The Reasons Why Engineers Should Learn Machining Skills
In today’s manufacturing industry, having machining skills can be a big advantage for engineers. While engineering programs teach design, analysis, and problem-solving, hands-on machining skills are often lacking in academic curriculums. However, machining capabilities allow engineers to prototype, modify, and troubleshoot designs far more effectively. Engineers who know their way around machine shop equipment better understand manufacturing processes, part fabrication, and equipment capabilities. For those reasons and more, acquiring machining skills should be a priority for any student or working engineer looking to advance their career.
In this in-depth guide, we will explore the key reasons why machining skills are valuable for engineers across manufacturing industries and disciplines. We will look at how machining knowledge benefits engineering work and provides useful crossover skills. Let’s examine the top reasons engineers should take time to learn machining fundamentals and techniques.
Bridging the Gap Between Design and Manufacturing
One of the biggest advantages of machining skills for engineers is bridging the gap between design and manufacturing. Engineering programs focus heavily on CAD software, simulation, prototyping, and analysis. However, there is often a disconnect when it comes to understanding manufacturing processes and communicating with machinists. Learning hands-on machining gives engineers insight into the capabilities and limitations of different manufacturing techniques. Things like machine shop equipment, fixturing, tooling, speeds, and feeds, and work holding become familiar.
With machining experience, engineers can design parts knowing exactly how they will be made. Simple tweaks like changing a sharp corner to a small radius or adjusting hole spacing can make a part drastically easier to machine. Machining skills allow engineers to design for manufacturability, assess production times, and reduce machining costs. The practical knowledge enhances an engineer’s ability to collaborate with technicians and shop staff to turn concepts into reality.
Faster and Cheaper Prototyping
Another benefit of machining skills for engineers is the ability to rapidly prototype design concepts without waiting weeks for external shops. Having machining capabilities in-house allows engineers to take a concept from CAD to prototype to analysis much quicker. Machining iterative prototypes in plastic, wood, or foam are useful for proof-of-concept models and early testing. With CNC mills and 3D printers, engineers can quickly create working prototypes to troubleshoot fit and function before investing in tooling for metal components. Speeding up the prototyping process results in faster R&D cycles, reduced costs, and accelerated time-to-market.
Adapting and Troubleshooting Designs
Engineering designs rarely work perfectly the first time, and hardware often requires tweaking and adjustments after initial testing. With machining knowledge, engineers can quickly modify existing parts as needed to solve problems. Instead of waiting days for an outside shop, engineers can make subtle design changes, drill extra mounting holes, or chamfer an edge to clear hardware in just hours. The ability to adapt parts and troubleshoot issues through machining saves enormous amounts of time and cost while testing concepts. It also speeds up potential design changes between prototyping and final production.
Understanding Part Fabrication and Tolerances
Machining experience gives engineers a practical understanding of the machining process variables that affect tolerances, finishes, and dimensions. Factors like tooling, speeds, feeds, work holding, fixturing, tool deflection, and more impact fabrication. Engineers who have produced parts in a machine shop understand the capabilities and limitations of processes like milling, turning, drilling, sawing, grinding, and more. They will design parts that can actually be machined to the required tolerances based on accessible machine tools. Machining skills allow realistic assessment of surface finishes and the cost tradeoffs to achieve tighter tolerances.
Improved Communication with Technicians
Another benefit of hands-on machining for engineers is the ability to collaborate and communicate more effectively with shop technicians. After running machining equipment and production processes themselves, engineers better understand the technology and terminology used by machinists and technicians. With shared practical knowledge and machining vocabulary, engineers can provide clear instructions and feedback when prototyping or doing short production runs. The insights allow engineers to design parts with the machine shop capabilities in mind and actively participate in solving manufacturing issues.
Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Engineers who have machined parts understand the nuances of fixturing, workholding, tooling selection, and machine parameters. This hands-on perspective sparks ideas for how to improve designs for faster and simpler machining. Innovative approaches can lower costs, reduce secondary processing, and minimize setups. Familiarity with machining also helps engineers brainstorm new fixtures, workholding methods, and creative tooling to improve manufacturing operations in general. The hands-on experience leads to a mindset of continuous improvement for both part designs and production processes.
