Extrusion engineers are employed in a variety of industries and their job titles vary according to the type of industry they are employed in like plastic extrusion engineer, food extrusion engineer, polymer extrusion engineer, medical device extrusion engineer, etc. The extrusion engineer responsibilities comprise the development of extrusion processing and supporting the production and engineering needs by effective setting up and operation of various extrusion equipment and processes.
Key Responsibilities of an Extrusion Engineer
The role and responsibilities of extrusion engineer vary depending on the kind of industry they are working in. To get a better idea, let us look what exactly are the responsibilities of an extrusion engineer:
He assists in the statistical analysis that is vital for research and development of projects. Thus, he helps in the development of new extrusion equipment and processes that are in compliance with the specified quality standards. He is responsible for communicating the issues and coordinating the resolutions. He may be involved in training and supporting the extrusion operators. He ensures that the newly manufactured extrusion equipment or process gets qualified by following the written plans and deriving conclusions based on statistics and reviewing the documents relevant to it. He develops the process metrics, implements the statistical principles and techniques, and conducts the necessary maintenance activities for the extrusion process and equipment.
The extrusion engineer should be able to document technical protocols and reports. He gets feedback on the operation of the extrusion process and recommends suggestions for improving the quality of the process or equipment. He participates in the meetings and provides the necessary technical expertise. He monitors the performance of the extrusion process and implements tooling or process standards. He takes corrective action and determines ways for process improvement by accurately analyzing and understanding the needs of the client. In short, he helps in providing leadership to the organization in the development of advanced technical product or process.
Essential Skills
To be a successful extrusion engineer, an individual must possess excellent technical knowledge of the extrusion process and material combined with good problem solving skills. He should be able to influence other people and solicit the cooperation of the subordinate staff members. Excellent communication skills with special emphasis on verbal and written skills, combined with basic knowledge of statistics would be of great help. He should be able to document all the extrusion runs and be updated with the current developments in the extrusion field. He should be able to develop new process and tools in a time efficient manner in order to meet the given deadlines.
Educational Background
Individuals aiming to make a career as an extrusion engineer should major in the relevant engineering field. He should have a strong mechanical aptitude with an excellent understanding of the basics of mathematics and statistics. He should have an ability to read as well as create technical drawings. A master's degree or additional training and certification would prove to be beneficial.
Work Hours
The daily routine requires an extrusion engineer to work for forty to forty five hours per week. However, they may need to work overtime during the evenings or late nights. They may need to extend it sometimes even on the weekends or public holidays, so that the stringent deadlines can be met.
Salary Details
The average annual salary is close to $77,000 to $81,000. It varies depending on the size, location, academic skills, experience, etc.
Career Prospects
The career prospects are really bright and lucrative for those aspiring to establish themselves as an extrusion engineer in any type of industry.
Thus, in order to become successful, it is essential that there is efficient and effective implementation of extrusion engineer responsibilities.