Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology - Mechanical Engineering

                                                  

             CAREER  IN  MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 

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Introduction:

Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering. It is also referred to as the ‘Mother’ branch of engineering.

Mechanical engineering is the branch of engineering mainly concerned with the design, manufacture, installation, and operation of engines, machines, and manufacturing processes. This engineering field requires an understanding of core concepts, including mechanics, kinematics, thermodynamics, material science, and structural analysis.

 Another appealing feature of mechanical engineering is that the application base of this field of study is extremely broad and diverse. Almost all inventions during the ancient period and a vast majority in the modern era are direct contributions of one or the other application of mechanics.

Traditionally, mechanical engineers have to deal with concepts such as mechanics, thermodynamics, robotics, kinematics, structural analysis, fluid mechanics and many others. These concepts are applied in the process of designing state-of-the-art manufacturing units, different types of motor vehicles, aircraft and aerospace parts and a vast assortment of industrial machinery. Mechanical engineers also contribute in the development of various engines, power plant equipment, heating and cooling systems and other simple and complex machinery. Mechanical engineers not only design new mechanical systems but they are also responsible for testing, maintaining and manufacturing them.

The aforementioned are the conventional roles and responsibilities of mechanical engineers. However, times have changed. Nowadays the scope of mechanical engineering is expanding beyond its traditional boundaries. Mechanical engineers are focusing their attention towards new areas of research such as nanotechnology, development of composite materials, biomedical applications, environmental conservation, etc.

The ever increasing scope of this particular job profile now requires professionals to get into financial and marketing aspects of product development and even into people and resource management. All in all mechanical engineering offers a wide bouquet of job options to students who are looking for a stable and stimulating career.

Step-by-Step:

Passing 10+2 with PCM (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics) is the first step you take towards becoming a professional mechanical engineer. To be eligible for a graduate programme (BE/B.Tech) in a college, you should have scored at least 50% marks and 60% for being eligible for IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) in 10+2 with PCM as subjects. After this, you can sit for various entrance examinations such as:

• The Joint Entrance Examination for IITs (IITJEE) for admission to various IITs

• All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) for admission to various National Institutes of Technology or regional engineering colleges

Apart from these, there are hundreds of engineering colleges across the length and breadth of the country where you can get into a graduate programme in mechanical engineering. Some of these colleges conduct their own entrance exams whereas some accept AIEEE scores.

You can also opt for a diploma in engineering from a polytechnic. For obtaining a diploma, the basic eligibility is completion of Class 10 with 50% marks. The duration of these diploma courses is three-years for regular and four-years for part-time study.

You can also go for an associate membership qualification from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, which is considered at par with the diploma earned from a state run polytechnic or a university degree. Another option is to earn a similar qualification offered by the Institution of Engineering (India). Diploma holders can also get direct entry into the second year of a graduate program (lateral entry).

After successful completion of the graduate program, you can go for the two-year masters program in mechanical engineering or ME/M.Tech. If you are interested in pursuing a post-graduate programme in mechanical engineering from any of the IITs, then you must appear for the Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers (GATE).

These days many engineering colleges are offering a dual (BE/B.Tech and ME/M.Tech) programmes. Some other institutions are offering a combination of an engineering degree along with a management programme.

In case you are interested in further studies, you can go do a PhD or even opt for a management degree from a reputed business school.

Start Early:

To make mechanical engineering your chosen career path, you must have affinity for the way different machines function. This trait can be observed from early childhood when children try to tinker around with different machinery in their immediate vicinity. Such kids often tend to take apart mechanical toys, clocks, bicycles and then they try to assemble them back again.

These children are so innovative that they may even try to make new things. Here, parents have a special role to play. They must understand that the child possesses an inquisitive mind that is interested in gaining knowledge about machinery and not in breaking or destroying things. Parents must encourage the child’s curiosity to know more about different gadgets and machines in and around the house.

During schooling, the quest to play around with machinery increases all the more. This curiosity often culminates with the child opting for science with the PCM subject combination.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

Like other career paths, the entry into this particular branch of engineering also requires you to possess certain basic traits. First and foremost, you must have a penchant for mechanical components and machinery and how these machines work. Then you must be good at physics, chemistry and mathematics. You must also have skills such as an analytical bent of mind, logical reasoning and problem solving.

