Main menu

Pages

What is Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering is a field of engineering that uses materials science, engineering physics, and mathematics to design, analyze, build, and maintain mechanical systems. It is a field of engineering concerned with the design, manufacture, but and operation of machines.

What is Mechanical Engineering?
What is Mechanical Engineering?
and most importantly Mechanical engineering is one of the most diverse fields of engineering. Mechanical engineers create, develop, construct, and test products. They are in charge of anything that moves.

Moreover, Mechanical engineering is the study of moving things and systems. It is one of the most varied and adaptable engineering areas. As a result, mechanical engineering has an impact, on almost every element of modern life. Including the human body, which is a sophisticated mechanics.

But before that, we must ask the question,

" What is mechanical engineering? " 

Mechanical Engineering concept

Mechanical engineering is the application of engineering concepts. And problem-solving approaches to any item, from design to manufacture to the marketplace. Firstly, Mechanical engineers evaluate their work by using motion, energy, and force principles. To guarantee that designs function safely, effectively, and reliably at an affordable cost.
This is due to the fact that mechanical engineering professions revolve around developing technology to satisfy human requirements.

The history of mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering has become a part of our environment. So allowing us to create new exceptional mechanical systems, to maximize research and manufacturing. However, it has altered and progressed to where it is now. Above all, How did mechanical engineering progress, from CNC machining to casting to 3D printing?

The beginning:

Mechanical engineering began as a discipline in the 18th century during the Industrial Revolution in Europe; however, its history may be traced back several thousand years across the world. Physics advancements in the nineteenth century aided the development of mechanical engineering science. Mechanical engineers are now researching innovations in composites, mechatronics, and nanotechnology as the discipline has expanded to accommodate improvements.

How does mechanical engineering relate to science?

It also has different degrees of overlap with aeronautical engineering, metallurgical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and other engineering fields. Mechanical engineers may also work in biomedical engineering, focusing on biomechanics, transport phenomena, biomechatronics, bionanotechnology, and biological system modeling.

birth of mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering has always existed, with works on mechanics and the creation of the first machines appearing in ancient Greece, medieval China, and Antiquity, for example. Indeed, the earliest steam engine may be traced back to ancient Greece, thanks to the invention of the Heon of Alexandria. Then, throughout the Islamic Golden Age (from the seventh to the fifteenth centuries), several advances in mechanical design were accomplished. One of the greatest examples is Al-Book Jazari's of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices, written in 1206.

A quick evolution of mechanical engineering

With the understanding of mechanical science, which includes dynamics, thermodynamics, the utilization of various forms of heat, the creation of energy, power, and heat transfer, this discipline quickly expanded.

During the nineteenth century, advances in physics and machine tools permitted mechanical engineering to be separated from engineering. This prompted the creation of machines and engines to provide the necessary power! Creating power-driven systems was, in fact, one of mechanical engineering's early tasks.

Where was mechanical engineering invented?

According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, “mechanical engineering stretches back to ancient Greece and China when devices such as screw pumps, steam engines, clocks, seismometers, and even differential gears were invented".

Who discovered mechanically?

Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton were two pivotal individuals in the early modern period. Galileo's Two New Sciences is his ultimate declaration of mechanics, notably of falling things (1638).

Who was the first mechanical engineer?

James Watt is frequently referred to as the "Father of Mechanical Engineering" since his innovation paved the way for many other significant advancements throughout the Industrial Revolution and afterward. His invention was also significant in the growth of the mechanical engineering profession.

Coursework of mechanical engineering

The standards established by each country's accrediting body are designed to ensure consistency in core subject matter, improve competency among graduating engineers, and preserve trust in the engineering profession as a whole. ABET requires engineering institutions in the United States, for example, to demonstrate that its students can "work professionally in both thermal and mechanical system domains."

The particular courses necessary to graduate, on the other hand, may vary from program to program. Depending on the faculty available and the university's primary area(s) of research, universities and institutes of technology will frequently combine numerous courses into a single session or split a subject into multiple classes.

Courses and Classes Overview

A mechanical engineering program's main coursework teaches students how to design and build machines, as well as test that they operate as intended. Graduate programs frequently include a concentration in a field such as fluid mechanics, mechanical design, heat transfer, biochemical engineering, or robotics.

What Courses Do Mechanical Engineering Majors Take?

Mechanical engineering fundamentals often include:

  • Mathematics (in particular, calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra).
  • Basic physical sciences (including physics and chemistry)
  • Statics and dynamics.
  • Strength of materials and solid mechanics.
  •  Materials engineering, Composites.
  • Thermodynamics, heat transfer, energy conversion, and HVAC.
  • Fuels, combustion, Internal combustion engine.
  • Fluid mechanics (including fluid statics and fluid dynamics).
  • Mechanism and Machine design (including kinematics and dynamics).
  • Instrumentation and measurement.
  • Manufacturing engineering, technology, or processes.
  • Vibration, control theory, and control engineering.
  • Hydraulics and Pneumatics.
  • Mechatronics and robotics.
  • Engineering design and product design.
  • Drafting, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM).

What are the different fields in mechanical engineering?

