitment by the Sandvik Digital Manufacturing Portfolio. We show up by helping to guide the competition’s technical standards, designing and prototyping test projects, judging the work, and equipping students with the tools they will use throughout their careers. We are not just sponsors of the competition. We are active contributors to its success.
The next generation of manufacturers is already here, programming parts, verifying toolpaths, and measuring results. We are proud to be part of their journey, together.
Are you an educator or student preparing for SkillsUSA competition? Contact your Mastercam representative to learn how to access no-cost competition licenses and training resources designed to help you compete and succeed.
Mastercam, Vericut, and Verisurf are part of the Sandvik Digital Manufacturing Portfolio. Sandvik is a global high tech engineering group providing solutions that enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability for the manufacturing, mining, and infrastructure industries.
