| Mechanical engineering is exactly what it sounds like - | | | | and cooling, chemical changes etc. Air conditioners, |
| a discipline which uses materials according to the laws | | | | engines and insulation systems are a few cases of |
| of physics to make production, locomotion and | | | | thermodynamic implements. |
| transportation easier. Building and maintaining machines | | | | 4. Mechatronics. This sub-discipline covers more than |
| - oil rigs, power plants, airplanes, ... - all this falls under | | | | just mechanical engineering. In fact, this is one of those |
| the umbrella of "mechanical engineering". | | | | hybrid areas where mechanical engineers just love to |
| In the beginning, a mechanical engineer usually has to | | | | go. Involving software engineering and electrical as well |
| do a fair amount of physical work - like a mechanic, as | | | | as mechanical, mechatronics can create systems that |
| it were. However, things grow easier with time, and | | | | perform motor functions through electrical stimuli with |
| after a certain degree of seniority, one can stick to | | | | the help of software. For example, the hard drive, or - |
| supervision, administration, drawings or other tasks that | | | | more visibly - the optical drives on a computer. |
| do not involve physical labor. | | | | Robotics is another sub-branch of mechatronics, and |
| There are six sub-disciplines to mechanical engineering, | | | | this is used for the creation of robots. Many |
| all of which generate medium-to-high incomes even at | | | | manufacturing industries employ robots for tasks that |
| the starting level. | | | | are repetitive, repugnant or dangerous to human |
| 1. Mechanics. Mechanics deals with the effect of | | | | beings. |
| forces on matter, and of course the forces | | | | 5. Structural analysis. Structural analysis is the discipline |
| themselves. These are used to determine how bodies | | | | of finding out the causes of failure in a particular |
| will react under certain forces while in rest or in motion, | | | | machine or structure. Usually, the cause of failure - |
| how fluids respond to forces, and how bodies respond | | | | breakage, excessive heat, friction etc - can be pinned |
| to stress and strain. Mechanics is most useful during | | | | down to flaws in the implement's design or chemical |
| design and analysis - it is used to create a design that | | | | composition. |
| utilizes forces most efficiently, and to nullify any flaws | | | | 6. Drafting. An essential skill for all engineers, drafting is |
| in the design. | | | | the process of creating an accurate drawing from |
| 2. Kinematics. Kinematics, quite obviously, deals with | | | | which a product can be assembled. The drawing must |
| the motion of objects and bodies. However, the forces | | | | be perfectly in scale, and include information about the |
| causing the motion are ignored. The movement of a | | | | materials to be used, joins to be placed etc. |
| crane or an engine piston are cases where kinematics | | | | Moving from one to another sub-division of a |
| would be applied. The science is used to figure out the | | | | mechanical engineering job is fairly easy. Through the |
| range of motion of a given implement, or to design an | | | | mechatronics route, a mechanical engineer can even |
| implement with a predetermined range of motion. | | | | move on to working in the hardware or software |
| 3. Thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is the study of | | | | sectors, which pay much better than equally gruelling |
| energy - enthalpy, entropy and transformation from | | | | jobs in, say mechanics or kinetics. The skills of an |
| one form to another. This is involved in all operations | | | | engineer are always in high demand, so students can |
| that involve energy changes - fuel utilization, heating | | | | take up this line without doubt or fear. |