You're starting out as a Manufacturing Engineer. What's the most common mistake you could make?

Not spending the right amount of time in the floor and really understanding the process (it is a must to speak with the operators). Assuming that work instructions are correct, and the customer expectations are properly reflected in the quality documents.

The Engineer is making a grave mistake when he does not take into account the user experience feedbacks for implementation of a new initiative, particularly from the experienced production technicians/operators. Manufacturing engineering is basically a design thinking cycle as follows: 1. Empathize - Understanding people (This is where insights from your most experienced technicians/operators come into the context) 2. Define - Consolidate the insights and outline user problem 3. Ideate - Generate ideas to solve the problem 4. Prototype - Create a prototype which is a representation of the idea 5. Test - Experiment the prototype (Executed by the experienced technicians/operators)

Voice of Customer is important to understand early and often in programs to develop metrics with your team that lead to the highest yield, and on-time delivery resulting in highest customer satisfaction. This is also an opportunity to build internal teamwork!

Not understand the role and responsibility well in carry out given task, may only follow suite what the senior is doing to complete the task

In my experience l have found that hindrances to the production process occurs when you ignore the existing systems and ignoring input from the operator.The operator is the most experienced individual in the production line . Being on the floor and getting a hands on approach assists in not destabilising systems therefore improving where one fills it will improve.Continuous improvements also assist the production process and improve quality of the product thus enhancing customer satisfaction.

Don't limit the "teamwork" to "other engineers", that will limit your ability to gain information. The best advice I ever received was listen to technicians, buyers, production control personnel, etc. to see and understand what they see. They live in their realm EVERY day. So they are one of your best sources of information to help you get to the root cause of a problem, and can help solve the problem you are being asked to solve.

Interdepartmental communication and procedures that are cross disciplinary ensure that all stakeholders have a seat at the table. Siloed departments make decisions that can affect business negatively by not taking into consideration the effects that may be felt in various capacities.

Study SOPs, work station arrangements, QC processes. Go with your factory partners to visit their suppliers and understand the different materials and manufacturing technologies. Learning Chinese made me want to spend more time inside factories. Learn about 6D reports, Six Sigma, DFMEA, and ISO. Think about product stewardship, sustainability and reducing waste. Watch packaging testing. Look for fallout on a manufacturing line. Make yourself a skill set list and go work on tasks that can help you build your experience. Inside of a company, our business colleagues usually have back-to-back meetings planned but for those of us that will be visiting factories, we have the luxury of learning about the manufacturing details.

Not being open minded to feedback from operators and technicians. The folks who build the product day in and day know the issues with process, tooling, and quality. A good manufacturing engineer will cultivate close relationships with their best assembly line personnel recognizing how instrumental they are to developing a quality process and producing a quality product.

Always ask why. It doesn't matter how long a person has been in the industry or how long something has been the standard operating procedure. If you cannot connect it to your understanding of engineering principles, then ask why until you do. You will be surprised how often you find a better way to do something because you question the status quo, but stay humble when you do; just because you don't understand something doesn't mean it is wrong.

The biggest roadblock to success is lack of humility. Learn from those that have experience-the operators, technicians, inspectors, maintenance crew, experienced engineers. Ask questions such as, “How do you know…” and “What would you do…”, and “Why would you do that…?” Be sure to listen to their answers. Knowledge is not just being book-smart.

Customer is not always the king...the machine is the king...you need to respect it's capabilities and based on that provide your deliverables to the customer