Technology has influenced how mechanical engineers operate, and the toolkit has become increasingly powerful in recent decades. CAE is a broad word that encompasses everything from traditional CAD to computer-aided manufacturing to computer-aided engineering, which includes finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). These and other tools have helped to widen the scope of mechanical engineering.

Mechanical engineering includes, but is not limited to, the following disciplines:

  • Acoustics.
  • Aerospace.
  • Automation.
  • Automotive.
  • Autonomous Systems.
  • Biotechnology.
  • Composites.
  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD).
  • Control Systems.
  • Cybersecurity.
  • Design.
  • Energy.
  • Ergonomics.
  • Human health.
  • Manufacturing and additive manufacturing.
  • Mechanics.
  • Nanotechnology Acoustics.
  • Aerospace.
  • Automation.
  • Automotive.
  • Autonomous Systems.
  • Biotechnology.
  • Composites
  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD).
  • Control Systems.
  • Cybersecurity.
  • Design.
  • Energy.
  • Ergonomics.
  • Human health.
  • Manufacturing and additive manufacturing.
  • Mechanics.
  • Production planning.
  • Robotics.
  • Structural analysis.

It can also be summed up as follows:

  • The study of statics is concerned with how forces are transmitted to and through a structure. Mechanical engineers look at dynamics, or what velocities, accelerations, and resulting forces come into play once a system is in motion. The study of how a mechanism acts as it moves through its range of motion is called kinematics.
  • Materials science is concerned with identifying the optimum materials for various uses. Materials strength—testing support loads, stiffness, brittleness, and other properties—is an important aspect of this, as it is for many construction, vehicle, and medical materials.
  • The heart of thermodynamics is determining how energy is turned into useful power and how much energy is lost in the process. Heat transfer is a type of energy that is critical in many applications and necessitates the collection and analysis of temperature data and distributions.
  • Fluid mechanics, which also has a variety of applications, look at many properties including pressure drops from fluid flow and aerodynamic drag forces.
  • In mechanical engineering, manufacturing is a crucial phase. Researchers in this subject look into the most effective ways for increasing industrial efficiency. The goal of laboratory methods is to improve how thermal and mechanical engineering products and processes are measured. Machine design, on the other hand, builds equipment-scale processes, whereas electrical engineering concentrates on circuitry. All of this machinery generates vibrations, which is a branch of mechanical engineering that studies how to predict and control vibrations.
  • Engineering economics estimates production and life cycle costs of materials, designs, and other engineered goods, making mechanical ideas relevant and useable in the actual world.

What careers are there in mechanical engineering?

Mechanical engineering is essential to society. Because there is such a high demand for this skill in so many fields, there are no actual boundaries for a newly graduated mechanical engineer. Jobs in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, biotechnology, and energy industries are continuously in high demand.

Some of the jobs related to mechanical engineering include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Mechanical Engineer. 
  2. Industrial Engineer. 
  3. Automotive Engineer. 
  4. Biomedical Engineer/Medical Biotechnologist/Biotechnology Engineer. 
  5. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Engineer. 
  6. Mechanical Engineering Technician.

What does a mechanical engineer actually do?‬‏

Mechanical engineers create power-generating equipment like electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, as well as power-consuming machines like refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Other equipment found within buildings, such as elevators and escalators, are designed by mechanical engineers.

Moreover, mechanical engineers have a wide range of options, and their education reflects this breadth of courses. Students focus on a single topic while honing analytical and problem-solving abilities applicable to any engineering setting.

Is a mechanical engineer a good career?

Is mechanical engineering a viable career path? Yes. A degree in mechanical engineering may lead to jobs in a variety of industries, including manufacturing and aerospace. These occupations pay well on a yearly basis.

Do mechanical engineers make a lot of money?

Mechanical engineers, like many other engineering professions, are well compensated. Mechanical engineers make significantly more than the norm in comparison to other professions at all stages of their careers. According to the US Department of Labor, a mechanical engineer's average compensation is $89,800, with the top ten percent earning around $131,350.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for mechanical engineers in 2017 was $85,880 per year, or $41 per hour, and the typical entry-level education required was a bachelor's degree.

What skills do mechanical engineers need?

Problem-solving is at the heart of engineering. Mechanical engineering, at its foundation, necessitates applied creativity—a hands-on understanding of the work as well as strong interpersonal skills such as networking, leadership, and conflict resolution. Creating a product is only one side of the equation; a mechanical engineer must also be able to work with people, ideas, data, and economics.

The future of mechanical engineering

For mechanical engineers, breakthroughs in materials and analytical techniques have opened up new possibilities. The mechanical engineering toolkit has been enlarged by nanotechnology, biotechnology, composites, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and acoustical engineering.

The best of each material can be utilized and new solutions discovered by mixing materials with various qualities in novel ways. Mechanical engineers can use CFD to explore complex fluid flows that are analyzed using algorithms. This enables the simulation of scenarios that were previously difficult to model. Acoustical engineering studies vibration and sound, allowing equipment to be quieter and more efficient in fields ranging from biotechnology to architecture.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mechanical engineering combines creativity, expertise, and analytical tools to fulfill the arduous process of turning a concept into a reality. 

Watch this good video for more explanation

 

reactions

Comments