What is production engineering? 

Production engineering is the science of design, development, implementation, operation, maintenance, and control of all processes in the manufacturing of a product. A production engineer creates safe and efficient production processes. Production is similar to manufacturing but broader in scope. It refers to the processes and techniques that are used to convert raw materials or semi-finished goods into finished products or services with or without the use of machinery.

What does a production engineer do?

Production engineering is all about the products and their processes. Behind each product is a complex production line. A production engineer decides how a product is going to be made, what machines are going to make it and how it can be made as efficient and as safe as possible. As long as there is a process and a production line, the production engineer has to be there. 

A production engineer is responsible for operating and maintaining equipment in a factory or warehouse and preparing items for distribution. The job description of a production engineer involves assembling and checking product parts, ensuring that all machinery runs smoothly, and assisting in the shipment of items

Jobs for Production Engineers 

After successful completion of the program, the graduates can look for lucrative job scopes in various sectors including IT firms, MNCs, Production Engineering departments which allows them to showcase their intelligence and skills.

The job of a production engineer is to basically answer the question:

“how can this be produced in a better way?” 

It also depends on the type of production that an individual wants to do. A graduate can work in the oil or gas energy companies and help them to improve their processes and make things more cost-effective.

Reasons for working in Production/Manufacturing Industry

1. Contribution To The Economy

The manufacturing industry helps in order to support the global and national economies, as well as individuals and families.

Deloitte research has shown that manufacturing ranked among the most important industries in maintaining a strong U.S. economy and eight in 10 Americans believe U.S. manufacturing is important to maintain Americans’ standard of living. 

Research also shows that manufacturing has the highest multiplier effect of any other major sector.

Clearly, manufacturing is having a big impact on jobs, livelihoods and the economy. That’s something to be proud of. 

2. On The Cutting Edge

Manufacturing has always been on the cutting edge of technology. New technologies like automation, wearables, 3D printing, drones, and the IoT continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. How exciting and humble is it to be able to work with new technology before the public gets its hands on it. For all the tech heads in the industry, that is one of the best reasons to get up and go to work each day. It’s good to be ahead of the curve.

3. Exciting Sectors Of Work

For some, relaying details about their jobs may be met with disinterest and boredom. But that’s not the case for those in manufacturing who can regale friends about developments in the automotive industry, share the latest in food manufacturing with families over dinner, or tell neighbors about the new medicines they are processing. With so much excitement within the industry, you’ll have plenty of awesome information to share with those outside of it.

4. Increased Safety

A huge myth the industry has been fighting for decades is how unsafe manufacturing is. And for a long time, it absolutely was a high risk career path plagued by chemicals, machines, and other hazards. But we’ve come a long way. Robots are making our jobs safer, and technology like the Internet of Things and automation keeps us out of harm’s way. We are working smarter, and safer, than ever before.

5. Career Growth

Once you choose a sector to go into, there are plenty of options for your career path. From fabrication and welding to research and distribution, the possibilities seem endless. And as the baby boomer generation begins to retire, leadership opportunities will be available for the next generation of manufacturers to take the reigns. Manufacturing jobs offer a ton of entry level positions. Most companies offer on-site job training, which is perfect for recent graduates or those looking for a complete change from their day-to-day, so there is always room to grow and advance your career.

While a career in manufacturing may start out as an entry-level production role, there are other opportunities available in the industry. Remember, many companies prefer to promote from within.

6. Manufacturing jobs offer tons of entry-level opportunities.

Most manufacturing companies are willing to do on-the-job training and require no previous work experience. This is a great way to build your resume and develop technical abilities. You will also have the opportunity to learn many valuable and transferable skills, such as time management, team work, and problem-solving.

Not only does the manufacturing industry provide many foot-in-the-door opportunities, it provides many different areas for you to work in. From aerospace, food production, textiles, to pharmaceuticals, manufacturing spans the spectrum. You can choose to work in a field you’re passionate or curious about. 

7. There’s a lot of money to be made in manufacturing.

A common misconception is that manufacturing jobs don’t pay as much as other jobs, but that’s simply not true. These jobs often pay better than entry-level jobs in different industries. 

Manufacturing jobs also often offer plenty of overtime opportunities. It’s a great way to make some extra money on top of a steady income. Some companies also give monthly or quarterly competitive bonuses as well. 

Healthcare benefits and retirement plans are also common among manufacturing employers, making these jobs highly desirable.

8. Working in manufacturing keeps you active.

Compared to a desk job where you may spend the day sitting in one place, a manufacturing job can help keep you fit and stimulated. Many times, you’ll be performing a variety of job duties that may involve being on your feet, bending, stretching, lifting, etc. The physical aspect of manufacturing work not only helps keep you in shape, it can help keep the days from feeling boring.

That doesn’t mean every job in that sector requires you to be able to lift 60 or more pounds on a regular basis. Manufacturing is a large field with a wide range of positions. You might assemble items, move products, or even operate machinery. You can pick a job that has the level of physical activity you feel comfortable with. 

