Western Washington University · Bellingham, Washington
Manufacturing Engineering Technology, BS
What Is the Study of Manufacturing Engineering Technology?
Within a typical manufacturing organization, there are multitudes of machines performing many different functions on hundreds or perhaps thousands of different parts. Whether the finished product is an athletic shoe or a jet airplane, the logical set of events that take place to produce that product must be planned and conceived in advance. The location of each machine, the movement of a part or machine tool and the order of operations – even the machines themselves must be planned in detail. Day-to-day production problems must be solved.
A Manufacturing Engineering Technologist will help to solve the complex problems associated with manufacturing operations. Manufacturing Engineering Technologists work in teams with engineers, scientists and technicians to solve manufacturing related problems. Engineering Technology Programs are less theoretical than engineering programs and are more application or “hands-on” oriented. There are laboratory components to most Engineering Technology courses, where students learn to apply theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom to solve practical or application-based problems.
Why Should I Consider this Major?
Manufacturing engineering technology prepares engineering technologists who understand and can apply established scientific and engineering knowledge and methods in combination with technical skills of modern technology to support engineering activities. Career fields include development and testing of new products, computer-aided design and manufacturing, computer numerical control operations, process planning and tooling design, robotics, cost analysis, production supervision and management, marketing and technical support, production process control, manufacturing support, and technical sales and service.
The Manufacturing Engineering Technology degree program is accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
How to Declare:
Admission to the Manufacturing Engineering Technology major is a two phase process.
Students initially declare as pre-majors. Admission to full major is determined by academic performance as a pre-major. See the department’s website for details. Students should declare their major early and seek departmental advisement.
Coursework
Manufacturing Core: 75-79 credits
- ETEC 112 - Introduction to Engineering, Design & Graphics
- ETEC 113 - Introduction to Computer-Aided Design
- ETEC 220 - Introduction to Engineering Materials
- ETEC 224 - Applied Engineering Statics
- ETEC 225 - Strength of Materials
- ETEC 246 - Manufacturing Processes I
- ETEC 322 - Numerical Control Operations
- ETEC 325 - Manufacturing Process Planning
- ETEC 326 - Fluid Power
- ETEC 333 - Polymer Technology
- ETEC 344 - Industrial Quality Assurance
- ETEC 351 - Electronics for Engineering Technology I
- ETEC 352 - Electronics for Engineering Technology II
- ETEC 420 - Manufacturing Automation and Robotics
- ETEC 424 - Manufacturing Implementation
- ETEC 427 - Tool Design
- ETEC 444 - Data Analysis and Design of Experiments
- Technical electives: two classes (6-10 credits)*
Supporting Courses: 54 credits
- CHEM 121 - General Chemistry I
- CSCI 140 - Programming Fundamentals in C++
- ETEC 341 - Engineering and Society
- ETEC 422 - Manufacturing Project Definition
- MATH 245 - Statistics for Engineering Technology
- OPS 460 - Designing and Improving Operations
- OPS 461 - Project Management
- PHYS 161 - Physics with Calculus I
- PHYS 162 - Physics with Calculus II
- PHYS 163 - Physics with Calculus III
- One course from:
- MATH 124 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
- MATH 134 - Calculus I Honors
- One course from:
- MATH 125 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
- MATH 135 - Calculus II Honors
- One course from:
- COMM 101 - Fundamentals of Speech
- COMM 235 - Exposition and Argumentation
- *Technical electives:
- Two technical electives courses (6-10 credits) are required for the MET degree. At least one class must be a Processing course.
Processing Classes - must take one:
- ETEC 334 - Reinforced Plastics/Composites
- ETEC 338 - Injection Molding
- ETEC 426A - Advanced Computer Numerical Control - Surfacing and Contours
- ETEC 426B - Advanced Computer Numerical Control - Mill/Turn
- ETEC 426C - Advanced Computer Numerical Control - Hi-Speed Machining
- ETEC 426D - Advanced Computer Numerical Control - EDM
- ETEC 428 - Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory
Approved technical electives - must take one:
- ETEC 226 - Engineering Dynamics
- ETEC 335 - Tooling for Plastics Processing
- ETEC 346 - Manufacturing and Design
- ETEC 361 - Advanced CAD: Assembly & Design Mechanisms
- ETEC 362 - Advanced CAD: Surface Modeling
- ETEC 377 - Instrumentation
- ETEC 397 (when relevant)
- ETEC 425 - Machine Design
- ETEC 429 - Directed Research in Manufacturing
- ETEC 431 - Plastics Product Design
- ETEC 433 - Engineering Polymers
- ETEC 434 - Advanced Composites
- ETEC 497 (when relevant)
- MATH 204 - Elementary Linear Algebra
- MATH 307 - Mathematical Computing
- MATH 224 - Multivariable Calculus and Geometry I
- MATH 331 - Ordinary Differential Equations
- MGMT 311 - Introduction to Management and Organizational Behavior
- MGMT 313 - Teamwork Basics
- OPS 463 - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
- OPS 466 - Supply Chain Management
- OPS 467 - Global Operations Strategy
- OPS 468 - Manufacturing and Supply Chain Strategy
GURs:
The courses below satisfy GUR requirements and may also be used to fulfill major requirements.
- BCOM: COMM 101, 235
- QSR: CSCI 140; MATH 124, 125, 134, 135
- LSCI: CHEM 121; PHYS 161, 162, 163
Sample Careers
A Manufacturing Engineering Technologist can be involved in the development, design, analysis, planning, supervision or construction of the methods and equipment for the production of industrial or consumer goods. Companies that employ MET graduates include: The Boeing Company, Microsoft, Nike, Tempress, Fleck, Pacific Switch Systems, Alpha Technologies, etc.
Department
Contact
MET Program Advisor
Jeff Newcomer
ET 309, 360-650-7239
Eric.McKell@wwu.edu
Engineering Technology Chair
Todd Morton
ET209, 306-650-3380
Todd.Morton@wwu.edu