Mechanical Definition and 1000 Threads

Mechanical engineering is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering branches.Mechanical engineering combines creativity, knowledge and analytical tools to complete the difficult task of shaping an idea into reality.
The mechanical engineering field requires an understanding of core areas including mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, materials science, structural analysis, and electricity. In addition to these core principles, mechanical engineers use tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling systems, transport systems, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, medical devices, weapons, and others. It is the branch of engineering that involves the design, production, and operation of machinery.Mechanical engineering emerged as a field during the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 18th century; however, its development can be traced back several thousand years around the world. In the 19th century, developments in physics led to the development of mechanical engineering science. The field has continually evolved to incorporate advancements; today mechanical engineers are pursuing developments in such areas as composites, mechatronics, and nanotechnology. It also overlaps with aerospace engineering, metallurgical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and other engineering disciplines to varying amounts. Mechanical engineers may also work in the field of biomedical engineering, specifically with biomechanics, transport phenomena, biomechatronics, bionanotechnology, and modelling of biological systems.

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  1. K

    Throwing 1Kg the highest without electronics

    hello everyone. me and my mates as some fun over the school holidays are having a competition to see who can throw 1Kg the highest without the use of electronics due to an unfair advantage to those more well off etc. my first idea was a rail gun but as that requires electronics it is unable to...
  2. C

    Mechanical advantage of a mountain climber (pulley)

    Hi I have a hard time undersanding the mechanical advantage of this pulley system (in the video below): I understand that when a person is holding you, then the mechanical advantage is 2, because 50% of the weight or Load is on the rope going from the harness to the top left anchor point, and...
  3. A

    Engineering Switching from mechanical engineering to physics

    Hello, I'm a Mechanical Engineering student about to begin my third year. After getting a little taste of what MechE's do, I find myself losing interest. I was undecided between MechE and Physics from the beginning, and I believe I'm preferring engineering only because of the jobs. I should also...
  4. N

    Which Engineering Field is Best for Research and Inventing?

    So I have to choose between mechanical, Electronics and Electrical engineering. I want a job which has a lot of research to do rather than just designing or improving a product, as of now I think electronics is better suited for me, but I am having second thoughts. I am going crazy over this...
  5. D

    Finding mechanical energy of simple harmonic oscilator

    Homework Statement A simple harmonic oscillator consists of a block of mass 45 g attached to a spring of spring constant 240 N/m, oscillating on a frictionless surface. If the block is displaced 3.5 cm from its equilibrium position and released with an initial velocity of 2.5 m/s, what is its...
  6. N

    Mechanical or Electronics and Communications?

    As I want to do higher studies in physics ( and unable to get a good Bsc (hons.) physics program) which Engineering should I choose Mechanical or Electronics and communications? From what I hear ECE guys end up doing software jobs after their graduation and Mech has better chance of doing...
  7. Gh778

    Solving the Mystery of a Mechanical Device: Where is the Error?

    Hi, I imagined this device and I don't understand where is the error. I posted here because it's a simple mechanical device, I have trouble with the sum of torque. The potential energy must be constant. I think I forgot a torque, if you see where ? A torus turns counterclockwise around the...
  8. J

    Junior in Engineering: Bio, Elec, or Mechanical

    Hello. My name is Javier Olivares. I have been a lurker for sometime but decided to finally begin to be an active member. I really want to get some help/advice. I'm currently a junior at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I'm 26 years young where the VA covers my tuition from serving four...
  9. K

    Energy from food to Mechanical Energy & distance traveled

    Homework Statement An "energy bar" contains 22 g of carbohydrates. If the energy bar was his only fuel, how far could a 68 kg person walk at 5 km/h? Mass(person) = 68 kg; v = 5km/h; 22g carb = 4 Cal/1 carb = 88 Cal; P(power of man walking) = 380W (this is derived from my textbook). Homework...
  10. Y

    Masters Degree for Bio-MEMS: Mechanical or Biomedical?

    Which graduate program should I enter? I plan to enter a thesis based course. My end goal is to eventually be able to create biosensors and diagnostics for the healthcare industry, such as microfluidics (lab on chip) and glucometer sensors. Thanks
  11. S

    Engineering Mechanical Engineering vs Civil Engineering

    Hello everyone, I know this has come up a lot in the past but my situation is slightly different. As is everyones. Currently a second year general engineering student with a decision to make soon, MEng Mechanical or MEng Civil? I enjoy both subjects equally. But I will be taking an...
  12. V

    Simulation sandwich structure ANSYS Mechanical

    Hello everyone! I’m using APDL to simulate the behavior of a specimen in tension with a sandwich structure made of honeycomb and glass fiber. It was modeled in CATIA V5 and exported to APDL in a parasolid file. Only a half of the structure has been modeled because of symmetry condition. NOTE...
  13. PinkGeologist

    What is a hardening function? What does it represent?

