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by Robelius 2492 days ago
A topic I can comment on!

I got my degree in Manufacturing Engineering, and work in hardware engineering. Funnily enough, I’m writing this on a shuttle that left the factory today on my way to the hotel.

The go to for my undergrad was Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing [1]. It gives a surface level understanding and isn’t too dry most of the time. It’s an interesting book that you can just open up and learn something new in. It’s more of a reference book than the “narrative” books that were linked too. It’s probably what people think of as a “Manufacturing Book.”

Then there’s the Bible, Machinery’s Handbook [2]. This probably isn’t what most people are looking for in a manufacturing book. Think of it as more of a giant list of tables and suggestions when trying to actually build something. It’s the one book I’ll always have at my desk, regardless of what I’m working on.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Modern-Manufacturing-Mat...

[2] https://www.amazon.com/Machinerys-Handbook-Toolbox-Erik-Ober...

On mobile, so fingers crossed on the formatting!

2 comments

You're the 2nd other IE/manufacturing engineer I've found on the site!

I can second the recommendation for Fundamental Modern Manufacturing. This was required reading for my two hands-on manufacturing classes. They have so many manufacturing processes I hadn't heard of, and very good descriptions of them.

I am one, too, with specialization in high tech electronics manufacturing processes and control systems. To be honest, it's relatively straightforward to understand how manufacturing works... If you have access to a factory. The two areas that I find the most interesting are Operations Research (essentially, solving optimization problems) and Supply Chain Management, which seems like it'd mostly be OR, too, but in reality ends up being much more about how well you understand laws and regulations and can bend them to your will.
There are dozens of us. Dozens!
Hey awesome suggestions. Lets say I want to put some of this knowledge to work and get into the contract manufacturing businesss. How hard or impossible is it in the current climate or in general ?