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.