    So, I was introduced tangentially to plastic deformation and hardening functions. I see we have three basic function ... and the linear and kinematic seem to be the most common defaults ... I see it is a measure of the strain of a material under stress. But how would you know which version to...
  14. UMath1

    Bicycles and Mechanical Advantage

    I am trying to understand how mechanical advantage works in a bicycle but I am still a little confused. I understand that the force applied to the pedal goes first to the crank sprocket which then applies a force to the chain at its radius which is the then applied to the gear at the wheel...
  15. I

    Question on intrepretation of loading

    hello all, I am in the process of measuring coefficients of a rectangular panel using given table in textbooks to obtain them. I have attached a simple figure of two situations; left is my current situation to analyze- a clamped end and compressive force on the other end. The situations...
  16. S

    Conservation of Mechanical Energy

    Homework Statement This is my first time posting here guys so correct me if I am wrong. This question was on my test and I wanted to know if I did it right. There is a block of mass m and it is moving at a certain velocity before pressing against a spring which compresses distance x. Find...
  17. N

    Mechanical / progressive / transverse / longitudinal waves

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but based on what I've learnt, there are three kinds of waves: mechanical, transverse progressive and longitudinal progressive. Mechanical - A disturbance makes particles vibrate on the spot Transverse progressive - Energy is carried, and moves perpendicular to the...
  18. V

    Help Needed: Experienced Mechanical Engineer for Interview

    HIhi, I am currently a college student whose taking introductory course of engineering, and I have an assignment about interviewing a mechanical engineer that has at least two years experiences. Personally I am very interested in mechanical engineering as well, so I wonder would any of you guys...
  19. Shahryar

    Clockwise direction rotational motion in MCS Adams software

    I am working on a simulation but i want to put a constraint that my shaft rotates clockwise only, If a force is applied on anti clock wise direction, it doesn't go back. Working on MSC adams software. Thank you in advance for any kind of advice anyone can help with.
  20. umang kapadiya

    Is mechanical engineering good choice for me?

    I like maths & also like physics. So can i make career in mech. engineering ? I am not good at programming. So if I wish to take computer engineering, it is good choice ? Please suggest best engineering branches. I'm very confused.
  21. K

    A marble that is rolling without slipping approaches a hill

    Homework Statement A marble that is rolling without slipping approaches a hill at 8.5 m/s. How high vertically will the marble go under these circumstances: If the hill is rough enough to prevent any slipping? If the hill is perfectly smooth? Why does the marble rise to different heights when...
  22. Kyle Burris

    Mechanical noise - A/C and radon fan standing wave hum

    Hello, I am moving into a new house, remodeling, etc. & am installing a new A/C compressor and radon fan. Being that low frequency noise highly bothers me & affects my insomnia quite a bit, I am trying to look at all considerations regarding acoustics, mechanical sound propagation properties...
  23. fobsnation

    Mechanical analysis of a simple object

    Homework Statement presentation of a component and its mechanical concerns along with some mathematics behind it. Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution I really have no idea how to even start this but I thought of doing the spring in mechanical pens. I would appreciate any help :)
  24. B

    MS in nuclear engineering or mechanical engineering

    Hi, I am currently trying to decide between a master in nuclear or mechanical engineering. I did my BS in mechanical engineering. If I dicide in a MS in nuclear engineering I am planning in focusing in the development of better and safer fission reactors and later on doing a PhD in fussion. I...
  25. M

    Looking for mechanical clutch solution

    Hi, I made an electronics project but I'm having some mechanical problems. Particularly, I'm having issues finding a good clutch for my problem. What I'm trying to do: A motor is connected to shaft 1, a human can manually rotate shaft 2. I want that when the motor isn't doing anything, a...
  26. A

    Programs Mechanical + Electrical Double Major

    Currently, I'm going into electrical engineering, but I've been considering a double major with mechanical engineering. I'm taking a statics course right now and am really enjoying it. It definitely seems like something in which I'd be interested. If anyone is doing this, studying either major...
  27. L

    Programs Mechanical Engineering Technology?

    Hi, I am seeking some opinions regarding a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. I do understand the general scope of the degree opposed to Mechanical Engineering. I am without a college education and working full-time in Quality Control at an industrial CO2 laser company. A local...
  28. goonking

    What does it mean when total mechanical energy is negative?

    Homework Statement Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution So for part a, i just plugged 3 into the equation, got the U(3) = -5.36 to get mechanical energy, (KE + PE): 5 J + (-5.36 J)= -0.36 J is this correct? what does it mean when the total energy is a negative value? (I have never...
  29. morrobay

    In Mechanical Wave v = w/k. EM wave w/k = c. How Equated ?

