Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career - Page 2


Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 21 to 39 of 39

Thread: Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career

  1. #21
    Registered
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4519
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Dallas. Says it in my profile.

    Oh. By the way, the high explosives thing was a joke. Don't do it.

    And there is not really anyway you can motivate others reliably and consistently. Especially at your age and position. Just keep raising the standard for yourself and be a leader (not a commander). Those that want to follow will figure out a way.



  2. #22
    Gold Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    2712
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    In the real world, motivation is positive and negative re-enforcement AKA carrot and stick.

    Praise and rewards for doing a good job; correction, reprimand etc. for less than what is expected for performance. Then there's the almighty buck and keeping your job.LOL

    BTW, you and your friend haven't taken over the project as your own have you? That's a good way for the rest of the "team" to lose interest in the hard part. Ask them for help in the areas they aren't contributing and praise their work when it's deserved.

    Dick Z

    DZASTR


  3. #23
    Registered
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    65
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    When you are motivated and you feel like you are doing things right it can be really hard to let go and allow other people to step in. A lot of those guys might feel like they can't do any better than you two so why mess things up? Have a team meeting and find out what everyone's strengths and weaknesses are, and then come up with a list of things that need to be completed. Leave the list up in a place where people can privately sign up to lead each subproject first come first serve.. that way no one feels pressured to sign up. I think you will find some natural leaders and workers this way. And above all don't give up if one method doesn't work.

    Most importantly make sure you are leading and not dictating. Oh and keep inside jokes out. It's a great way to alienate everyone who isn't in on the joke.



  4. #24
    Registered
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    29
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    A lot of good advice here. I earned my BSME in '04 and have been working in manufacturing since, mostly on the ground level. It was a little humbling to hear classmates talk about their jobs at the Big 3 (GM, Ford, Chrysler) while I wore a uniform and ran a CNC machine, but it worked out well.

    Things like tolerancing, design, and implementation are a lot easier to understand when you're physically doing those things, rather than looking at a CAM drawing and going "Yeah, I am going to have them hold .0001" on everything, because then it will fit my assembly better." Or knowing that a max value, rather than a range, can be OK, as in the case of a corner radius.

    With regard to leading your solar team: I like the suggestion of a sign-up sheet. Try to make sure that there's equal representation across all the sub-groups and a rotation of duties, so that you don't end up forming cliques within groups.



  5. #25
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    102
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Here's some pics of the cannon, it fires small projectiles using the pull string charge from a dismantled party popper. I also posted some pics of other projects, my DIY Cnc,compressed air automatic bb gun, DIY stirling engine, and a rotary concept engine I thought of. I've made a lot of other stuff and have too many ideas to mention.

    As far as engineering, I asked my intro to engineering teacher if there was any things I could do in the summer related to engineering, and I was able to to get into a senior design challenge at my local college. I'm just going to have...

    I'll continue my post later I'm getting off the bus

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406228293-jpg   Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406268744-jpg   Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406313551-jpg   Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406348486-jpg  

    Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406390644-jpg   Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406496024-jpg   Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406537134-jpg   Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career-uploadfromtaptalk1338406660848-jpg  



  6. #26
    Registered
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4519
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Jagoda View Post
    A lot of good advice here. I earned my BSME in '04 and have been working in manufacturing since, mostly on the ground level. It was a little humbling to hear classmates talk about their jobs at the Big 3 (GM, Ford, Chrysler) while I wore a uniform and ran a CNC machine, but it worked out well.

    Things like tolerancing, design, and implementation are a lot easier to understand when you're physically doing those things, rather than looking at a CAM drawing and going "Yeah, I am going to have them hold .0001" on everything, because then it will fit my assembly better." Or knowing that a max value, rather than a range, can be OK, as in the case of a corner radius.

    With regard to leading your solar team: I like the suggestion of a sign-up sheet. Try to make sure that there's equal representation across all the sub-groups and a rotation of duties, so that you don't end up forming cliques within groups.
    +1



  7. #27
    Registered
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    1
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Is it easier to get a lot of experience in that in the military?

    Meditation


  8. #28
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    102
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by papasmurphie View Post
    Is it easier to get a lot of experience in that in the military?
    Congrats on your first post, welcome to the zone.

    So guys I'll try the sub project checklist, we could probably assign sub projects to members that they can work on during the summer. But its really just the welding that's slowing us down. Ive designed and made the more complex sup projects like the front suspension/steering and the back suspension/propulsion.

