What Mechanical Engineers Learn

Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest fields of engineering. Mechanical engineers can create consumer products, work in manufacturing facilities, or design and install HVAC systems in buildings. As a result, mechanical engineering curricula are broad in scope.

All engineers must study several semesters of mathematics. Single variable and multivariable calculus are required, as is differential equations and statistics. Students must also take introductory chemistry and at least two semesters of physics- mechanics, and electricity and magnetism. (Sometimes waves and optics are covered in the third semester.)

Later on, engineering students begin to specialize in their respective engineering fields. Mechanical engineers begin with courses such as Materials Science, Dynamics, Controls, Thermodynamics, and Fluids. In Materials Science, students expand their basic chemistry knowledge about various materials and their properties, such as strength, brittleness, and hardness. This kind of knowledge is important in making design decisions regarding the type of material they will use for a project. Students learn how to model complex motions and forces so they can successfully include moving parts in designs. The course content teaches students how to accurately use signals to control the operation of moving parts. Thermodynamics involves the study of temperature and heat transfer. Successfully controlling heat output, whether the heat is an intentional part of a design or simply an unwanted by-product, is a crucial part of engineering. In Fluids, students learn about the complex motion of liquids and gases, which is very different from the motion of rigid bodies they studied in Dynamics. Mechanical engineers must understand fluid flow so they can utilize hydraulics and pneumatics in their work.

At this point mechanical engineers begin to study more specialized subjects, such as Design, Manufacturing, or Energy. Some students might choose a subject for majors and take courses in that area, while others might take a broader approach and gain a general understanding of a variety of these subjects. Design subjects teach students how to create products and devices. They will learn important concepts of aesthetic design. They also learn how to achieve usability in products, which materials are suitable for which uses, and how to create and read technical drawings.

When studying Manufacturing, students learn how metals, plastics, and composites are formed, and the various ways to mold these materials into the desired shape. Students who study Energy more in-depth will delve even deeper into thermodynamics and fluids. They might study how to design power plants, or create energy-efficient consumer devices.

Mechanical engineering is a broad field, but students have the opportunity to specialize in a number of niche areas within that field.