Small But Mighty: TOSOH SMD Powers Semiconductor Innovation with METAL Bootcamp

Cyler McClure has spent his career studying the ins and outs of semiconductors—microscopic metal switches that power today’s world. Now, as product engineering manager at TOSOH SMD, McClure empowers the engineers and technicians driving America’s semiconductor industry forward.

When he learned about METAL’s metallurgy bootcamp at Ohio State University from his director, Eduardo del Rio, McClure knew this was a training opportunity the team couldn’t miss.

“We thought the bootcamp would help grow the knowledge of our workforce,” said del Rio, who serves as the director of research and development at TOSOH SMD, a leading supplier of semiconductor materials in Ohio.

Built from billions of transistors, minuscule stacks of silicon and metal, semiconductors operate everything from smartphones and laptops to robotics, medical devices and GPS systems. You’d never know semiconductors exist—except for their massive impact. Semiconductors underpin more than 300 industries, including automotive, manufacturing, healthcare and U.S. defense. The technology is so far-reaching that one semiconductor job generates more than five new jobs across America’s economy.

“Semiconductors are used in everything,” del Rio explained. “You see it in your everyday life—smart factories, smart cities, facial recognition, voice recognition, artificial intelligence. As we get into a more electronically-automated life, semiconductors need to continue progressing.”

But semiconductor production, much like other metal products, is at risk in the U.S.

By 2033, almost 4 million manufacturing jobs could be available nationwide, without the skilled labor to fill them. The semiconductor industry alone faces a shortage of 67,000 technicians, computer scientists and engineers—a gap that threatens America’s supply chain resilience and security.

TOSOH SMD is working to meet this demand, relying on strong materials, an innovative team and industry-wide collaboration. “We truly believe in partnering with universities and other industries to foster collaboration and growth of materials science in the U.S., especially for the semiconductor industry where TOSOH SMD is a critical supplier,” del Rio said.

Del Rio shared METAL’s bootcamp with TOSOH SMD’s casting technicians, PhD materials engineers and managers. For McClure, it felt like the perfect opportunity to refresh his team on metal manufacturing basics and learn cutting-edge techniques for incredibly fine metalcasting.

“I’ve always had a strong interest in materials, especially metals, so I was excited for the opportunity to revisit core concepts,” McClure said. “My goal was to gain practical insights I could bring back to support smarter design choices.”

Plus, McClure admitted, he was eager for a week spent transforming metal in the foundry.

Back to the Basics

Led by IACMI – The Composites Institute®, with funding from the Department of Defense’s IBAS Program, METAL introduces students, career seekers and industry professionals to the possibilities of metalcasting. Through free online training and hands-on casting and forging experiences at universities nationwide, participants explore the metal industry—and pour molten metal into creations of their own.

METAL also upskills America’s manufacturing workforce through advanced bootcamps for metallurgists and metal workers. Industry professionals start with self-paced, online modules, building their foundation in materials science. Then, with the basics covered, they’re ready to spark their curiosity in the foundry with topics like the science of sand and digital technologies for casting.

Ohio State University researcher and bootcamp lead Dr. Jason Walker said he wants people to understand how complex and diverse the world of metal manufacturing is.

“Metalcasting is not just pouring liquid metal in a foundry,” Walker explained. “Behind every pour is an entire industry: people engineering binders and coatings, developing next-gen refractories, building high-temperature furnaces and controls, running multiphysics simulations, integrating automation and robotics, advancing additive manufacturing, inspecting parts, handling post-processing—the list goes on. The foundry floor is just one node in a much larger ecosystem that has many different needs.”

When it comes to tech manufacturing, McClure knows exactly what it takes to build a powerful semiconductor. The Ohio State alum has developed new casting techniques for metals used in transistors and refined the chemistry of aluminum for enhanced semiconductor performance. Today, his team designs metal alloys to fuel tomorrow’s groundbreaking technology.

“I love working with people. I was really excited to get into a management position so I could better support others and help train everyone to be the best version of themselves,” McClure said.

