How it's Made - Live!

When I was a strapping young man preparing for college (a long, long time ago) I wasn't aware of the job that a Manufacturing Engineer performed. Then again the only machine around way back then was something they were calling "the wheel" and no one was sure that would catch on. 

If you've seen the wonderful television show 'How it's Made' and a couple of other similar programs you have been offered insight to the manufacturing processes used to create the things that surround us. I have a longtime friend who designs tooling in aerospace using amazing technologies and in my years working in the Autodesk commercial sales team I had many opportunities to admire the ingenuity of the craft.

Recently I had an opportunity to work with one of the fines Manufacturing Engineering Technology departments in the U.S. at Purdue. Programs like this prepare people to use a broad array of the latest technologies available to manufacturers. While "multi-disciplinary" education is a theme for discussion at conferences and in the halls of academia; understanding materials, process, electrical controls, hydraulics, pneumatics, as well as design and manufacturing software is just part of the job for a Manufacturing Engineer.

If you're looking for a major or a change in career, you're intrigued by how things are made and enjoy the challenge of finding a way to improve on something that is already working well, then take a look at the programs like the one at Purdue. You may just find yourself telling amazed listeners "How it's made".