Dear
Students, Prospective Students, Parents and Visitors:
What
is Mechanical Engineering?
Mechanical
Engineering is an exciting field of engineering because it
encompasses all engineering aspects of almost everything that moves in the universe. We invite you to
explore how you might contribute to advancing the frontiers in the
field of Mechanical Engineering. As a mechanical engineer you can
be trained to help address and solve some of the world's most pressing issues
and problems such as energy, health engineering, environment, robotics and
advanced manufacturing, transportation on the
ground, in the air, in and under water and in outer space - just to name a few from a
long list of challenges facing our society. The cars and
vehicles that we drive or ride on, the airplanes that we fly in, the
ships, hovercrafts and submarines that we travel in and the space ships that
take us to outer space and other planets are all mostly designed
by Mechanical Engineers. However, that is just a subset of everything
that Mechanical Engineers create.
Mechanical
engineers apply scientific methods to the solution of engineering
problems. Mechanical
Engineering teaches you design, analysis and simulation techniques
to realize ideas and dreams and improve life on earth. It also
teaches you how to create and realize next generation products,
systems and organizations. Our faculty and students create new
knowledge as they study and analyze what we already know.
University
of Maine's Mechanical Engineering Department is dedicated to
academic excellence in all our course offerings and in our research
programs. We engage our students in challenging and rewarding work
as soon as they decide to explore Mechanical Engineering. We also
engage our graduate students in cutting edge research with broad
interactions among the group disciplines in the department and
beyond. University of Maine's Mechanical Engineering Department is
an ideal environment for students who have proven to be the best
and the brightest; those who are prepared and eager for the
challenge.
Mechanical engineers are concerned
with the principles of motion, energy, field interactions and force. Generally,
a machine converts one form of energy or movement into another. It is
the responsibility of engineers to design machines whose parts
and assemblies function in a safe and reliable, efficient,
and predictable fashion. Indeed, the numerous laws and principles developed
by scientists are the everyday tools of the mechanical engineer.
Anything the engineer does that is related to the motion and
dynamics of heat, gas, air, fluids, plasmas, solid materials, smart
structures and robotics requires
the understanding and application of the underlying basic science. On the other hand
such analysis of motion, energy, fields interactions and force
also applies to health engineering such as designing heart assist
devices, artificial hearts, robotic surgeons, artificial muscles, smart
structures, systems and devices, bionic vision and medical implants and devices.
Mechanical engineering
encompasses many specialties. Mechanical engineers design
advanced and smart materials, structures and systems to meet the demands of
manufacturing industries, aerospace industries including supersonic
and hypersonic space travel, marine, ocean engineering and
maritime industries including design of ships, hovercrafts,
submarines and aircraft carriers, robotics, medical fields, the nuclear energy
field, the design of electrical power plants equipped with
reactors, pressure piping, heat exchangers, and other specialized
components. In the automobile, aerospace, outer space and marine industry, mechanical engineers
design the various parts of a car, a ship, a space ship, a submarine and in manufacturing companies,
they develop computer systems that improve, automate and speed up the
production process and perform intelligent, agile and
just-in-time manufacturing and rapid prototyping. Some mechanical engineers work in areas
not usually considered to require engineering skills. Efforts
to clean up and preserve the earth's environment have attracted
many mechanical engineers to projects involving the treatment
of water, soil, and waste material. Mechanical engineers are
committed to environmentally conscious design and
manufacturing. Mechanical engineers
also work alongside physicians, therapists, and other medical
professionals to investigate the workings of the human body
and to design aids, instruments, implants and robotic systems for
medicine and surgery. Mechanical engineers also learn from nature
(Biomimetics) to design biologically-inspired engineering systems
(BIES) and biologically-inspired robotic devices and
systems (BIRDS). Other mechanical
engineers work closely with trainers, coaches, and athletes
on the design of sporting equipment. It would be hard to find
an area or object in everyday life that was not in some way
affected by mechanical engineers.
Mechanical engineering
has evolved into a profession that requires specific skills
acquired through education and training. It begins in high
school, where students enroll in certain courses that will
prepare them for acceptance into engineering programs at
a college of university. The emphasis at the high school level
is on mathematics. Two years of algebra are generally required
as are courses in geometry and trigonometry. Calculus is
recommended, but usually not required.
High school students should also take one year each of chemistry
and physics, including laboratory work in both courses, and four
years of English.
Beyond the core requirements, high school students are encouraged
to take biology, mechanical drawing and computer courses.
The study of a foreign languages is highly recommended, as today's
global economy is creating exciting engineering career opportunities
in foreign countries.
There are activities outside the classroom for students interested
in engineering careers. High school clubs are an excellent opportunity
to join together with students of like-minded interests and aspirations.
Clubs also provide career preparation, as many of today's engineering
professionals work in teams or groups. Some high school clubs
sponsor day trips to companies, where students can see engineers
in actual work environments.
Universities offer four-year programs in mechanical engineering.
Students study advanced mathematics, calculus, chemistry, and
physics among the core courses. They are also required to develop
a proficiency in using a computer. By their sophomore year, college
students take specialized mechanical engineering courses including
fluid dynamics, materials science, robotics, manufacturing processes,
thermodynamics and heat transfer, and environmental science and
environmentally conscious design and manufacturing.
Mechanical engineering students also learn about computer-aided
design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and they
get involved in authentic design projects.
Many mechanical engineers go on to enter master's or doctoral
programs, which, in addition to continued classroom study, include
such activities as laboratory research and computational analysis.
Towards
A Career
Mechanical engineers work in industry,
consulting practices, universities, and government research.
The vast majority are employed in industry at equipment manufacturers,
aerospace companies, auto industries, ocean engineering, utilities, material processing plants,
transportation companies, petroleum companies, and a host of
other firms large and small. We also train and encourage them
to start their own business as an engineering or entrepreneurial firm.
Job functions and responsibilities
range from basic research and systems design to industrial operations and quality control. Some mechanical engineers
cross over into corporate sales and management positions that
require scientific and technical skills and expertise.
The consulting side of the business offers mechanical engineers
career opportunities in large and small engineering service firms
and in private practice. Some engineers start a consulting practice
later in life, often following long careers with a corporation.
The love of teaching and desire to influence future generations
of engineers motivate some mechanical engineers to academic careers.
Engineers in colleges and universities serve other roles beside
that of instructor of tutor. They direct important research activities,
manage laboratories, develop curricula., and write and publish
books and technical papers.
Mechanical engineers involved in government research assist
on key policy decisions regarding technology development and
use. For example, engineers working with the U.S. Departments
of Defense, Energy, Transportation, Homeland Security and other
government agencies such as NASA, NSF, NIH and EPA conduct
research into solar energy, advanced materials, radioactive waste
removal, magnetic-levitation trains, and space missions to the
planet Mars - research that will have a direct impact on American
business and the lives of American business and the lives of
American people in the years ahead.
It is critical for mechanical engineers to continue the educational
process beyond college graduation. Technology changes at a rapid
pace. In the years following graduation, the mechanical engineer
will discover that continuous improvement in their engineering skills and methodologies learned in college
become important.
Keeping Up
To
stay abreast of new developments in the field, mechanical
engineers read trade journals, attend national and international
conferences, and enroll in professional engineer (P.E.) refresher
courses and professional development programs. It is important to
mention that the future of health engineering will also be
impacted by the advances made in mechanical engineering education
and research.
Professional societies
play an important role in getting information to the mechanical
engineer. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
holds conferences, publishes journals, and sponsors short courses across
the broad range of mechanical engineering disciplines.
For more information, write:
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Education Department
345 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