Together McClure’s team returned to the foundations of metallurgy at The Ohio State University. Technicians and engineers each cast an aluminum stein, a brass medallion and their own lost foam casting—McClure made a candle holder for his wife. But their work wasn’t over when the metal cooled. Then the team learned the art of finishing a casting with heat treatment, CNC machining, grinding and polishing.

“I was surprised by how much hands-on experience was offered. My favorite activity was the opportunity to pour, by hand, molten aluminum and brass, not just once, but several times each day,” McClure said. “We got to take home some really cool trinkets, which was exciting and added a sense of ownership to the experience.”

The team also learned simulation software to prevent defects in semiconductors before production even begins. Using MAGMASOFT®, bootcamp participants studied the theoretical temperature of metal as it solidifies. If the metal doesn’t solidify correctly, the casting can end up with defects like air bubble holes, resembling the inside of baked bread.

Avoiding defects in semiconductor production is essential, McClure said. Even the smallest imperfection can lead to excessive production delays, device failure and millions in lost revenue. High-quality is a fingerprint of TOSOH SMD’s semiconductor materials, imprinted in the team’s DNA.

McClure and his colleagues took quality testing beyond simulations, too. They performed fluidity spiral tests to determine how well molten metal flows through a mold, indicating its ideal pouring temperature, and tensile tests helped measure how much stress a casting can take before it breaks. In-person testing showed the team how to bring new quality control processes back to the lab—fine-tuning metal structures to meet the demands of advanced semiconductor development.

“This experience helped all of us step back from our daily routines and see manufacturing challenges from a broader perspective,” McClure said. “It bridged gaps between roles and encouraged a shared understanding that will strengthen our teamwork and problem-solving going forward.”

Powering a Smarter Tomorrow

Thanks to METAL’s bootcamp, everyone from TOSOH SMD returned home with new and refreshed skills to sharpen the company’s competitive edge. Technicians gained engineering insight to strengthen product quality; material engineers bridged theory with hands-on practice; and managers deepened collaboration—molding a manufacturing team built for the future.

Would McClure recommend the bootcamp to other managers? Absolutely.

“Investing in this kind of training benefits not just the company, but the industry as a whole—promoting smarter manufacturing, better process control and a more unified approach to solving casting and manufacturing challenges,” he said.

As McClure motivates his team in the lab, his director, del Rio, keeps his eyes on the future of semiconductor innovation—looking for opportunities to grow TOSOH SMD’s research and people.

“The semiconductor industry has a great future,” Del Rio said. “We just need to continue building the workforce and ecosystem to push it to its full potential.”

Ready to power the future of American manufacturing? Register for our free online training, then visit our events page to attend the next METAL bootcamp near you.

Making Dreams Reality: High School Sophomore Yash Babar Discovers New Possibilities with METAL

Yash Babar always imagined the kind of engineer he could be. From robotics to car designs, the high school sophomore hasn’t decided what he might build one day, but he’s sure about one thing—he wants a career where he can create with his hands. When Babar’s dad told him about METAL’s bootcamp at The Ohio State University, he was ready to give metalcasting a try.

Babar, 15, is a sophomore at Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio, and he’s the youngest person to ever participate in a METAL bootcamp. The week-long workshops on college campuses across the nation aim to ignite curiosity and passion about metallurgy for participants from all industry and educational backgrounds. Through a unique, hands-on foundry experience, bootcamp participants leave with essential metalcasting skills as METAL inspires the next generation of innovators and builders.

“For me, the number one goal is exposure,” said METAL bootcamp instructor Dr. Jason Walker.

Walker, who’s the Director of Materials and Process at The Ohio State University’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, said METAL’s bootcamps are truly for anyone who’s interested in learning more about the metallurgy trade. “In four days, we give participants a solid look into what it really means to be in manufacturing,” he added.

Other than taking his high school’s intro to engineering and industrial design class, Babar had no previous experience in manufacturing or metalcasting. He jumped at METAL’s hands-on opportunity over his summer break, hoping to build on the skills he learned in his robotics club.

“I’m still trying to find out what I want to do in the future,” Babar said. “So I thought I should do the camp and see how it goes and see if I learn something new. I ended up loving it.”