Scope of Production in India

India is an attractive hub for foreign investments in the manufacturing sector. Several mobile phone, luxury and automobile brands, among others, have set up or are looking to establish their manufacturing bases in the country.

With impetus on developing industrial corridors and smart cities, the Government aims to ensure holistic development of the nation. The corridors would further assist in integrating, monitoring and developing a conducive environment for the industrial development and will promote advance practices in manufacturing.

Click Here to read more about it.

Skills Required

1. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.Here’s how continuous improvement is used on production engineer resumes:

• Executed cost justification and implementation of new equipment, software and machinery for production or manufacturing floor as a part of a continuous improvement of the company.

2. Technical Support

Technical support or tech support are the services provided by any hardware or software company to users. They help in solving the technical difficulties the customers face with their products or services. Moreover, the tech support employees maintain, manage, and repair the IT faults. They are also responsible for resolving the network problems, installing and configuring hardware and software.Here’s how technical support is used on production engineer resumes:

• Provide technical support to maintain production capability, quality, and environmental compliance in a high purity polymer process.

3. Six Sigma Management

Sigma is the unit of measurement for standard deviation which is used to assess the variability in a given set of data. Here’s how sigma is used on production engineer resumes:

• Worked on identifying opportunities and realizing efficiency improvements and savings from previous efforts using Lean Six Sigma methodologies.
• Utilized Six Sigma methods to successfully analyze program failure initiatives and developed process improvement strategies for various suppliers.
• Assisted senior management in implementing Six Sigma and Quality improvement projects.

4. Production Process

The production process is a series of events and industrial activities that come into play when raw material are delivered onto the production facility for manufacturing. The process involves different steps of production from start to finish such as; research, design formation, design testing, product manufacturing, and assembly according to the design, product experimentations, and supply.Here’s how production process is used on production engineer resumes:

• Planned, directed, and coordinated manufacturing processes and the integration of machinery and equipment into manufacturing production processes.
• Developed production processes with continuous up gradation of technology and implementation of Lean and 6-Sigma concepts on various processes.

5. CAD

Here’s how cad is used on production engineer resumes:

• Utilized Pro E. 3D CAD software to model, simulate and analyze air-flow within production floor area for equipment placement optimization.
• Prepare 3D/2D CAD using CATIA child parts, sub-assembly and final product assembly drawings in concordance with Honda drawings.
• Draw and plot orthographic, isometric, and 3-D views using Auto CAD to depict functional relationships between components.
• Drafted and designed layouts of equipment and materials using computer design programs like Auto CAD and MS Excel.

6. Product Quality

Product quality is the basic element of a business. It means to add features in a product or service in such a way that it meets the needs and wants of the customers. Enhancing the product quality also means improve the goods from any existing defects to ensure customer satisfaction.Here’s how product quality is used on production engineer resumes:

• Investigated cost-saving measures reducing turn-around time and increasing product quality by eliminating duplication for four of the company’s key products.
• Developed, improved and sustained manufacturing processes in aide to increase production capacity, product quality and reducing cost.
• Performed process engineering duties relevant to daily production demands to meet maximum production and maintain product quality.

7. Cost Reduction

Here’s how cost reduction is used on production engineer resumes:

• Generated bills of materials, developed project budgets and recommended cost reduction initiatives including finding and communicating with vendors.
• Investigated and implemented cost reduction efforts (material and labor reductions) without sacrificing quality or system integrity.
• Developed cost reduction and quality improvement, scratch resistant material substitutions for lens and screen applications.

8. Engineering Support

Engineering support means providing assistance to different engineers working in the company. It enables them to complete their tasks effectively and timely. Engineering support revolves around diagnosing and resolving software and hardware problems. They also look for network issues and resolve them in a timely manner.Here’s how engineering support is used on production engineer resumes:

• Prevented delivery delays caused by obsolete and end of life parts by providing engineering support for existing/legacy products.
• Provide engineering support for manufacturing by addressing issues and theorizing improvement ideas for maximum machine efficiency.
• Provided engineering support by troubleshooting problem and implementing timely solution to maintain continuity of production flow.

10. R

R is a free software environment and a language used by programmers for statistical computing. The R programming language is famously used for data analysis by data scientists.Here’s how r is used on production engineer resumes:

• Applied statistical methods to manufacturing disciplines including X-bar and R charts, process capability studies and problem identification/solving activities.
• Maintain chemical tracking inventory system for chemicals reported under Tier II & Form R regulations.

Conclusion

The points discussed here are by no means the extent of what is possible within manufacturing. If you can think of something that gets done in the manufacturing of a part or product, there’s likely a job that directly correlates. Manufacturing continues to be a growing industry that shows promise for job growth and innovation. Whatever you do from now on, understand that Manufacturing has a wide array of job opportunities and experiences to offer you as the innovative engineer that you are.