For as long as I can remember, it has been my dream to be a mechanical engineer. It is only natural, because I belong to a family full of engineers; however, what truly sparked my interest was my father’s machine shop. It was there that I witnessed manufacturing engineering firsthand.
The more hours I put into the business, the more I wanted a mechanical engineering degree. My sister, who was working toward a mechanical engineering degree, would mention some of the things she was learning in college at the time, and I was eager to learn that material myself. My father, a chemical engineer, is the most inspiring person in my life. He has had more experience with all things mechanical than I could ever imagine, and his wisdom is invaluable to me. I can only hope to one day match his level of ambition and success.
As I moved to the University of Missouri for mechanical engineering, I finally felt like my dreams were becoming a reality. Not only was I excited for the classes, but also for the campus itself. I had great memories visiting my siblings there when they were attending. Through my freshman interest group, I was introduced to several likeminded individuals I got closer to throughout the year, and I was informed of all the engineering events happening. We had several classes together, and having friends that I could study with was invaluable. I was enrolled in some tough, but interesting, classes. Much of my free time went into practicing and solving problems for my chemistry and math classes. “Intro to Engineering” gave me more insight into the engineering world, and I could not wait until the next lecture when I could hear more. However, jumping right into “Calculus 3” during my first semester in college proved difficult for me. I found the material fascinating, but it felt like a substantial leap from my calculus classes in high school. After I made it through the initial semester and had some general classes finished, I took more engineering-oriented classes, with the most prominent being “Statics.” This class combined and executed some of my favorite topics and much of it went hand in hand with “Physics 1” that I was taking at the time as well. “Intro to CAD” introduced me to SolidWorks, and I found that I enjoy design more than I initially thought. I really look forward to more classes like these in the coming semesters, and I am especially excited to work with SolidWorks more.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 did affect my college experience; however, I am fortunate that it was not to a large degree. There were a few classes I had to take online, which proved more difficult to comprehend. It was almost worse when a professor for an in-person course had to go into quarantine and the class resumed online for the time being. In this scenario, there were less resources available, and lectures became more difficult to follow. Luckily, all my classes for next semester are in-person, and more events and opportunities are available as COVID-19 is impacting my life less.
I am so incredibly grateful for receiving this scholarship from the SME Education Foundation. SME’s contributions have given me the opportunity to inch ever closer to my goals, which I cannot thank them enough for. Not having to worry as much about college financially has made my life much less stressful.
My freshman year was not what I was expecting, but it has left me wanting to learn more about engineering. I know mechanical engineering will be extremely valuable in my desired career, and I look forward to diving deeper into the world of engineering in the coming years. I have met so many wonderful people who have helped me over the last several months, and I have participated in so many eye-opening opportunities that I never imagined I would be a part of. I am thankful for my family, who have been a wonderful source of support and advice. And once again, thank you so much to SME for the opportunities the scholarship has given me.
SME and the Rapid News Group welcomed thousands of members of the additive manufacturing community back for another successful installment of the industry’s largest and most influential event, RAPID + TCT 2022, May 17-19, at Huntington Place in Detroit.
The 31st edition of the three-day event featured the latest in 3D-printing technology from the industry’s leading product and service providers, a full schedule of speakers—including three keynote presentations and several panel presentations in the SME ZONE theater through industry partners and SME Technical Communities. Attendees participated in RAPID + TCT 2022 in-person and virtually through the RAPID + TCT Digital Experience—from 42 states and 38 countries. In the exhibit hall, AM companies from all over had products and machines on display, including 3D Systems, Desktop Metal, EOS, Formlabs, HP, Massivit, Nexa3D, Stratasys, Thermwood, and many more.
RAPID + TCT 2023 will take place May 2-4, 2023, at McCormick Place in Chicago. To learn more about the event, visit rapid3devent.com.
More than 75 percent of respondents to a recent survey agreed smart technology would increase their company’s competitiveness, but only half indicated their company would be willing to invest in smart initiatives. The 2022 Smart Manufacturing Market Survey, administered to more than 250 manufacturing personnel by SME and CESMII (the Smart Manufacturing Institute), revealed a mismatch between the importance of smart automation technology and actually staffing and funding the digital transformation to its adoption.
The survey results were released at Smart Manufacturing Experience 2022, June 7-9, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, an in-person event featuring more than 60 leading manufacturing companies spotlighting the latest transformative technologies.
The survey identified three key findings that can help SME, CESMII and other event partners to accelerate digital transformation for SMMs. These include:
Smart manufacturing is important to companies, but adoption is moving at a slow pace. Two-thirds of companies are in some way implementing a smart manufacturing strategy, yet only 40 percent have dedicated staff members to its implementation. In fact, 77 percent believe smart technology will increase competitiveness for their organizations, but only half said their companies were willing to invest in smart initiatives.
Respondents view the role of consortia and nonprofits as a means of education and training resources to the industry on smart manufacturing topics. Activities such as Smart Manufacturing Experience, and nonprofit organizations such as SME, CESMII, AMT, and AMI are among the top resources consulted for information on digital transformation to smart technology. Three-quarters of those surveyed spend an average of more than $2,000 per person annually for structured employee training through consortia and nonprofits, which respondents consider the most important benefit of these sources.
Opportunities exist to help manufacturers with the smart manufacturing adoption process. The survey results indicated a need for smart manufacturing technology vendors to provide greater assistance at affordable prices.
CESMII and SME have been tracking the smart manufacturing market for more than five years with quantitative and qualitative primary research. For more information about the 2022 Smart Manufacturing Market Survey, and to review either an executive summary or a data summary of its findings, visit cesmii.org/smart-manufacturing-sustainability-study.
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