Further, you must have immense patience, physical strength, ability to work for long hours and an inventive spirit that are essential ingredients for becoming a successful mechanical engineer.

What would it Cost Me?

A graduate programme from a private engineering institution will cost you anywhere between Rs.50, 000 to Rs.2, 00,000 annually. However, in a reputed government run establishment such as the Indian institute of Technology (IIT) or any regional engineering college, you will have to pay an annual fees in the range of anywhere between Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000.

Funding/Scholarship:

Educational institutes offering programmes in mechanical engineering generally extend scholarships to students from socially and economically backward classes.

For example, IITs waive off the complete tuition fees for students belonging to the socially backward communities. Scholarships, free ships, stipends and financial assistance are also provided to students on the basis of merit and other qualifying criteria.

Job Prospect:

Since mechanical engineering is the broadest of all engineering fields, the job prospects on offer for skilled mechanical engineers are aplenty and unending.  

Mechanical engineers are required to design, test, manufacture, install, operate and maintain a wide array of machines and mechanical systems that are used in countless industries.

These professionals can find employment both in the government and private sector undertakings.

Major industries that employ mechanical engineers include automobiles, space research, aeronautical, energy and utilities, air conditioning, bio-mechanical industry.

 Other major employers include giant manufacturing plants, air conditioning and refrigeration industry, turbine manufacturing plants, oil and gas exploration and refining industries and the agricultural sector.

In the government sector, mechanical engineers can provide their knowledge to various government run projects in the role of technical experts and consultants.

They can also work in private engineering companies that provide technical consultancy to both government and corporate firms.

These engineers can also hold high managerial positions in government as well as private sector organizations according to their field of expertise and educational qualifications.

Pay Packet:

Mechanical engineering offers a wide variety of career opportunities to job aspirants. The average monthly salary of mechanical engineers who are new to this profession is approximately in the range between Rs.10, 000 and Rs.25, 000.

Good campus placements can fetch even better packages for deserving students. Mechanical engineers who hold a post-graduate degree from a reputed academic institute tend to get better offers than diploma and degree holders.

From here on the annual pay packet depends on a number of factors such as the skill set possessed, experience, expertise, the employer, nature of roles and responsibilities, etc.

 Highly skilled mechanical engineers can easily command pay packets as high as Rs             40-45 lacs per annum.

Demand and Supply:

There is great demand for skilled mechanical engineers in different segments of the industry.                     

Their expertise is required in traditional manufacturing industries such as automobiles, aviation, shipping, aerospace, power plants and machinery manufacturing.

In recent times, the services of expert mechanical engineers have even been sought in fields such as nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, energy conservation and environmental engineering.

There is also great requirement for mechanical engineer consultants who have management skills along with technical proficiency. The primary role of such professionals is to manage both technology and people and firms that provide engineering consultancy require them.

Various engineering colleges and polytechnics across the country are doing their best to meet the burgeoning demand of skilled    https://www.facebook.com/Mechknowledge

Market Watch:

The job market for mechanical engineers is perennial. Even the vagaries of the global economic crisis could not knock out the demand for these professionals in the Indian job market. Although some branches of mechanical engineering went out of focus during the meltdown period, the overall situation was much better as compared with other careers.

On the brighter side, things are getting back to normal and this evergreen career path is again gaining coin amongst career aspirants as it did during the pre-meltdown years. In fact, this is a period of resurgence for mechanical engineers. They not only have countless options in the industrial sector but they can also make foray into new realms of technology and even get into management and technical consultancy.

According to a survey, mechanical engineering is amongst the most sought after branches of engineering preferred by students seeking admission to various technical institutes across India in the recent years.

International Focus:

Highly qualified professionals from this field, such as post-graduates from various IITs, often seek suitable employment in foreign countries. It is not that only highly qualified mechanical engineers get opportunity to work abroad. If you are employed in a multinational company, you may also get the chance to work on offshore projects

Positives/Negatives:

+ ives :

• There are umpteen job openings and you will not remain unemployed
• Constant involvement in the development of new components, gadgets and machines
• Innovative contribution to the new frontiers of science such as nanotechnology, biomedical engineering and environmental sciences
• Not hit by recession or global economic meltdown

-  ives :

• Working conditions can be adverse at times
• Deadlines and work pressure can exact a heavy toll on the body and mind
• Physically strenuous and not for the weak

Different Roles, Different Names :

