Advanced Manufacturing Engineers

Advanced manufacturing engineers use their knowledge of physics, mathematics, engineering, and other fields to design, integrate, and improve manufacturing products and systems and streamline and otherwise improve production processes. Their duties vary based on their educational training, engineering specialty, employer, and other details of their work.

Three-dimensional (3-D) printing is one example of advanced manufacturing. It involves the manufacturing of a three-dimensional solid object from a computer-generated file. The object is created by adding layer after layer of building material (e.g., rubber, plastic, metal, ceramic, glass, thermoplastic composites infused with carbon fibers and nanotubes, concrete, and even biomaterials) in precise geometric shapes until the product is finished. Many different types of advanced manufacturing engineers work in 3–D printing. For example, chemical and materials engineers work with materials scientists to develop and test 3-D printing materials and printing processes. Mechanical and hardware engineers design, test, and develop 3-D printing technology, and software engineers write the code that provides instructions to computer hardware. Industrial engineers research production processes and workers' activities to improve efficiency. Safety engineers create protocols and organize manufacturing plants (including industrial 3-D printing equipment) to ensure worker safety and the smooth operation of the facility.

Automation is another popular employment area for engineers in advanced manufacturing. Engineers study how technologies such as artificial intelligence (including machine learning), the Internet of Things, advanced sensors, data science, virtual and augmented reality, computer modeling, and advanced robotics can be integrated to improve manufacturing processes' productivity, efficiency, and accuracy.

Some advanced manufacturing engineers work with emerging technologies. For example, chemical and materials engineers are studying ways to create products that combine inorganic and organic materials for healthcare applications. Groundbreaking research in this realm has already occurred in nanomanufacturing, including developing antibody-based biosensors.