Preparing for a Career in Virtual Manufacturing with E2M – Part 2
By: Bonnie Montalvo
Dec 28, 2011 | 3:06 pm
Welcome back to the Virtual Manufacturing Career series! Make no mistake: virtual Manufacturing isn’t a menial, dull factory job; it’s a a high-tech career that can really take you places!
Having the technical know-how to improve manufacturing processes is very noteworthy in a world constantly pushing for more and more efficiency and higher production levels. You can really make a difference for the American economy as a professional in this industry, so I ask that you seriously consider the following information about this exciting field!
The Virtual Manufacturing Automation Competition sparked questions about what opportunities are available to introduce students to virtual manufacturing and prepare them for a career in this emerging field.
Preparing for a Career in Virtual Manufacturing, Part 2
Naturally, a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science or Mechanical, Computer, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering is an important foundation because it develops critical programming and math skills. Additionally, courses in simulation are emerging in universities with a variety of applications depending on the engineering track. While I was an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech, I had the opportunity to take a simulation course in my department, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and apply those lessons to a senior design project where I modeled a conceptual package sorting facility in Automod.
Given that E2M/Polytron typically works in the consumer product markets, incorporating packaging studies into an engineering education will prepare students for a career similar to our System Analytics Engineers. Professional societies including the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IOPP) and Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) provide a variety of opportunities for packaging students, including scholarships and competitions. Also, many colleges offer packaging curriculums including Clemson University which offers a Bachelors of Science degree in Packaging Science.
Finally, an internship or co-op is an excellent opportunity to learn and apply industry applications for packaging science and virtual manufacturing before graduating. E2M/Polytron has a long standing co-op exchange with Georgia Tech.
If you or someone you know is ready to explore student opportunities in the world of automation, packaging, and virtual manufacturing while still in college, click on the links below and take the time to speak with university advisors and professors.
Reference Links:
Virtual Manufacturing Automation Competition: http://www.vma-competition.com/
Scientific America, Virtual Manufacturing Automation Competition: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=robot-box-stacking
IOPP Student Resources: http://www.iopp.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1738
PMMI Student Resources: http://www.pmmi.org/Education/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1066&navItemNumber=529
Clemson University Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences: http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/fnps/undergraduate/packaging_science_bs_degree/index.html
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