 Machinery
Manufacturing
 Related
Profiles of
Professionals
Industry
Overview
The
development and implementation of machinery was responsible for one of
the great advances in human history, the industrial revolution.
Machinery encompasses a vast range of products, ranging from huge
industrial machines costing millions of dollars to the common lawn
mower, but all machinery has one common defining feature: it either
reduces or eliminates the amount of human work required to accomplish a
task.
 Machinery plays a key role in the production of much of the
country's goods and services because nearly every workplace in every
industry uses some form of machinery. From the oil derrick that pumps
out oil to the commercial refrigerator in use by your favorite
restaurant, machinery is mainly responsible for the way we live today.
Thus while most people never use or even see the machinery that makes
their lifestyle possible, they use the products it makes every day.
The machinery
manufacturing industry sector contains seven more detailed industry
segments. Three of these make machinery designed for a particular
industry -- called special purpose machinery: agriculture, construction,
and mining machinery manufacturing; industrial machinery manufacturing;
and commercial and service machinery manufacturing. The other four
segments make machinery used by many different industries -- called
general purpose machinery: ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and
commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturing; metalworking machinery
manufacturing; engine, turbine, and power transmission equipment
manufacturing; and other general purpose machinery manufacturing.
 The
metalworking machinery industry makes machinery that forms metal when it
is in its molten state, as well as machinery that cuts or shapes it when
it is a solid. Although the growth of plastics has reduced the
prevalence of metals, an enormous variety of products have some metal
parts in them, all of which have to be precisely formed from the raw
metal. The same properties that make metal a desirable component -- its
strength and durability -- also make it a difficult material to form.
The specialized drills, grinders, molds, presses, and rollers needed to
form metal are made in this industry, as are the accessories used by
these machines. Metalworking machinery manufacturing has a
disproportionate share of the establishments that make up the machinery
manufacturing industry because many are small, averaging fewer than 20
workers.
 The
agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing industry
is made up of much larger establishments that produce some of the
largest and most sophisticated machines, as well as some common
household equipment. Examples of machines produced in this segment are
farm combines, which are large self-propelled machines that both harvest
and thresh grains at the same time, bulldozers and backhoes, equipment
used for both surface and underground mining, and oil and gas field
drilling machinery and derricks. This segment also makes lawnmowers,
leaf blowers, and other lawn and garden outdoor power equipment intended
for residential as well as commercial use.
The ventilation,
heating, air-conditioning, and commercial refrigeration equipment
manufacturing industry makes machinery that provides climate control for
residential and commercial buildings. In addition to heating and cooling
equipment, this industry makes air purification equipment, which is
increasingly common in new construction, as well as commercial
refrigeration equipment, which is used primarily for food storage.
 The
machinery used by firms in the service sector of the economy is made by
the commercial and service industry machinery manufacturing industry.
Machinery produced here includes the commercial versions of common
household appliances such as laundry equipment, coffee makers, microwave
ovens, and vacuum cleaners. Other large components of this industry are
manufacturers of automatic vending machines, non-electronic office
machinery, such as typewriters and mail sorters, non-digital cameras,
photocopiers, and machinery used to make optical lenses.
The industrial
machinery manufacturing industry makes machinery used in the production
of finished goods from raw materials. Wood, plastics, rubber, paper,
textiles, food, glass, and oil are among the materials processed by the
machinery made by this segment. It also makes machinery used in printing
and bookbinding, as well as in the manufacturing of semiconductors and
circuit boards.
 The
engine, turbine, and power transmission equipment manufacturing segment
includes a variety of machines that transfer one type of work into
another. Turbines use the energy from the motion of steam, gas, water,
or wind to create mechanical power by turning a drive shaft, which with
the use of gears, speed changers, clutches, drive chains, and pulleys --
all also made in this segment -- puts assembly lines and other
industrial machinery in motion. Turbines also can create electrical
power when attached to a generator. This industry segment also produces
diesel and other internal combustion engines and their components that
are used to power portable generators, air compressors, pumps and other
equipment. his industry segment also produces diesel and other internal
combustion engines and their components that are used to power portable
generators, air compressors, pumps and other equipment. Aircraft and
motor vehicle engines are made by the aerospace
product and parts manufacturing and motor vehicle and parts
manufacturing industries, respectively.