Machining Soft Materials and Plastics
While machining is often associated with metals, many machine tools can also effectively cut and shape soft materials like plastics, composites, foams, and wax. Engineers who learn machining can rapidly prototype plastic parts for proof of concepts without molds or casting. Machining also supports composite layup by cutting and drilling carbon fiber, G10, fiberglass, and other composite materials. Engineers familiar with machining equipment can take advantage of those capabilities for faster and cheaper prototyping.
Making Custom Test Fixtures and Lab Equipment
A machine shop is useful for engineers to fabricate customized lab equipment, fixtures, and tools beyond just prototyping parts. With access to mills, lathes, saws, and other tools, engineers can machine custom mounts, brackets, and structures for unique test setups. They can quickly modify off-the-shelf components and parts to create novel laboratory equipment. Engineers can also make jigs, fixtures, assembly tools, and production aids as needed for R&D projects. In-house machining capability is invaluable for adapting lab hardware, instruments, and components.
Performing Equipment Maintenance and Repair
When working with manufacturing equipment and tooling, being able to machine and modify parts for maintenance and repair is invaluable. A machine shop allows in-house fabrication of replacement components, upgrades, and fixes for existing tooling and laboratory infrastructure. The ability to repair fixtures, modify grippers, resurface worn parts, and make replacement components reduces downtime and maintenance costs. Instead of contracting external shops and waiting weeks, engineers can machine solutions in-house to keep equipment operating. The skills and access provide huge time and cost savings over the lifecycle of manufacturing and test hardware.
Improving Technical Knowledge
Mastering machining equipment and techniques broaden an engineer’s overall technical skillset and knowledge. Operating manual equipment like lathes, mills, saws, drills, and grinders trains spatial reasoning, manual dexterity, focus, and problem-solving. Programming CNC equipment develops G-code skills and a deeper understanding of automated multi-axis machining. The broad experience will make engineers more adaptable, and creative thinkers. Exposure to machining also builds familiarity with practical manufacturing principles, material properties, precision techniques, gaging, fixturing, and quality control.
Job Market Advantage
Another reason for engineers to learn machining is the job market advantage. While engineering programs focus on design theory and analysis skills, hands-on experience is increasingly valued by employers. Companies recognize the benefit of having prototype and machining capabilities in-house to accelerate product development. Job seekers with machining experience on their resume stand out for many quality, manufacturing, and R&D engineering roles. In interviews and during the hiring process, machining skills demonstrate a job candidate’s hands-on abilities and passion for engineering. The practical knowledge helps early career engineers be more immediately productive after being hired.
Access to Skills Training
For engineers motivated to pick up machining skills, the resources are available. Many trade schools and community colleges offer introductory courses on manual machining, CNC programming, CAD/CAM, and machine shop safety. Attaining basic machining competence is feasible without becoming a full-time machinist. Some universities even incorporate machining labs into their engineering curriculums to provide hands-on experience. Manufacturers may also provide on-the-job training for motivated new hires looking to expand their capabilities. With access to part-time classes, training programs, and apprenticeship opportunities, engineers can develop useful machining and fabrication skills over time.
Machining is an Essential Engineering Skill
Across nearly every engineering discipline from mechanical to electrical, biomedical, aerospace, and beyond, hands-on machining skills provide immense value. The benefits range from faster prototyping to improved designs, better collaboration, equipment maintenance capabilities, and more innovation. While many engineers currently rely on outside machine shops during product development, acquiring in-house machining skills should be a priority.
Machining capabilities allow companies to take products from concept to prototype to production faster and at lower cost. For individual engineers, practical machining experience provides job market advantages and a broader skillset. Hands-on machining knowledge complements theoretical engineering education with tangible fabrication skills. By taking machining training courses and getting experience with a range of shop equipment, engineers can become more creative, adaptable, and versatile. There are many routes to pick up machining competency while working full-time by taking night classes or apprenticeships. Given the immense benefits, developing machining skills should be considered an essential expertise for any successful engineer’s education.
Summary
In summary, acquiring machining skills provides enormous advantages for engineers by bridging the gap between design and practical manufacturing. The hands-on ability to machine parts faster and cheaper in-house improves prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and adaptation of designs. Machining experience enhances engineers’ understanding of part fabrication, tolerances, and equipment capabilities while improving communication with technicians. The broad competency promotes innovation, maintenance abilities, and technical knowledge. For today’s manufacturing industries, machining is an essential expertise that complements an engineering educational background. Taking the initiative to develop practical machining skills through trade courses, training programs, and on-the-job experience will equip engineers for more creative, adaptable, and successful careers.