Getting His Bearings

For four days, bootcamp participants switched between instructor lessons, workbook time and making their own castings in the university foundry. From aluminum anvils and mugs to brass medallions, the students leave each day with their creation and the practical skills to cast again in the future.

But Babar said the best part for him was that the bootcamp was just plain fun.

“Something that surprised me was the first day, maybe 30 minutes in, we’re pouring metal,” he said. “You’d think you’d go through days of training to be able to pour a thousand degree metal. The hands-on was what made me come back every day.”

During METAL’s bootcamp, Babar learned how to use a hot wire cutter, milling machine and hand tools like grinders and belt sanders. When it was time to design a casting of his choice, he followed the lost foam process step-by-step to make an aluminum Nike sneaker, complete with the swoosh logo and a hollow center for a tiny foot. Babar was able to expand his previous CAD software experience to make a 3D design of the mold and, with the instructors’ help, he completed his very first pour.

“I had never seen liquid metal in person, so that was super cool,” Babar said. “You’re like, will it work? I crossed my fingers. It was a learning experience, but I really loved it.”

Walker encourages high school students to participate in METAL’s bootcamps so they can discover what career options are available.

“I was a first-generation college student. I went into engineering because somebody told me to, and I didn’t even know what it meant,” Walker admitted. “We want high school students to be able to make better, more informed decisions.”

Casting a Bright Future

Babar said METAL’s bootcamp was the best STEM-related camp he’s ever attended. Beyond getting first-hand experience pouring molten metal, he also learned basic thermodynamics, such as how different temperatures affect the strength of certain metals. What stood out to him the most was using the foundry’s impressive furnace and the one-on-one time with professional metallurgists.

“The instructors were amazing. I was the youngest person there and some things just did not make sense to me. So they were easy to approach,” Babar said. “When you’re new to something, you might be shy. They made you feel like you belong here.”

Babar’s mom, Supriya Babar, participated in METAL’s bootcamp alongside her son and said the sense of community was an unexpected but pleasant surprise.

“We had incredible support from the faculty who went above and beyond to help us shape our ideas into tangible products,” said Supriya, who is an instrumentation engineer and a senior business systems analyst at Specialized Bicycle Components in Columbus, Ohio. “The experience was truly a fusion of art and science.”

Babar loved the bootcamp so much, he’s already told his friends they should attend too.

“[METAL] is giving people experience that helps you grow with different skills. It can help you choose what you might want to do,” Babar said. He added he was surprised by how many jobs there are in metalcasting—jobs right in his backyard in Ohio’s robust manufacturing industry.

For now, Babar plans to take what he learned back to his STEM classes and robotics club at school. He’s still not sure how his career will evolve, but becoming an engineer feels more like a realistic pursuit than a distant dream.

“This definitely makes me want to do more engineering,” Babar said. “It showed me that I don’t have to have a desk job when I grow up. I could be doing something with my hands, I could be creating something. It opened up a new perspective.”

Ready to turn up the heat on your career? Register for our free online training then visit our events page to attend the next METAL bootcamp near you.

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From NFL to National Defense: Tim Johnson Tackles Helmet Safety in METAL Bootcamp

Retired NFL linebacker Tim Johnson knows how to deliver a hit—and he knows what it takes to stop the impact of one.

Johnson, a professional football player for more than 20 years, launched his career as NCAA Division 1-AA Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears and the Oakland Raiders, where he blocked a punt that advanced the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. Now retired, he’s an entrepreneur who’s supporting the National Football League – and the nation – with a new type of defense.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) have become a top concern for the NFL. In 2022, the NFL saw 18% more concussions than the year before, and 10% of TBIs in the U.S. are from sports and recreational activities. When the NFL kicked off the Helmet Challenge to enhance player safety, Johnson decided he had a new mission to tackle. He started the Head Impact Prevention youth football league in 2017 to create an inclusive, safer game for kids, but he was ready to find better ways to protect players. Professional athletes are not the only ones at higher risk for head injuries and their long-term effects. Between 2000 and 2019, almost 414,000 veterans sustained severe head trauma, making TBIs one of the most common wounds from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Even mild concussions can increase the chances of Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, dementia and seizures—and Johnson is determined to find a solution.