 The
last segment -- other general purpose machinery manufacturing --
includes manufacturers of miscellaneous machines used primarily by
manufacturing industries, including pumps and compressors, welding and
soldering equipment, and packaging machinery. It also makes a variety of
materials handling equipment used in manufacturing but also by a wide
variety of industries, including industrial trucks and tractors,
overhead cranes and hoists, conveyors, and many types of equipment that
use hydraulics. This industry segment also manufactures other machinery
that consumers are likely to encounter, such as scales and balances,
power-driven handtools, and elevators, escalators, and moving walkways.
The wide range of
products made in the machinery manufacturing industry means that it
includes establishments of all sizes. In general, however, the larger
and more complicated the machinery is, the larger the manufacturing
facility must be to produce it. Thus the agriculture, construction, and
mining machinery and the ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and
commercial refrigeration equipment sectors tend to have large
establishments, while the metalworking machinery segment has the most
small ones.
Working
Environment
Production workers in the machinery manufacturing industry generally
encounter conditions that are much improved from the past. New
facilities in particular tend to be clean, well lighted, and temperature
controlled. Noise can still be a factor, however, especially in larger
production facilities.
Employment
 The
machinery manufacturing industry provided 1.1 million wage and salary
jobs in 2004. Employment was relatively evenly distributed among all
segments of the industry. There were about 32,000 establishments in the
industry; more than half employed fewer than 10 workers. However, 37
percent of workers were employed in large establishments of 250 workers
or more.
Although machinery
manufacturing jobs are located throughout the country, certain states
account for the greatest numbers of jobs. About a third of all jobs were
located in the Midwestern States of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio,
and Wisconsin. Populous states such as California, Texas, New York, and
Pennsylvania also had large numbers of jobs.
Degree
Paths into this Industry
It takes a wide variety of occupations to create and produce a machine.
Before any work can begin on the production of a particular piece of
machinery, an extensive process to create and test the design must be
completed. This process can take up to several years, depending on the
complexity of the machinery.
 The
design process takes place under the oversight of Engineering managers.
Much of the design work is done by engineers, who first develop a
concept of what a new machine could do or how an existing one could be
improved. Starting with this concept, they use computer modeling and
simulating software to design the machine and test it for performance,
cost, reliability, ease of use, and other factors important to both
producers and consumers of the final product. Mechanical engineers
design the moving parts of the machine, such as the gears, levers, and
pistons in engine and hydraulic systems. They also direct the work of
mechanical engineering technicians, who run tests on materials and parts
before they are assembled into the final product. For machines with
complicated electric or electronic systems, electrical and electronics
engineers also assist in the design and testing process. Industrial
engineers determine how best to allocate the resources of the factory --
both workers and equipment -- for optimal production.
Computer control
programmers and operators manage the automatic metalworking machines
that can mass produce individual parts. They also write programs based
upon the specifications of the part that define what operation the
machine should perform.
Sales representatives
and sales engineers often work together to market the company's machines
to potential buyers, demonstrating how the machine may reduce costs or
increase sales. They also explain how to operate the machine and answer
buyer's questions. Sales engineers in particular use their technical
background to advise clients on how the machine can best be applied in
their individual circumstances and to suggest custom designs or
modifications to the equipment as needed.
Industry
Forecast
 Wage
and salary employment in the machinery manufacturing industry is
expected to decrease 13 percent over the 2004-14 period, compared with a
14 percent increase for all industries combined. All segments of the
industry are expected to experience some employment declines.
Despite the decline in
employment projected for this sizeable industry, a significant numbers
of job openings will become available because of the need to replace
workers who retire or move to jobs outside of the industry.
The main factor
affecting the level of employment in the machinery manufacturing
industry is the high rate of productivity growth. A second factor
expected to cause employment declines in machinery manufacturing is
growth of parts imports.
 Demand
for machinery is expected to remain strong. Machinery is important for
all industries because it boosts their productivity, and advances in
technology will make machinery even more efficient and thus more
desirable. Demand for machinery is highly sensitive to cyclical swings
in the economy, however, causing employment in machinery manufacturing
to fluctuate. During periods of economic prosperity, companies invest in
new equipment, such as machinery, in order to boost production. When
economic growth slows, however, many companies are reluctant to purchase
new machinery. These changes in demand cause machinery manufacturers to
replace fewer workers who leave or even lay off some workers.
Employment in
professional and management occupations will experience smaller declines
relative to other occupations in the industry; engineers in particular
will experience very good employment opportunities, as they are
responsible for increasing innovation and competitiveness in the
industry.
Related
Degree Fields
Professional
Associations
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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