What is mechanical manufacturing? The nature of the mechanical manufacturing industry.

　　The mechanical manufacturing industry comprises seven detailed sub-sectors, three of which produce machinery tailored for specific industries—known as specialized machinery: agricultural machinery manufacturing, construction and mining machinery manufacturing, industrial machinery manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing for the commercial and service sectors.

　　The machines manufactured by the other four sectors are used in many different industries; these machines are referred to as general-purpose machinery: manufacturing of ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and commercial refrigeration equipment; manufacturing of metalworking machinery; manufacturing of engines, turbines, and power transmission equipment; and other general-purpose machinery manufacturing. The following sections will primarily focus on the nature of each of these machinery manufacturing industries.

　　The nature of the machinery manufacturing industry

　　Metalworking Machinery Industry: This industry manufactures machinery and tools used for shaping, cutting, and forming metals. The properties—such as strength and durability—that make metals ideal components in numerous products also make them difficult to shape. Specialized drills, grinding machines, molds, presses, and the accessories used with these machines are all produced within this industry. Metalworking machinery manufacturing accounts for a disproportionately large share of the machinery manufacturing sector, largely because most of these factories are small-scale.

　　Agricultural and Construction Machinery Manufacturing Industry: This sector comprises partly larger enterprises that produce both high-precision, large-scale machinery and standard household equipment. Examples in this area include leaf blowers and tillers for both personal and commercial use, as well as bulldozers and backhoe loaders used in road and building construction.

　　What is mechanical manufacturing?

　　The ventilation, heating, air-conditioning, and commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturing industry provides climate-control machinery for both residential and commercial buildings. In addition to heating and cooling equipment, the industry also produces air-purification devices—increasingly common in new construction—and commercial refrigeration equipment primarily used for food storage.

　　Commercial and Service Machinery Manufacturing Industry: This sector encompasses machinery used by companies that provide services. For example, firms in this segment manufacture commercial household appliances, such as laundry equipment used in self-service laundries and vacuum cleaners employed in cleaning services. Other major components of this industry include non-electronic office equipment like vending machines, typewriters, and mail-sorting machines, as well as machinery used for manufacturing optical lenses.

　　Industrial Machinery Manufacturing Industry: This sector specializes in the production of machinery used to transform raw materials into finished products. The materials processed by these machines include plastics, rubber, and glass. Machinery manufactured in this field is also employed in printing and binding operations, as well as in the fabrication of semiconductors and circuit boards.

　　Manufacturing of Engines, Turbines, and Power Transmission Equipment: This sector encompasses a variety of machines that transfer power from one type of operation to another. Turbines harness the energy generated by the motion of steam, gases, water, or wind to drive a rotating shaft, thereby producing mechanical power. Together with gears, gearboxes, clutches, transmission chains, and pulleys—also manufactured within this segment—turbines set in motion assembly lines and other industrial machinery. When connected to generators, turbines also produce electrical power. This industry segment also manufactures diesel engines and other internal combustion engines, along with their components, which are used to power portable generators, air compressors, pumps, and other equipment. Aircraft and automotive engines are covered under the Aerospace Products and Parts Manufacturing and the Automotive and Parts Manufacturing sectors, respectively, which are discussed elsewhere.

　　What is mechanical manufacturing?

　　Other general machinery manufacturing: Produces a wide variety of machines primarily used in the manufacturing industry. These include pumps, compressors, welding and soldering equipment, and packaging machinery. It also manufactures various material-handling devices, such as industrial trucks and tractors, bridge cranes and hoists, conveyors, and numerous types of hydraulic equipment for use in manufacturing and other industries. Other commonly produced machinery includes scales, electric power tools, as well as elevators, escalators, and similar equipment.