The article discusses the various facets of mechanical engineering and how it has found importance in all other areas of engineering also.
Mechanical engineering, as the name implies, deals with the mechanics of operation of mechanical systems. The various functions that fall within the scope of this branch of engineering are designing, manufacturing and maintenance of mechanical systems. For this purpose it uses the various laws of physics and applies them to different systems to analyze their performance and map out ways to improve their efficiency.
History of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering experienced its growth during the time of the World Wars. This growth can be attributed to the need for building newer war machines during that time. As a result of this need, more money was allocated towards research in this field and hence it began to develop as a unique area of study. Over the years, mechanical engineering has expanded its scope and it now has a noteworthy role to play in all other areas of engineering also.
Applications of Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineers are involved in the design and construction of various pieces of equipment like aircrafts, spacecrafts, and automobiles, stationary structures like building and bridges and industrial machinery. Due to the fact that mechanical engineers have to deal with a wide range of issues relating to different fields during the course of their work, the mechanical engineering program is prepared to provide them with the basic knowledge of different areas of study.
Just as chemical engineers strive to make different chemical processes cost-effective, mechanical engineers also strive to make the production and maintenance of different machines economical and efficient. Mechanical engineers also have to deal with one additional issue. The machines designed and manufactured by these mechanical engineers will be used by general community who do not have any knowledge about their operation. Hence, they will have to consider the safety and durability factors of these machines also while designing them.
Areas of Study Of Mechanical Engineering
The main areas of study that mechanical engineering looks into are:
- Design
- Drafting and analysis – For this purpose it uses design softwares like Pro-E, Catia, Ansys and AutoCAD.
- Design of various mechanisms – In this purpose, the kinematics and dynamics of a mechanism are taken into account and a proper design is drafted for the mechanism.
- Manufacture
- Solid Mechanics
- Strength of Materials
- Statics and Dynamics
- Heat-related Studies
- Thermodynamics
- Heat Transfer
- Energy Conversion
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
- Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics and Pneumatics
- Instrumentation and Measurement
Mechanical engineering is finding more and more applications these days in other areas of engineering also. The most significant of these is the field of robotics. Robotics has become an important area of study due to the fact that more and more processes are getting automated these days. Mechanical engineers are handed the task of manufacturing assembly lines of robots for different operations and controlling them through pre-written programs to make the process of manufacture less human dependant, and more efficient and economical.
