Manufacturing engineering is the science behind how a
business makes things. Manufacturing engineering or sometimes called production
engineering is the processes undertaken by engineers to plan the practices of
manufacturing; to research and develop tools, processes, machines, and equipment;
and to integrate the facilities and systems for producing quality products with
the optimal expenditure of capital. Manufacturing engineers may focus on New
Product Introduction (NPI) and/or the design and operation of integrated
systems for the production of high-quality economically competitive products, that
are often safer, faster, more cost-effective than previous derivatives or competitors
offerings.
This is achieved through using robots, automated machinery, material
handling equipment, machine tools and computer-aided design (CAD).
The manufacturing or production engineer's primary focus is
to turn raw material into an updated or new product in the most effective,
efficient and economical way possible. A 'product' is defined as an item that
has value added to it during the production process. Value is added by means of
processes such as forming, machining, joining, and assembly.
Manufacturing engineers often apply a range of continuous
improvement techniques and workplace organisational methodologies known as Lean
manufacturing or Lean production. “Lean”
principles aim at eliminating waste through the application of a set of lean
techniques. Key lean techniques include just-in-time (JIT), cellular layout,
line balancing, error-proofing, quality-at-the-source, 5S, visual aids, and
work standards. Other lean techniques include Single Minute Exchange Die
(SMED), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and Total Quality Management (TQM)
Tools. For sustainability, lean techniques application should take place in a
continuous improvement "Kaizen" mode.
These techniques and principles of improving overall
customer value are often combined with the rise of innovations in technologies
such as automation, robotics, computer vision and additive manufacturing.
Charlie Savitsky, Redline’s Contract & Interim Recruitment Consultant looks
at how technology has impacted the world of manufacturing jobs and how it will continue
to do so?
As Industry 4.0 continues to spread, forward-thinking
engineers will embrace the changes in digital technologies in order to provide
a faster service based on meeting consumer demands, thus increasing customer
loyalty and gaining market share.
Industry 4.0 — Automation
and digitalisation revolution
Industry 4.0 references the growing trend of automation
within the manufacturing engineering sector and is being described as the
fourth industrial revolution. In Japan and China, there already exists completely
unmanned and automated facilities. They have proved that the future of robotics
can revolutionise the manufacturing engineering industry in unprecedented ways.
Industry 4.0 typically consists of the following components:
·
Internet of Things (IoT)
·
Big data and analysis
·
Engineering simulation
·
Additive manufacturing
Each of these aspects can have a big impact on engineering
design and the future of manufacturing engineering.
IoT and Big Data
IoT uses sensor technology to connect the manufacturing
ecosystem through different machines. This allows for real-time communication
and transference of data and tracks operational performance. When manufacturing
facilities are connected to the internet, they can enable remote monitoring and
automation, bypassing manual checks.
While IoT offers communicative services, big data, analytics
capture and analyse data through all stages from design through to production. With
this, manufacturers can summarise large quantities of data regarding their
systems to innovate and increase their efficiency.
Both IoT and big data have multiple uses and can be utilised
to increase productivity and reduce the workload of the manufacturing
workforce. In addition, these technological advances speed processes and
increase production which allows companies to better meet consumer demands.
An example of this is the implementation of the computerised
maintenance management system (CMMS) which tracks system maintenance,
inspections and breakdowns. This lowers maintenance costs, leads to fewer
repairs and records an accurate, historical report of issues in the
manufacturing process.
Augmented and virtual
reality
It’s now possible to create extremely realistic, to-scale, 3D
physically printed, 4D animation and hologram engineering simulations. These
can speed up product design processes, reduce the number of iterations and
again, shorten the time to market. This leads to the creation of designs which have
greater precision and accuracy.
Advancements in computer science and IT have also led to
virtual reality (VR) being implemented in carrying out complex tasks. VR Goggles
can allow workers to see real-time written instructions and information
displayed on the lenses which can instruct them in completing complex tasks.
This is a big advancement from the CAD software most
manufacturers rely on for prototyping. Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual
Reality (VR) can aid not only manufacturing but also the research and
development (R&D) team, speeding research times by simulating numerous
possibilities and analysing the most viable methods.
Additive
manufacturing
A report has found that millennials and Gen Z look for customisation
in the products they purchase. With the increasing demand for mass
customisation, comes an increase in demand for streamlined manufacturing processes.
Additive manufacturing, which includes 3D printing, allows
small and medium items to be printed in full-scale industrial quantities. These
quantities can be in accordance with consumer desires and personalised without
the significant time and effort that would normally require.
3D printing allows for the mass-production of products that
are difficult to create with traditional manufacturing methods. They also
provide manufacturers with greater flexibility and save costs on production as
well as reduce speed to market. This technology, which is becoming more
affordable and accessible, can level the economic playing field and allow
smaller companies to innovate and grow.
How is this affecting
the workforce?
With new technology advances in manufacturing, there is a
greater demand for manufacturing engineers with
the right experience and skills who have the ability to adopt digital
technologies.
Manufacturers want to retain employees whose jobs may be at
risk – 58%
plan to re-skill existing employees to work in other parts of the business
and 54% plan to up-skill them to work in new job roles that investment in
digital technologies and techniques will create.
Almost a third of UK manufacturers expect some manufacturing
jobs to be lost over the coming five years as a result of either industry 4.0, artificial
intelligence and digital technologies. But more than half say they will
up-skill these workers to take the jobs which are more highly skilled with
better pay.
Businesses need to ensure they have a comprehensive
recruitment strategy to attract, develop and retain talent critical to their manufacturing
business in order to grow and innovate.
Manufacturing
engineering jobs with Redline
If you’re a qualified manufacturing engineer or production engineer looking to
elevate your career, apply to a variety of manufacturing
jobs with Redline recruitment.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for talented candidates to
fill your vacancies, let us help you in your search. We source, interview and
present only the best candidates for the job. Register a vacancy
with us or contact us for
more information today.
For more information on Redline Group's latest Contract & Interim jobs, please contact Charlie Savitsky on 01582
878805 or email CSavitsky@redlinegroup.com
Redline has undertaken research into the candidate offer to
acceptance ratio for many years. For a copy of our most recent research, and
how this may help you reduce “Offer declination”, please click here.