RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Multi tool sector

John:

You may be using the terms "engineer" and "machinist" as interchangeable,
when they are not. While I think that both fields will always needed as time
marches onward, I believe that many of the machinist's skills will be
implemented on computer based numerical control (I don't think that the
current state of the art has even scratched the surface of what can be
done), the ability to think straight and know how to design either the tools
or the products never diminishes. This would indicate that the number of
"master machinists" needed in the work supply will diminish as the "parts
handlers" increases. At the same time, the number of engineers required to
design all of the stuff that the factory makes will continut to rise even
though computers continue to make the engineer more productive.

Whether it's metal, plastic, or whatever, your ability to manually run the
machines will give you a good feel for how to design products that can
actually be made. That's something that an engineer without practical
experience has difficulty with.

-- Jerry Jankura
Strongsville, Ohio
So many toys, So little time....

| -----Original Message-----
| From: info.host@... [mailto:info.host@...]
| Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2001 4:00 PM
| To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
| Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Multi tool sector
|

|
| I'd be interested to know if engineering is heading the
| right way for me. I'm watching 400+ ship builders being made redundant at
| our local ship yard. Just next door Stone Manganese, the people
| who cast the
| biggest ship prop.s in the world, are balanced on closing. I'm remembering
| the man from the steel works telling me that "In a few years
| there is going
| to be a huge dept of metal workers".