    The car is being made from 1" chromoly tubing and my friend is,the only one who can tig weld, so he's the only one welding it. He's tried to teach other members and me, but even after hours of practice we can't make acceptable welds. One thing I thought of to speed up welding would be to MIG weld, but I'm unsure what the pro's and cons of this would be. I've welded the chromoly and the welds look good and the welding is 4x faster. I even showed everyone to MIG weld and everyones welds look good. I'm going to also post on welderzone if we should MIG weld the car.



  9. #29
    Registered
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    4519
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by EZCUTplasma View Post
    engineering is a great occupation to get involved with. american engineers are a dime a dozen now. if you want a great field to go into i would check out plasma cutting. its safe, powerful and efficient. if wanna see a company check out EZCUT :rainfro:
    Lame.



  10. #30
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    102
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by EZCUTplasma View Post
    engineering is a great occupation to get involved with. american engineers are a dime a dozen now. if you want a great field to go into i would check out plasma cutting. its safe, powerful and efficient. if wanna see a company check out EZCUT :rainfro:
    If you wan't to advertise there's spaces available for that on the zone.

    CNCzone.com-The Largest Machinist Community on the net! Advertising

    Last edited by flojor10; 05-31-2012 at 03:22 PM.


  11. #31
    Registered
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Thaiden -- BMW still hasn't learned from that mistake, at least through their e46 model line, they are having the same issue as well. To the op, thank you for starting this topic, I am in my first year of education right now and I've heard all of the advice that people are giving on here many times. I believe every part of it. I also think that it is a good idea to learn how things work by trial and error, like one has said, buy a beater and get it running. There is a huge difference between knowing what you read in a book and talking about it and knowing from experience what you are talking about. It will pay off in the end to know how things actually work vs what a computer says will work (E36 and E46 is perfect example granted a lot of that issue is from an unforeseen factor). Listen to your instructors and what they have to say, supplement with Salman's website, I think he is a visionary. Good luck and enjoy your education



  12. #32
    Registered danande's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Norway
    Posts
    34
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Great thread, thanks for making this!
    I am also a ME student on my first year. In Norway we have something called ''Teknisk Fagskole''. Google translated it to technical college. I'm not sure thats quite right though.
    The ME degree is based upon my apprenticeship as a metal plate worker, or steel constructionist. You need a relevant apprenticeship to qualify. The school is a public school so that makes it free for anyone and in all ages to do it. They also offer the same degree as an online study, which is what I'm doing. Since this is not a university degree there is less math and less physics. The total points earned in this degree is 120points, and in order to go to a university for a bachelor or master I have to do a math and physics class to earn another 60 points to reach the 180 points needed.
    I'm doing the online study because I work fulltime offshore as a plater in the north sea.
    I try to study, and do math, but I quickly fell behind. I find the math to be hard to learn..
    Thanks for pointing out the khanacademy. I will go through this to learn what I must!

    Thanks for all the input from everyone. It has given me new motivation

    Dan



  13. #33
    Registered
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    14
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    I've read through the replies here and it seems you've been given a lot to think about already. As stated, while all the things you learn in school are very valuable, and much of it cannot be learned through hands-on experience, it's also true that a lot of the things you learn through hands-on experience cannot be learned in books or in classrooms. If this is the career path you chose, do yourself the favor of trying to get a job in a machine shop or some other sort of fabricating company, where you can gain some experience in the hands on application of what you learn in class and also see first hand the limitations of modern equipment. As the GM & Manufacturing Engineer of a very busy (& still growing) aerospace company, I can tell you that while a smart engineer can be an invaluable asset, one that doesn't understand the limitations the manufacturing process they're dealing with can be a curse. Not only can they make things hard on their vendors, but also to the company they work for who will pay a great deal more than they really have to for over-engineered products (both in price & project delays).



  14. #34
    Registered
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    2985
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    If you are reasonably smart, you should be able to lay off the beer and video games and get near perfect grades. If you are not so smart, make yourself smart by studying more, asking questions, seeking out help when needed, don't let yourself fall behind, etc.

    A lot of HR folks just look at the GPA but your future boss is probably more worried about what you know. If you have poor grades in core engineering classes, it probably shows a lack of intelligence or more likely a lack of interest; either will make employers shy away. Do you have a coop/intern program at your school? Lots of employers use internships to test drive new recruits. If you make a good impression, you will have 1 foot in the door.

