Can someone please describe the life of a Mechanical Engineer?

Question

I am thinking of majoring in a BS in mechanical engineering. However, I am only in my second year at school, and could easily change.

I was just wondering if someone with experience could tell me what its like to be an ME. Thanks!

Answer 1

As a mechanical engineer, there are a wide varieties of careers that you can choose from.  You could design weapons for the military, design cars, or apply physics/mathematics to help solve numerous different types of problems.

Mechanical engineers need to work hard, but they will also easily find themselves a well paying job.

Answer 2

I've worked as a manufacturing engineer and as a design engineer.

In my manufacturing days I kept a line building electrical cables functioning. I created work instructions, answered questions for the line workers, kept paperwork in order for the data miners that tracked the department and designed tools to make the building processes easier. Occasionally I also designed new cables for prototype projects and, if lucky, moved these designs into production.

In my design life I created electronic hardware, mostly for aircraft cockpits. It usually is a team effort between the mechanical, electrical and circuit board layout engineers.

I designed the sheet metal shell, front bezel, buttons, rotary k***s, data card install/removal, circuit boards with connectors and hot parts that need cooling and sometimes LCD displays.

I produced the drawings for the parts I designed, talked to vendors, ordered parts for prototypes, assembled the prototypes and tested them. Fixed things that didn't work right by redesigning them or by pointing out problems to the other team members and battled clueless MBAs in management.

I've been laid off once, have 3 patents and design things at home for my own use (my house, solar collectors and now an enclosed motorcycle with a target of at least 65 mpg).

I enjoy my work and would do it all again.

Answer 3

Scholastically, it seems to shove everything that doesn't fit tidally into a science into mechanical engineering, the PE exam in most states has numerous more subject areas than say, a chemical engineer.

The day, for any engineer, is doing his or her job, so it depends if you are in manufacturing, design, or theoretical applications.

I have worked in manufacturing and design for many years and love it, There is a challenge every day to improve, speed up, repair, etc,

Good luck on your ventures.

Oh, and it does start with coffee.

Answer 4

If you're in design, you use CAD and FEA to design parts, tooling, molds, and/or dies.

If you're in manufacturing, you manage CNC machine tools, welding, forging, casting, stamping, etc.

Answer 5

It depends whether you are in a factory or an office.

Factory: Morning coffee. Sports talk. Morning meeting. Take a look at the darn production line. Lunch. Afternoon coffee. Afternoon meeting. Yawn. Take a look at the darn production line. See ya tomorrow.

Office: Morning coffee. Sports talk. Morning meeting. Take a look at the darn email inbox. Lunch. Afternoon coffee. Afternoon meeting. Yawn. Take a look at the darn email inbox. See ya tomorrow.

Yeah, it' s that exciting !

Answer 6

Life of a mechanical engineer is pretty cool. Its full of challenges. You can go for designing, service, maintainance, production etc. It pays well but demands hard work during studies and trainings. Its a stream you should get into if you have passion for it.