Manufacturing Engineer

Overview

Who is Manufacturing Engineer?

Manufacturing Engineering is an exceptional branch of engineering that is associated with investigating, analyzing and optimizing complex industrial, manufacturing and infrastructure systems. It is a thoroughly balanced combination of different fields of engineering such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, and industrial engineering along with an informed understanding of mechatronics, commerce, economics and business management.

A manufacturing engineer is a dynamic and skilled professional that works towards transforming raw materials into finished, new or updated products or systems in the most economic, efficient and effective way. These products or systems may be computer networks, machine tools, materials-handling equipment and even robots. Manufacturing engineering or industrial engineering (as referred to in some countries) aims to improve the production of an item, product or system through tweaking the product design or even developing better manufacturing processes.

The following article provides a more informed understanding of how to become a manufacturing engineer, what does a manufacturing engineer do and what degree do you need to become a manufacturing engineer.

Typical day at work

What does Manufacturing Engineer do?

The roles and responsibilities of a Manufacturing Engineer involve Developing manufacturing processes by studying the company product requirements; researching, designing, modifying, and testing manufacturing methods and equipment; conferring with equipment vendors.

The role of a manufacturing engineer is diverse and dynamic depending on the educational background, experience, skill set and area of specialization. Generally,  it comprises of the following tasks:

• Automate a manufacturing facility through computer integrated technology 
• Identify the most cost-effective material handling alternative 
• Establish a better facility layout alternative for a  manufacturing company
• perform cost-benefit analysis
• Design economic manufacturing processes to improve product quality
• Operate computer-aided design tools and software to design and produce products and systems
• Diagnosing faults in the product design and manufacturing process

Abilities & aptitude needed

What are the skills, abilities & aptitude needed to become Manufacturing Engineer?

To flourish in the profession of manufacturing engineering, a manufacturing engineer must possess certain required skills and inclinations in addition to an appropriate educational background. Aspirants should be exceptional problem solvers with strong communication skills and an analytical mind. Manufacturing engineers also operate in very demanding work conditions that need both individual and team project work, which is why candidates must possess leadership qualities, teamwork abilities, and the ability to perform effectively under pressure. Manufacturing engineers must contribute a considerable amount of mathematics, creative, imaginative, and logical ideas to their work, and hence applicants must demonstrate these characteristics to some level.

Courses

Which course I can pursue?