    Right now jobs are tight and employers are looking for value. If it looks like you freeloaded through school, your chances will not be so good.

    Buckle down and study!
    Matt



  15. #35
    Registered
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    102
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Thanks for everyone who has passed their knowledge to the next generation of engineers, your knowledge has helped me in school and to take advantage of the opportunities my engineering school gives me. I hope it has helped others also.

    Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2



  16. #36
    Registered
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    netherlands
    Posts
    375
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Imagine you are good in your "Real" engineering competences..

    Learn "Real" fast the political game people play at all companies,
    Stay out of it and never show all you got!!!!

    Keep some for later and never brag, dont play the political game..!!

    If you are a great person and know your ****, you cann earn a lot of money doing some nice work.

    Find your balance between finishing "a Project" and your free time.



  17. #37
    Registered dbrija's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    360
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by taiden View Post
    One of my professors said the most terrifying thing to me. It was a Mechanics of Materials class (some call it Strengths of Materials).

    He said, "You don't really need to learn this, because you will all just use SolidWorks anyway."

    I'm afraid that careers like Toms are no more. Everything is so heavily computer based now that lots of engineers just punch in drawings and numbers and take the computers word as gospel.

    The story goes that the 1992 3 series was BMW's first vehicle that was designed using CAD. This car was manufactured with sheet metal too thin around the rear subframe bushings. After about 150,000 miles these tend to tear out of the unibody. All because the engineers took the CAD's output as gospel.



    Make sure you talk to your teachers about the difference between Mechanical Engineers and Mechanical Engineer Technicians. Your engineering related stuff at your highschool might be a feeder for METs, which is a much different thing from ME.

    I don't really want to get into that at the risk of offending MET's on this forum. Here's a thread I found about it ME or MET?
    That is terrifying, especially if he was serious. Any trained and competent engineer should have been able to look at what CAD was saying and question the results. Did said CAD company have an engineer verify its results? Ethics and liability....



  18. #38
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    628
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by keebler303 View Post
    If you are reasonably smart, you should be able to lay off the beer and video games and get near perfect grades. If you are not so smart, make yourself smart by studying more, asking questions, seeking out help when needed, don't let yourself fall behind, etc.

    A lot of HR folks just look at the GPA but your future boss is probably more worried about what you know. If you have poor grades in core engineering classes, it probably shows a lack of intelligence or more likely a lack of interest; either will make employers shy away. Do you have a coop/intern program at your school? Lots of employers use internships to test drive new recruits. If you make a good impression, you will have 1 foot in the door.

    Right now jobs are tight and employers are looking for value. If it looks like you freeloaded through school, your chances will not be so good.

    Buckle down and study!
    Matt
    Yeah, I agree with Matt. The big companies will use GPA and university as a filter because they are overwhelmed with applicants and need a way to quickly reduce the field. Smaller companies or savvy hiring managers will drill down into the resume/transcript and look for experience or accomplishments that are relevant and interesting.

    So, ideally you want good/great grades from a good/great school, and you want to have things on your resume that differentiate you. A killer co-op experience, internship, summer jobs, personal projects, travel, foreign languages, etc. You will need glowing references from people who are accomplished in their own right. Written and spoken communication and the ability to work in a heterogeneous team are also crucial.

    The HS student who earlier wanted to double up on AP courses and concentrate on math and science should focus on a well rounded education. Take some liberal arts courses to put the type of work you're doing into perspective (socially, historically, culturally, economically, etc). Engineers might be focused on small details, but don't overlook the big picture.

    Steve



  19. #39
    Registered
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Posts
    24
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Default Re: Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career

    Learn how operate a manual lathe and mill
    Learn how to do carpentry
    Learn how to TIG weld and stick weld
    Use khan academy to blow through math and aim to complete Calc 2 your senior year. Take the AP exam
    Save up $500 and use it to start a business (and fail)
    Don't ask your parents to buy you a new car, buy an old junker and get it going
    Drive this car 1000 miles in one direction and then turn around
    Taiden im nearly fifty and a can tell you you advice is totally correct except for the mileage. i think theres only one place you can drive 1000 miles in one direction and thats the Nullabor plain in South Australia.make a few changes in direction and maybe 50% further



Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


About CNCzone.com

    We are the largest and most active discussion forum for manufacturing industry. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

Follow us on


Our Brands

Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career

Is Mechanical Engineering a Good Career