Mechanical engineering is considered the ‘Mother’ of all branches of engineering. In this context the roles and responsibilities held by a mechanical engineer are different and depend on their area of specialization and the industry they are working for. In broad terms, the job profile of mechanical engineers can be classified into the following functional segments:• RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D): Engineers whose role is to do research and then plan for new machines and their constituent parts.• DESIGN: Professionals whose responsibility is to draft technical drawings, manually or with the aid of computers.• PRODUCTION: Engineers who supervise the manufacturing of mechanical components and machines.• ANALYSIS AND TESTING: Engineers who analyse and test different types of machines and their parts to ensure that they function flawlessly.• INSTALLATION: Professionals who install machines and mechanical parts at the client location.• MAINTENANCE: Engineers whose primary role is to ensure that machinery is working as per specifications.

                                             

 Fields

Mechanical engineering is an incredibly broad field, and provides the engineer a number of different areas in which to work.

Following is summary of the areas included in mechanical engineering.

Basic Engineering:

Mechanical engineers deal with the mechanics of motion and the transfer of energy.

Applied Mechanics:

Applied Mechanics looks at shock and vibration, dynamics and motion, and fracture and failure in components.

Fluids Engineering:

There are mechanics involved in anything that flows — air, water, sand, oil, etc. Fluids engineers design and build systems that control or utilize flow, such as pumps, turbines, compressors, valves, pipelines and fluid systems in vehicles.

Heat Transfer:

Heat moves in systems all around us, from computers, to automobiles, to ventilation systems. The field of heat transfer deals with combustion, power generation and transmission systems, process equipment, electronic devices, thermal controls in manufacturing, environmental controls, biotechnology, aerospace applications, transportation equipment and even cryogenics.

Bioengineering:

Nearly every part of the human body may be described in mechanical terms. Bioengineering deals with artificial organs, biomechanics, biomaterials, bio-instrumentation, biotransport processes, human factors, medical devices, biomedical modeling and biological systems.

Tribology:

Tribology deals with interacting surfaces in motion. It looks at friction, lubrication and wear. Any product which involves two surfaces rubbing against one another is the concern of a Tribologist.

Energy Conversion:

Our world is incredibly dependent on the conversion of energy into useful forms. A mechanical engineer is extremely important in this conversion.

Internal Combustion Engines:

IC engines are not only used in automobiles, but are also used in aircrafts, marine vessels and even some stationary applications such as electric generators.

Fuels & Combustion Technologies:

Some mechanical engineers specialize in fuels and combustion systems. In addition to working with combustion systems, they also deal with fuel processing, alternative fuels, fuel handling, transportation and storage.

 Power Engineering:

Mechanical engineers work in power engineering in the design and production of electricity-producing systems.

Energy Resources:

In addition to working in the conversion of energy, mechanical engineers may also work in finding and developing new forms of energy.

Advanced Energy Systems:

Mechanical engineers develop new energy systems such as power cycle devices, fuel cells, gas turbines and many others.

Solar Engineering:

Mechanical engineers develop solar energy collectors and new and innovative ways to utilize solar energy.

Nuclear Engineering:

Mechanical engineers may design and develop nuclear reactors and components, such as heat exchangers, radioactive waste systems and new fuel technologies.

Petroleum:

The petroleum industry has been an important part of our lives for quite a while. Mechanical engineers work on oil and gas drilling and production, offshore and arctic operations, hydrocarbon processing, synfuels and coal technology, materials, equipment design and manufacture, fuel transport, new fuel technologies and pollution control.

Ocean, Offshore & Arctic Engineering:

Much of our energy sources already come from offshore sources. Mechanical engineers design and build ocean structures, systems, hyperbaric chambers, life support equipment, marine vehicles, submersibles and ROV's, propulsion systems, remote sensing systems, moorings and buoys, ship structures and ocean mining equipment.

Environment & Transportation:

Getting from one place to another is something that affects every person every day of their lives. Mechanical engineers work to move us and our goods quickly and more efficiently. In addition, the effect that transportation, and other factors, has on the environment is something that concerns us all.

Aerospace & Automotive:

Mechanical engineers design propulsion engines and structural component systems, crew and passenger accommodations and life support systems. They also develop the equipment used to build automotive, aircraft, marine and space vehicles.

