Advanced and Intelligent Manufacturing

Unique Features

• Innovative curriculum focused on advanced, smart, and digital manufacturing prepares students to be researchers for the development of advanced manufacturing technologies and leaders for managing advanced manufacturing enterprises. Advanced, smart, and digital are among the top 10 most promising technologies transforming the global manufacturing industry, according to the U.S. ranking of the Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index (2016).
• Learn cutting-edge technologies, including courses on the Internet of Things, intelligent manufacturing, data analytics engineering, robotics, materials engineering, nano and microscale manufacturing, and additive manufacturing.
• Pursue robust research opportunities through Northeastern’s research centers and institutes, including the George J. Kostas Nanoscale Technology and Manufacturing Research Center, the National Science Foundation Center for High-Rate Nanomanufacturing, and the Advanced Nanomanufacturing Cluster for Smart Sensors and Materials.
• Either train for industry jobs with coursework and co-op experience or prepare for a doctoral program through coursework and research experience. Northeastern is ranked No. 1 in internships/co-ops, and is an R1 research institution. Northeastern has partnerships with national research labs that are involved in advanced manufacturing research, and has industry collaborations with GE, IBM, Raytheon, Dell EMC, Flex, Northrop Grumman, and Analog Devices.
• Interdisciplinary program is focused in mechanical and industrial engineering and builds upon the principles and knowledge in materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, computer science, robotics and controls engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and business administration.
• Complete the master's degree by pursuing one of the three tracks: coursework option, project option, and thesis option.

Program Objectives

The MS in Advanced and Intelligent Manufacturing is designed to help students acquire knowledge and skills to:

• Build digital (CAD) models of parts and products to support manual and computer-aided manufacturing.
• Design, develop, and analyze traditional and advanced material processing technologies and manufacturing systems.
• Utilize additive manufacturing to produce complex parts with ease and efficiency.
• Design and operate advanced and intelligent manufacturing systems enabled by data analytics, machine learning, cloud computing, and Industrial Internet of Things.
• Become familiar with engineering materials used in manufacturing and their mechanical properties.
• Understand the capabilities of modern manufacturing processes.
• Learn the capabilities of basic manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Learn about emerging trends in manufacturing, the challenging issues in American manufacturing, and how to identify or develop ideas.

Career Outlook

Graduates of the MS in Advanced and Intelligent Manufacturing program can become engineers at high-tech companies or managers at government agencies, or pursue PhD degrees in advanced manufacturing at U.S. universities. Career opportunities are available in key sectors such as aerospace, automotive, computers, manufacturing, chemical processes, electronics, materials, controls, instruments, and power and energy systems.

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, is transforming manufacturing operations to advanced manufacturing by extending digital technology with interconnectedness using the Internet of Things, access to real-time data, and cyber-physical systems. Globally, nine out of 10 companies are investing in digital factories*, and various U.S. federal agencies have collectively created the National Network for Manufacturing and Innovation Institutes (NNMII), referred to as Manufacturing USA, to invest in innovative advanced manufacturing technologies. Northeastern is a member of five NNMIIs. At the same time, according to Talent Board, there is a severe shortage of people trained in advanced manufacturing, with 50% to 75% of people applying to positions unqualified, and there is a greater than 30% shortage of engineers, researchers, and scientists.