Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. It involves the application of principles of physics for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. Mechanical Engineers work on power-producing machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, as well as power-using machines such as refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, industrial production equipment, machine tools, and material handling systems. They perform engineering analysis and design of existing and new equipment systems. The process of mechanical engineering is optimization: Mechanical Engineers strive to optimize the cost of production, as well as the durability, safety, and overall usefulness of objects and systems. Mechanical Engineers research, develop, design, manufacture, and test tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical devices. They analyze complex technical problems involving thermal analysis and mechanical packaging of systems with moving parts.
They research, plan, design, and develop mechanical products and systems, such as instruments, controls, robots, engines, machines, and mechanical, thermal hydraulic, or heat transfer systems for production, transmission, measurement, and use of energy. They may manage power facilities and utilities (high-pressure steam, condensate, chilled water, high voltage electrical, gas, water, and sewer systems), and be involved with utility master plans, cost tracking, and energy conservation requirements. They need to have a solid understanding of such key concepts as mechanics, kinematics, energy, and thermodynamics. Mechanical Engineers working within the energy industry are particularly involved with thermodynamics.
Thermodynamics deals with the energy interactions in physical systems. Engineering thermodynamics uses the concepts of thermodynamics to solve engineering problems. Typically, engineering thermodynamics is concerned with changing energy from one form to another and with finding ways to make systems more efficient, be they nuclear reactors, oil refineries, or electric power generators and substations. Much of the data used by Mechanical Engineers is empirical (e.g., derived from experience, observation, or experimentation).
Engineering thermodynamics develops the theory and techniques required to use empirical thermodynamic data effectively, much of which now can be retrieved from computer databases. There are even software applications that are tailored to specific areas that will give answers for common design situations. Nevertheless, Mechanical Engineers need to have a thorough understanding of the underlying principles of thermodynamics, coupled with the ability to judge the limitations of empirical data when applied to specific design problems.
Additionally, Mechanical Engineers must be adept at drafting, or technical drawing, which is the means by which they create the instructions for manufacturing parts and designing the interweaving elements of an electric power unit or system. This technical drawing can be a computer model or a hand-drawn schematic displaying all the dimensions necessary for manufacturing a part or designing a system. Computer-aided drafting (CAD) software programs allow the designing engineer to create in three dimensions.
Combined with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), or combined CAD/CAM programs, these instructions can be fed into the computer to create the necessary full design, or fed into the necessary machinery to create the required part. Three-dimensional models created with CAD software are commonly used in finite element analysis (FEA), a powerful computational method for simulating the response of structures, structural components or materials to loading. In addition, they are used in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which is one of the branches of fluid mechanics that employs numerical methods and algorithms to analyze/solve problems that involve fluid flows.
Generally, Mechanical Engineers are responsible for planning and performing design development tasks from concept to implementation. They study, analyze, and evaluate all product or system design concepts and plans, and direct testing necessary to assure adequate performance of designs for all stages and complexities of the development project. They are responsible for documentation of all performed tasks, including the initial descriptions, specifications, testing methodologies, and final implementations. They must have a full understanding of standards and codes, such as those of the Occupational, Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as applied to both the manufacture of tools and equipment and the design of electric power systems, power plants, and electric distribution systems.
In a 2005 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, average starting salaries for Mechanical Engineers ranged from US Dollars 50,000 to US Dollars 68,000 yearly, depending upon their level of educational background, from the attainment of a bachelor's degree to the earning of a Ph.D. degree. In their survey of engineering salaries, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics found that, in May 2004, Mechanical Engineers had annual incomes ranging from a low of US Dollars 43,000 to a high of US Dollars 97,000 or more.
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