Recently I met one of my colleagues' son. He had finished 12th and was dropping a year as he had got mechanical engineer as the stream in the counselling process for engineering and was not happy with the subject. One of the reasons he gave was that mechanical engineer has no sheen and thus landing a job was not easy with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was so wrong! Let's find out why he was so wrong and why he should have taken up mechanical engineering.
What Mechanical Engineers Do
They design or redesign mechanical and thermal devices or subsystems, analyse problems, investigate equipment failures and recommend remedies, develop and test prototypes, analyse test results and suggest changes in design and oversee manufacturing processes.
Mechanical engineers are the designers and they oversee the manufacture of many products ranging from medical devices to new engines.
Scope of work of Mechanical Engineers
The mechanical engineering scope is very wide in the engineering field. Mechanical engineers design power-producing machines, such as motor engines, all kind of generators, internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines, turbines, all kind of machinery used in manufacturing, power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems They design machinery for material-handling systems, such as conveyor systems and automated transfer stations. Mechanical engineers design machines used for construction as well as machinery used in buildings like elevators and escalators.
Mechanical engineers use technology in building machinery extensively. They also design and build sensitive controlling machinery with the help of electronics like the integration of sensors, controllers, and machinery. Software like CAD and much more software help mechanical engineers create and analyze their designs, then run simulations and test how a machine is going to work, interact with connected systems, and generate specifications for parts. They analyze faults in manufacturing and then rectify the errors.
Types of mechanical engineers:
- Auto research engineers
- Heating and cooling systems engineers
- Robotic Engineers
- Nanoengineers
- Internet of Things
Internet of Things and Mechanical Engineers
Internet of Things can be defined as a science that helps in interconnecting computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects and people provided with unique identifiers (UIDs) and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. It is used extensively for designing web-enabled devices that collect, send and act on data and use embedded sensors, processors and communication hardware to design and develop the system.
Internet of Things includes developing and building connected security systems, rockets, satellites, telephony, thermostats, cars, electronic appliances, lights in household and commercial environments, alarm clocks, speaker systems, vending machines and many more. This is the technology of the future and is being used extensively in all designing and manufacturing industry. Mechanical Engineers are expected to play a huge role in this field.
Mechanical engineers use IoT to design and build new products and influence interconnected systems of vast scale. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has predicted that mechanical engineers involved in IoT, which is the latest in technology will have the best prospects in the coming years.
Mechanical Engineers in Automotive Industry
The other area in which there will be a huge demand of mechanical engineers is building and designing electric cars in the automobile industry. The development of battery-based power systems, development and research in technology to develop and replace various composites, plastics and aluminium alloys with sheet-metal steel, which is essential to the torque of an electric motor and minimizing the overall loss of its energy as heat in the electric car manufacturing and the demand for better lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries will need mechanical engineering prowess in plenty.
Mechanical engineers are expected to keep improving specific components like the drivetrains, transmissions and steering controls of electric vehicles. Mechanical Engineers will be involved in automating the creation of the robots and other machines that drive automotive assembly lines.
How to become a Mechanical Engineer in India
Mechanical engineers need a B.Tech degree in mechanical engineering. In India, almost all engineering colleges offer this branch. One has to appear in the entrance exams like JEE Main or other entrance exams to get admission in this field. One can join a job after B.Tech or go on to do a master's in mechanical engineering or related fields M.Tech in mechanical engineering. Some of the courses related to mechanical engineer to do masters in are Piping Design courses, Tool Design courses, Robotics, Mechatronics and Nanotechnology.
In conclusion, jobs for mechanical engineers are projected to grow by 9 to 11 percent from 2016 to 2026 and thus one should join the mechanical engineering course without any doubts in one’s mind. There is a huge scope of mechanical engineering in all kinds of manufacturing industries, aerospace engineering, automotive industries, government organizations, Public Welfare Departments and defense sector as they seek mechanical engineers and offer a good salary with growth opportunities to B.Tech graduates. One should never give up the opportunity to do Mechanical Engineering.
Also Read:
Leave a comment