APSC 100 FAQs - MANU

Overview Video

Please find a video providing an overview of Manufacturing Engineering here:

https://youtu.be/UBDVsIdwZyA

General

What is Manufacturing Engineering?

Manufacturing engineers oversee the production process from beginning to end – they design, operate and optimize advanced manufacturing environments, develop digital models for manufacturing processes, design and control manufacturing machinery, and manage the manufacturing environment.

What are examples of the typical types of work or tasks that someone in Manufacturing Engineering?

Manufacturing engineers work to design manufacturing processes and to optimize production costs and product quality, acting in supervisory capacity to provide strong technical guidance and overseeing production schedules. They are specialists in “making” products that customers want. They design factories, production schedules and quality systems to ensure that the products they make are economical, sustainable and safe.

Watch this video for more information on what a Manufacturing Engineer does:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0upDIESUIXg&list=PLJA_M82lqG9kHKwfHOJccWphxe_wvzzUx&index=5i

Program

What distinguishes Manufacturing Engineering from other engineering programs at UBC?

This program looks at the entire manufacturing process from concept and fabrication of individual mechanical parts through to product delivery. For example, when compared to APSC’s Mechanical Engineering program (MECH), the fundamental difference is that it focuses on the manufacturing of machine parts, as opposed to general machine design. Manufacturing includes elements from a variety of programs/disciplines including mechanical, electrical, and material and links them together within the context of manufacturing. The program is also highly unique in that there is no other program in B.C. training students for work in this area.

What are the typical courses that someone in Manufacturing Engineering takes?

After completing APSC engineering’s common first year, students in the manufacturing program will take courses in mechanical and materials engineering, electrical and computer engineering as well as specifically designed manufacturing engineering courses including manufacturing processes, production systems management, and industrial automation. Each year the program features a design course which will prepare students for a final Capstone design project in year 4. This program has been designed to meet accreditation requirements by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. The list of courses is available at:  https://manufacturing.engineering.ubc.ca/

What is a typical course load in Manufacturing Engineering?

The manufacturing program is designed to be completed in 8 academic semesters with an optional 16 months of Co-op work placement. The number of credits taken by students in manufacturing engineering in each year is approximately 40 credits. Students must complete 6 credits in Complementary Studies and 9 credits in Technical Electives.

What are examples of projects students work on in Manufacturing Engineering?

Students take a number of project based design course throughout the program as well as working on projects within other courses. Projects based on manufacturing processes (i.e. making things), automation (robotics), instrumentation (sensors), artificial intelligence and machine learning, programming/coding, production planning, and project management are typical examples.

Watch this video for more information on typical projects:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arm4Zhh0SYk&list=PLJA_M82lqG9kHKwfHOJccWphxe_wvzzUx&index=2

What kind of facilities do the Manufacturing Engineering students have access to?

Students have access to a range of brand new, state of the art manufacturing equipment including a metal casting furnace, 3- and 5-axis CNC machines, injection moulding machine, 3D printers, robotic arms, automation equipment, convection ovens, furnaces, thermoforming machines, composites processing equipment, mechanical test frame, infrared cameras, instrumentation, and a 3D scanner.

Watch this video for more information on facilities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9A9RW1QSSs&list=PLJA_M82lqG9kHKwfHOJccWphxe_wvzzUx&index=3

Watch this video for a MANU lab tour:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UGjGfDgVEg

Options

What options or streams are there in Manufacturing Engineering?

What options or streams are there in manufacturing engineering?

The program offers two specialization options to students:

1.      Technical manufacturing (Vancouver campus)

2.      Production management (Okanagan campus)

The two programs will run in parallel and in collaboration with each other.  It has been designed to provide students the same high quality experience at both campuses. Curriculum for years 1 through 3 have been designed as equivalent at both sites and students have the opportunity to direct their studies to either the technical aspects of production or production management in their final year.

Co-op

What co-op opportunities are there for Manufacturing Engineering students?

The co-op office has posted over 260 jobs in the Manufacturing Sector since 2017. Manufacturing engineering is a very practical, hands-on field that lends itself well to co-op positions both within B.C., Canada, and throughout the world.

Watch this video for more information on the co-op program for Manufacturing Engineering students:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idlL7dg5GXQ&feature=youtu.be

Career

What types of industries and jobs does someone in Manufacturing Engineering work in?

Given their ability to develop products, plan processes and optimize production environments, there are many excellent opportunities for manufacturing engineers across a variety of industries:

o  Transportation, aerospace, automotive and rail

o  Computer and electronics manufacturing

o  Production of components for clean energy and biomedical applications

o  Industrial and government research facilities

o  Government and regulatory agencies

o  Consultants in professional business services and educational services

Specific occupational opportunities include work as a Control and Implementation Specialist, Systems Analysis Engineer and Quality Control Specialist, among many others.

What is the job market like for Manufacturing Engineering?

Manufacturing engineering is undergoing a dramatic shift as a result of changes in technology, big data, and analytics. Consequently, the needs of today’s manufacturing industry are not the same as they were in the past. Our province is the 3^rd highest manufacturing employment centre in Canada (B.C. hires more than Alberta and roughly three times the number of people SK and Manitoba in this area). That said, our hiring numbers are lower than Ontario and Quebec, however these provinces have long benefited from a strong pool of talent, large number of local companies and proximity to the United States. Stats Canada data indicates there are 178,300 jobs in BC in the manufacturing industry. This represents a 2.2% growth from December 2017 to January 2018 and an overall 4.6% growth from January 2017.

For B.C. to continue to build on the strong foundation of the manufacturing sector and expand to meet the projected future needs of “Advanced Manufacturing,” we need to create a local talent pool to meet the demands of current and future industries. UBC’s new manufacturing engineering program is focused on preparing students to be that future.

Student Experience

What is it like to be a student in Manufacturing Engineering?

With an emphasis on project-based team learning, students will explore how robotics, digitization and new manufacturing processes such as 3D printing are transforming the manufacturing industry. The program combines both traditional and hands-on learning to give you practical and analytical skills needed to become a successful engineer.

Students in the manufacturing program will gain broad exposure to foundational engineering disciplines, and training across a range of major manufacturing processes and platforms, and instruction in production management and modern manufacturing practices, including newly emerging practices in digital modeling, virtual machining, additive manufacturing and composites.

Watch this video for more information on Student Experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8vwcreGvu0&list=PLJA_M82lqG9kHKwfHOJccWphxe_wvzzUx&index=4

What are the unique student experiences in Manufacturing Engineering?

This is the first program at APSC to provide students specific opportunities to take some of the courses simultaneously through use of video linked classrooms.