Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest and most interested branch of engineering. If you are interested in this field, then the content, given in this article, on what does a mechanical engineer do, will help you a lot.
The student response to the mechanical engineering course in premier engineering schools has always been terrific. Opportunities to work for top multinational giants, move up the corporate ladder fast and the rising salaries are the primary reasons for this. Candidates eager for a career in this field should be aware of the duties and responsibilities it entails.
Job Description
Mechanical engineers make use of Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and are responsible for successfully designing and developing energy wise and process wise efficient machines. They make use of a variety of facilities such as manufacturing, transportation, utility systems as well as industrial systems to meet their work targets. There are some mechanical engineers who get to work in the research and development departments of major companies to develop new tools and equipment. Mechanical engineers are credited for their contribution to the fields like vibration control, biomedical engineering, aeronautics and plant layout. They provide innovative technological solutions and troubleshooting in a variety of fields such as defense technology, food processing, electricity supply, automobile design and development, generating power and manufacturing industry.
| Mechanical Engineering Applications | |
| Field | Tasks Performed |
| Automobiles | Engine designing for improving efficiency of the vehicle and designing the vehicle body to improve the looks. Identifying faults in earlier designs is also an important duty. |
| Manufacturing and Production | Designing, maintenance and monitoring of important equipment is a vital responsibility. Part played by them in production planning and control goes long way in achieving a companies targets. Design of new products and quality control of existing products is also a task performed by them. Many mechanical engineers prepare layouts for bulk/mass production of salable items |
| Environment | Noise and vibration control is an important function in this area along with inventing new techniques for controlling pollution of all kinds |
| Water and Electricity | Mechanical engineers have an important role in water supply as they are responsible for operating pumping stations efficiently. Many use their engineering skills to monitor as well as install the hi-tech power generation equipment |
Education
To begin with, you need to concentrate on subjects such as mathematics, geometry, physics, science and English in high school. After scoring well in entrance test, you need to obtain your bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from an institute which is accredited to the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. As a potential student of this field, you should take keen interest in subjects like kinematics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and force transmission. Computing abilities, analytical skills, logical reasoning ability and hardworking nature are essential to make a mark in this competitive industry.
Salary
The salary of a mechanical engineer is growing because of the high demand for these talented professionals in the industry. There are several factors on which the salaries depend. Educational qualifications, industry experience, managerial skills, location of work and kind of employer are the major factors which directly influence the salary. Graduates working in top multinational firms earn more than those employed in smaller machine development firms. Salaries for these professionals can be between $45,000 to $65,000 per year initially. With around three to five years of experience, this figure can go up to $70,000 per year. With an experience of more than eight years, mechanical engineers can draw anything between $75,000 to $130,000 per year.
Mechanical engineers with a master’s degree are in more demand and can earn in excess of $150,000 for managerial positions. Also, they can work as faculties in leading education institutions once they obtain a doctorate.