As we journey deeper into the age of Industry 4.0, characterized by sweeping digital transformations, technological advancements are creating unprecedented opportunities for boosting productivity, enhancing profitability, and developing more sustainable products and services. While these developments open up exciting prospects, there's a growing concern from our Design and Manufacturing clients about the shortage of skilled workers ready to handle emerging technologies, software tools, and workflows.
At this critical juncture, many industry leaders are pondering: *Where will we find these workers, and what skills must they possess?*
To address these pressing questions, Autodesk teamed up with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for a comprehensive research initiative. This effort included an extensive academic literature review, in-depth phone interviews, and surveys conducted across the US, Canada, and the UK.
Today, the *Future of Manufacturing white paper report* has been released, offering valuable insights from both industry experts and academics. These perspectives help pinpoint the future workflows and skills necessary for mechanical engineers, manufacturing engineers, and CNC machinists over the coming decade.
Ashley Huderson, Ph.D., ASME's director of engineering education and outreach, remarked: "We had to reflect deeply on what lies ahead. What are the future jobs, and what skills will they demand? Most importantly, how and who do we train for roles that don't exist yet?"
Watch: Transforming Manufacturing Education
Essential Changes to Three Roles in Industry 4.0
Over the next decade, the manufacturing sector will experience significant shifts driven by digital transformation and role convergence. While the three roles we examined will evolve differently, our study revealed a consensus among academia and industry regarding the increasing importance of design for manufacturing (DfM), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) across these roles.
Notably, 90% of survey participants agreed that fostering students' DfM knowledge and skills is the most impactful way for academia to cultivate the future manufacturing workforce.
Here are some of the anticipated changes in each role over the next five to ten years:
Mechanical engineers will continue refining engineering designs and become more engaged in implementing manufacturing strategies and analyzing production data to enhance design for manufacturability. This means they'll need practical knowledge throughout the entire manufacturing process. The survey showed that 80% of academics agree that applying technologies like generative design will be a crucial skill for this role.
The manufacturing engineer position will grow increasingly interdisciplinary, blending skills with both mechanical engineers and CNC machinists. Their focus will broaden from just manufacturing processes to overseeing overall production operations and analyzing global systems, including machining tools, robotics, and additive manufacturing facilities.
Industry insiders believe that human-robot interactions will rise by 72%, and automation will increase by 74% for this role.
CNC machinists' roles will transform significantly, moving from mere operators to engineering technicians programming CNC machines. Over time, they'll assume additional manufacturing engineering duties. Among the three roles, this one is expected to change the most.
Machinists will need to acquire new competencies in AI/ML for production, five-axis machines, additive manufacturing, and hybrid manufacturing. They will also be expected to collaborate more closely with engineering teams and engage more with upstream processes such as design, necessitating greater familiarity with CAM software.
Collaboration Across Roles is Key
Our research highlighted widespread agreement on the need for greater interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, as well as with machinists and other external parties. This is largely due to the fundamental requirement to adopt a system-wide approach to product development. More than 65% of small-to-medium manufacturers believe collaboration between the three roles will intensify.
This enhanced collaboration will necessitate better communication and group problem-solving as new workflows emerge and existing ones converge. Cloud collaboration platforms that eliminate geographical barriers and unite teams in innovative ways will enable all three job functions to work more efficiently.
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Transforming Education for the Future of Manufacturing
While these insights are compelling, they also highlight the gap between where the industry is headed and the current content of academic curricula. With business pressures accelerating manufacturing's shift to Industry 4.0, academia should align with these trends as swiftly as possible.
As a former educator, I understand the complexity of this challenge. Prior to joining Autodesk, I taught mechanical engineering at the University of Warwick's School of Engineering, where I led curriculum development and instruction.
I witnessed firsthand the hurdles faced in manufacturing education. Educators are tasked with equipping students for emerging technologies while still teaching foundational concepts and meeting accreditation standards—all within the same timeframe.
Fortunately, our research uncovered some positive developments and promising recommendations for educators. For instance, respondents concur on the need for business leaders to support education in curriculum development. There's also shared interest in reducing 'time-to-talent' by integrating real-world contexts and hands-on experiences.
In addition to introducing new skills in the classroom, educators should allocate time for industry-recognized certifications for modern software, machines, and workflows. Interestingly, 86% of surveyed academics favor less reliance on traditional degrees and welcome more specialized certifications developed in collaboration with industry.
Furthermore, 84% of all survey respondents believe employers and academia should jointly create new certification programs tailored to employer needs. And 91% desire new opportunities for long-term internships and cooperative education programs.
Onward to Industry 4.0
A workforce armed with valuable skills will benefit not only the manufacturing industry but also improve working conditions for employees, enhance consumer satisfaction, and promote more sustainable practices to mitigate environmental harm.
Together, we can ready the next generation for the thrilling roles awaiting them in Industry 4.0.
Head here to learn more about the Future of Manufacturing report
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