Exploring Advanced Manufacturing

Exploring Advanced Manufacturing

Maker Monday


Everything we use - from cars to clothes - requires manufacturing. There are companies that create the raw materials that other companies use to make a product. There are many layers to the process and many engineers along the way.  


Today, you will create your own manufacturing process and make a paper plane factory!

Step 1: As you learn about manufacturing this week, you need to start with a broad view of what manufacturing encompasses. Watch this to get a wide view of the levels of manufacturing.  

Step 2: Today you’ll be creating a Paper Plane Factory to explore manufacturing. To begin, go to your Da Vinci notebook and list the supplies you’ll need and how you’ll get your supplies. This is the acquisition process. Compare your plans to these instructions. 

Step 3: Engineers design the items created through the manufacturing process. Using your Da Vinci notebook, design your paper plane and make a prototype. After testing it, make adjustments to make it fly better. Review the engineering design process here.

Step 4: With a revised design, it’s time to put your Paper Plane Factory into production! Follow the instructions on this site to test the efficiency of your factory, the accuracy of your design, and the quality of your product. Pair up with a friend to test your planes!

Step 5: Have an adult share your Paper Plane design and factory ideas on social media using #MakerMondayTN & #LearningInPlaceTN! 




Additional Resources:


Wonder Wednesday


3D printers have become so popular, that people have small versions of them in their homes. 3D printing is actually a form of additive manufacturing and allows manufacturers to build prototypes of their products to test in less expensive manner. 

Today, you will investigate how 3D printing works and its role in Advanced Manufacturing!

Step 1: Additive Manufacturing is essential to how companies build and test new ideas. It’s also used to discover new patent ideas and correct problems. Watch this video to find out how a large company is using 3D printing. 

Step 2:  How does an idea go from a person’s mind to a physical object? With 3D printers and computer software, you can make all kinds of models, parts, and designs. Look at this site and watch this informative video to find out how filament becomes a 3D product.  

Step 3: With all the possibilities for 3D printing, what would you create? Use your Da Vinci notebook to make a list of items you’d make with a 3D printer. What type of printer would you need? Would your item solve a problem? Is your item a new invention or does it improve an older one? 

Step 4: As we’ve seen, 3D printing requires computer software to tell the machine what to do. That means you must have a design to input into the computer. Using your Da Vinci notebook design your item and think about if it would be made as one part or many put together at the end.   

Step 5: Ask a family member to share your design on social media using #WonderWednesdayTN & #LearningInPlaceTN!



Future Friday


Like many career clusters, Advanced Manufacturing encompasses varied careers to address a wide range of needs. With so many options, most people can find a field in this cluster. With robotics, engineering options, and sustainability factors, the choices are tremendous!

Today, you will explore many careers in the Advanced Manufacturing cluster!

Step 1: A Mechanical Engineer designs and operates the manufacturing systems for a product. Companies of all sorts offer positions for this critical role in production. Learn more about this vital role here. 

Step 2: Electrical Engineer is an engineering discipline that studies and designs the application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. This fascinating job has opportunities in all kinds of manufacturing! Learn more here.

Step 3: As companies look to incorporate more green practices, Sustainability Manufacturing jobs continue to grow. People in this field look for ways to make manufacturing clean, more efficient, and better for the environment. Learn more about this eco-conscious field here.

Step 4: Does your school have a robotics team? If so, you may be interested in a career in Robotic Engineering. People in this field are responsible for creating and designing robots and robotic systems. Find out more about careers in Robotic Engineering here. 

Step 5: Ask a family member to share what you learned about manufacturing careers using #FutureFridayTN & #LearningInPlaceTN!

Additional Resources:



Connecting Globally - We at TSIN believe STEM connects us all and in an effort to enhance those connections, the resources from the STEAM Resource Hub will be connected to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.

UN Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

UN Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

UN Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

UN Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

UN Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns


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