Environmental Engineering:

Environmental conditions normally deal with a mechanical process, the movement of heat, noise and pollutants through soil, water and air. Mechanical engineers can study the effects of these processes and work to reduce their impact on the environment.

Rail Transportation:

Mechanical engineers design, build and maintain rail systems which help move people and goods every day. New developments are being applied to develop a new generation of locomotives for freight, passenger and transit services.

Solid Waste Processing:

Solid waste processing is an important part of environmental protection. Mechanical engineers develop solid waste processing facilities, and work in areas related to recycling, resource recovery and waste-to-energy biomass conversion.

Manufacturing:

Mechanical engineers are critical in making a product become reality.

Manufacturing Engineering:

About half of mechanical engineers work for a company that makes something, whether it be consumer goods, transportation or industrial equipment. The work is as varied as the products that are produced.

Materials Handling Engineering:

Handling materials can be challenging when the material is costly, exotic or dangerous. Some mechanical engineers specialize in materials handling, transportation, handling equipment or hazard control technologies.

Plant Engineering & Maintenance:

Manufacturing plants often need to be updated. Mechanical engineers are crucial in this process.

Process Industries:

A process engineer changes materials from one form to another so that they can be used in new and interesting ways. A mechanical engineer will design and build the machines that heat, cool, liquefy, harden or soften substances.

Textile Engineering:

Textile companies seek out mechanical engineers in the design and production of the machines and plants that handle fabrics, weave or knit fabrics, manufacture apparel and handle the finished products.

 Materials & Structures:

Mechanical engineers have to use a variety of different materials when making a product. The design and production of these materials is also an important process for a mechanical engineer.

Materials Engineering:

A materials mechanical engineer focuses on properties of materials and their effect on design, fabrication, quality, and performance. They work to create materials which can be cast, forged, stamped, rolled, machined or welded.

Non-Destructive Evaluation:

Nondestructive testing is necessary to determine the quality of a device without dismantling it. Mechanical engineers use x-rays, ultrasound, magnetic particle inspection, infrared and other techniques.

Pressure Vessels & Piping:

Pressure vessels and piping are critical in many industries, and mechanical engineers develop materials that resist fatigue and fracture, plan the fabrication of equipment, perform inspections and tests, and design components.

Systems & Design:

Most mechanical engineers work in the design and control of mechanical, electromechanical and fluid power systems. Design engineers take into account a truly wide number of factors in the course of their work, such as: product performance, cost, safety, manufacturability, serviceability, human factors, aesthetic appearance, durability, reliability, environmental impact and recyclability.

Dynamic Systems & Control:

Dynamic systems need to be controlled. Typical applications of DSC include novel transducer designs, biomechanics at the cellular and human scale, dynamics and control of power and vehicle systems, and innovations in signal and information theory. These engineers are needed in a vast number of areas — aerospace and transportation, biomedical equipment, production machinery, energy and fluid power systems, expert systems and environmental systems.

Fluid Power Systems & Technology:

 An excavator, which employs hydraulic power systems, demolishes the old Experimental Sciences building to make way for new construction

Hydraulic and pneumatics systems are in everyday use. Mechanical engineers are needed to design and build these systems that could be used in automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, power industries and any situations that call for a flexible and precise application of power in large amounts.

Information Storage & Processing Systems:

With the vast amounts of data that are stored in computer systems today, mechanical engineers are needed to design and manufacture the devices to store this data. They are normally involved in hard disk technologies, data storage and equipment, wear and lubrication in data storage devices, micro-sensors and controls.

Micro-electromechanical Systems:

Micro-electromechanical systems combine computers with tiny mechanical devices such as sensors, valves, gears and actuators embedded in semiconductor chips. Mechanical engineers are needed for the design and development of these high-tech devices.

Conclusion:

Mechanical engineers work in a variety of environments, for a variety of different types of companies. Companies throughout the state and nation need to employ engineers

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Top Companies:

1. Automobile and auto part manufacturers
2. Aerospace industry
3. Various Government   sector undertakings
4. Aviation companies
5. Steel plants
6. Thermal plants and gas turbine manufacturers
7. Air conditioning and refrigeration industry
8. Shipping industry
9. Engineering consultancies
10.  Armed forces

Tips for Getting Hired:

1.  It is advisable to earn a post-graduate degree in this field
2.  Computer proficiency is a must these days
3.  You must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
4.  A management degree further brightens your career prospects