With the ever-increasing demand for product production, the field of advanced manufacturing has also grown over the years in terms of career openings.
With the integration of advanced manufacturing and other disciplines such as engineering, advanced manufacturing degrees can easily lead one to other related professional fields.
What’s more, some jobs are entirely built upon advanced manufacturing, making it an integral component of such careers.
Robotics and nanotechnology are some of the fields that heavily rely on advanced manufacturing. The demand for smaller and lighter gadgets has lately had a ripple effect in the manufacturing sector, especially with the heavy reliance of nanotechnology.
In creating lighter and more efficient gadgets, there is a need to find and use lighter materials in manufacturing, some of which include forged aluminum and other aluminum alloys.
What Do Advanced Manufacturing Engineers Do?
Advanced manufacturing is a field that deals with the design and operation of various integrated systems. Professionals in this field are expected to produce high-quality products that are economically competitive.
Some of these integrated systems include robots, computer networks, materials-handling tools, and machine tools.
When it comes to their roles in the manufacturing industry, people working in this field can take part wholly or partly in any of the following tasks:
- Design systems and processes for circuit board manufacturing to cut on cost and increase quality.
- Automate chemical manufacturing facilities by use of computer integrated technology.
- Design and implement fabrication processes for Micro and Nano-devices.
- Identifying cost-effective materials in the production of parts in aerospace manufacturing companies.
Advanced manufacturing engineers can undoubtedly undertake so many crucial roles in various industries.
But what are some of the most notable career paths that advance manufacturing can lead one to?
Here are some industries associated with an advanced manufacturing degree you can end up working in if you graduate in manufacturing.
Robotics
Robotics and advanced manufacturing are two fields that enjoy a symbiotic relationship. Currently, robotics plays a huge role in manufacturing due to increased automation.
Let’s say modern manufacturing and robotics are inseparable.
Professionals with advanced manufacturing degrees have a proper understanding of the different ways that robots can be used in the manufacturing process.
Similarly, you can expect advanced manufacturing degree holders to know about basic robot construction and operation. This has come about due to the heavy involvement of robots in modern manufacturing processes.
With this type of vocation, you can as well go a notch higher by getting familiar with robot construction and operation since the strenuous processes of manufacturing have now been left for robots.
Quality Assurance and Control
While manufacturing products, quality always precedes any other parameters. Quality assurance may as well be a career path that anyone with an advanced manufacturing degree can follow.
With all the manufacturing knowledge gained in school, advanced manufacturing degree holders are well qualified at certifying the quality levels of products given the material used in the manufacture.
What’s more, their knowledge in the structure and science of materials is critical in the industry of quality assurance and control.
Apart from the detailed science and structure of materials, these professionals also have the necessary skills for data collection, sampling, analysis, and use of statistical software programs to come up with quality control programs as well as maintain them.
Aerospace Industry
Advanced manufacturing engineers can well land in the aerospace industry. The recent demand for lightweight materials in the manufacture of aircraft parts has led to an increase in the demand for advanced manufacturing degree holders.
Due to the cost-benefit experienced by airframe manufacturers, the demand for lighter and more efficient DOD parts also increased.
There has also been an increased demand for forged aluminum parts for both airplanes and helicopters.
Due to the efficiency and preference for these parts, manufacturing companies continue to partner with plane-making companies and even NASA for the manufacture of a space shuttle and airplane parts.
For instance, metal manufacturers have partnered with NASA on several occasions in the manufacture of forged parts for space shuttles. The idea of making parts for space shuttles makes obtaining a manufacturing degree much more appealing.
Medicine
Talking of medicine, you don’t expect to find advanced manufacturing degree holders in medical centers treating patients—certainly not.
However, the knowledge these professionals have regarding materials and machines can as well land them in hospitals and medical centers for the rest of their working years.
With an advanced manufacturing degree, an individual is well equipped with the knowledge of material such as metals and their alloys.
These graduates can, therefore, offer their knowledge of alloys and manufacturing experience to the medical industry. Particularly, the use of materials such as titanium in the manufacture of medical equipment has led to a blend of these two industries.
Further, the prominent use of prosthetic implants has also called for the input of advanced manufacturing degree holders due to the use of titanium as the primary material.
Energy and Power Generation Industry
Power generation is a field that is experiencing massive change, with organizations rallying for green and clean energy by the day, some of which include solar and wind energy.
The manufacture of parts to come up with wind turbines has particularly called for knowledge in advanced manufacturing due to the need for light materials.
The use of strong yet durable materials has also been adopted in wind turbine braking systems for durability, strength, cost-effectiveness, and corrosion–resistance.
To sum it up, advanced manufacturing is a degree program that can lead to multiple industries where they can enjoy a fulfilling career.
The application of advanced manufacturing knowledge has come in handy for most industries and you might end up directly or indirectly working for organizations such as medical centers, airforce, and others.