With his business H.I.P. MD, Johnson is developing a first-of-its-kind helmet for military personnel, first responders and athletes. He’s always had a natural instinct to defend, but watching fighter jets fly over NFL stadiums and being part of the league’s patriotism inspired Johnson to protect Team USA.

“We’re fortunate to play the game, but our war fighters put their lives on the line for their families and their country,” he said. “I learned a lot from the league, and I want to build a business to help our defense, our infrastructure and our communities. That’s the team I want to be on.”

Gearing up for his next big play in manufacturing, Johnson headed to METAL’s Ohio State University bootcamp to see how metal can be used to protect service members from blast impacts and ballistic materials like shrapnel.

“We want to put the war fighters first,” Johnson said. “The military is the most important entity in the world.”

Engineering a Winning Solution

Johnson’s H.I.P. helmet, the Brain Crown, is inspired by nature to be both strong and resilient. Its design, based on biomimicking, replicates animal traits that are essential to survival after a head-to-head collision or an enemy attack. By mimicking the horns on a ram, an armadillo’s armor and the protection of a woodpecker’s beak, the helmet distributes force from an impact around its structure, away from the skull and brain.

With a prototype in development, Johnson wondered if metal could be a critical missing piece. As a self-described “steel guy,” growing up in manufacturing towns like Fairfield, Alabama and Youngstown, Ohio, he was ready to melt some metal and find out for himself.

For four days, Johnson got a hands-on look at the possibilities of metal manufacturing. He cast a mini anvil engraved with “H.I.P. MD,” an aluminum mug, a bronze coin, and finally a creation of his own—a football on a pedestal that ironically resembles a helmet. The best part for Johnson was practicing every part of a pour: guiding the ladle, filling it with liquid metal, and carefully turning it over onto a mold to create something new.

“The hands-on participation was amazing,” Johnson said, adding that he also gained experience using CAD software to develop 3D mold designs. “It was a really thorough four days. If you’re looking for a metalcasting opportunity, this is the place to go.”

What stood out the most to METAL instructor Jason Walker was Johnson’s enthusiasm. Walker’s number one goal for METAL’s bootcamps is to introduce participants to manufacturing skills and experiences they won’t get in a classroom.

“Most engineering students graduate from universities having never seen a metalcasting or a rolling mill and they’ve never been in a machine shop,” said Walker, who serves as the Director of Materials and Process at The Ohio State University’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence. “I believe it makes them much better at their job, whether it’s engineering or not, to understand the process better.”

But the bootcamp isn’t just for students—it’s for anyone who wants to learn more about metalcasting. Walker invites everyone from high school students to manufacturing professionals and business owners like Johnson, even if they’ve never stepped foot inside a foundry before.

“All of this is helping to build a workforce and a country that is resilient and able to manufacture the products we need,” Walker said, which Johnson agrees will be critical to the future of H.I.P. helmets.

Training MVPs in Manufacturing

Johnson’s helmet prototype has been in development for five years. As he thinks about how to build, test and deliver a product that can protect the nation’s Armed Forces, he’ll need foundry-ready engineers.

“We need to figure out how to make something that’s tested and proven, and then we can go to market. We’re going to need people,” Johnson emphasized. “I’m really interested in learning about manufacturing, whether it’s additive or subtractive, and learning how to create jobs and opportunities for people.”

Eventually, Johnson would like H.I.P. MD to expand beyond helmets to shoulder pads and other body armor options for all professions and ages, from aerospace to youth sports. But first, Johnson needs to understand the processes, materials and teamwork that will make the Brain Crown a reality—and METAL’s bootcamp helped him do just that.

“The passion and the mission behind the business is driving it. It’s not a sale or a product—it’s saving the minds of our youth and protecting the future of sports and our war fighters,” Johnson said. “We want to make an impact in the world.”

Ready to explore what’s possible with metalcasting? Register for our free online training then visit our events page to attend the next METAL Bootcamp.