    With ω/k = 2π/T / 2π/λ = velocity for both transverse mechanical waves and EM waves. I can understand velocity as distance over time in mechanical wave. But how is the ratio Em/Bm = ω/k = c. That is the maximum amplitudes of the E and B fields in the y and z planes corresponding to c in...
  30. M

    Mechanical principles rotating systems

    Homework Statement A shaft 2 m long rotates at 1500 revs min–1 between bearings as shown in FIGURE 2. The bearings experience forces of 5 kN and 3 kN acting in the same plane as shown. A single mass is to be used to balance the shaft, so that the reactions are zero. The mass is to be placed at...
  31. AdityaDev

    Robotics: ECE or mechanical engineering?

    I got to know about robotics 5-6 years ago after watching a program in the Discovery network. I even joined robotics classes and i found it fascinating. (They gave me LEGO mindstorm kits). I also learned C programming and i know python as well.(my friend told me that its important to know C...
  32. F

    How to plot stress-strain curve?

    Can we plot stress-strain curve if we only have yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation data? For example if i have: Yield strength = 300 MPa Tensile Strength = 600 MPa Elongation = 50% How to plot the stress-strain curve? Thanks
  33. B

    Steam Tables: Oil fired boiler questions

    Homework Statement This is from a practice mechanical science exam for HNC engineering. See attachment for the question sheet off a practice exam. I have no idea how to do this after the a and b parts and my answers for which are below the question (underlined), any suggestions or solutions...
  34. U

    Pressure of a sphere on a regular surface

    Since the pressure a sphere exerts on a surface tends to infinity, how do you actually calculate it? My guess would be trying to see how many atoms of the surface (a straight line) and of the sphere collide. But this is very dependent on the materials and exterior factors. I have searched...
  35. S

    Multiple engineering disciplines

    I'm currently studying Software Engineering. But I also have a major passion and interest in mechanical systems and electronics (specifically electrodynamics and pretty much anything which involves physics and mathematics). Since I have a giant greed for knowledge, is there a possibility that I...
  36. H

    Engineering Advice for a mechanical engineer turned mathematician?

    I graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in 2014 and I have had my job for a year now. I absolutely hate it, I am a manufacturing engineer, but I don't feel like I use the skills I learned at school at all, I have these little projects that I get do every once in a while but they never...
  37. J

    How is torque divided between multiple wheels in a system with friction?

    Hi there, really trying to grasp these concepts for one of my engineering papers. This is basic stuff I realized now that I never really understood. If I've got two shafts, two wheels per shaft meaning four wheels in total, each wheel is 60 mm in diameter, and the power consumed by the system...
  38. A

    Should I do mechanical engineering?

    Hello I have recently applied for college and I put down mechanical engineering as my number 1. I ament that good at maths in fact I struggle with it, but I am very good at solid works and I love working with metals. I still don't know if mechanical engineering is mainly designing or if there is...
  39. Mr Davis 97

    How does mechanical energy work?

    I am a little confused about how mechanical energy conservation operates when it comes to things like predicting velocity. I know that if conservative forces are the only forces acting on a body, then we can say that mechanical energy is conserved. This is simple to see when we have lateral up...
  40. 0

    Computer Aided Mechanical Engineering

    I am 17 years old and aspiring to be an engineer. When I go to university next year the course I will be studying is Computer-Aided Mechanical Engineering. I wanted to study just Mechanical Engineering however I did not get into the university that does it and this is the only course that I want...
  41. Borek

    Simulation of mechanical systems - FLOPS required?

    I suppose some of you know the game called "Bridge Builder" (or Pontifex, or clones). I need some help determining how many FLOPS are required during the simulation and how do they scale with the bridge size (number of elements). Some of these bridges contain hundreds of elements and tens of...
  42. K

    Deciding between Electrical and Mechanical

    First off, thank you for spending your time to read this and respond. I'm quite aware that there have been other posts on this and I've read through nearly all of them, but I'm looking for a bit more personal advice.I started typing out a bit about myself and my experience thus far with college...
  43. James Agostino

    Professional Mechanical Engineer Interview

    Hello, I am a first year Mechanical Engineering student at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, and I'm looking for a professional Mechanical Engineer to respond to these interview questions. I'm conducting interviews for my technical writing course this quarter, and would love to hear...
  44. S

    Engineering Nuclear Engineering vs Mechanical Engineering

    I have a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering and I am interested in CFD. I have an admit offer for MS in Nuclear Engineering at UIUC with RA and MS in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford without any assistantship. Which one is a better option to choose considering the fact that I am not a...
  45. B

    Mechanical advantage ideal systems

    Homework Statement An engineer with mass 100 kg has designed an ideal mechanical advantage machine shown below. Platforms 1 and 2 are attached to the machine. When he steps on platform 1, platform 2 rises straight up. The maximum weight that he can lift using his machine in this manner is...
  46. W

    Mechanical Water Waves: Understanding Behavior

    I want to understand how water waves behave. I do not need to be able to solve them (although i would like a derivation) because I tried hard to find it but I were not able to find any source on it (i probably didn't know the terms i should have been searching for) The type of stuff I want to...
  47. J

    Civil Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology

    Hello, all. I am currently a Junior in Mechanical Engineering. I was doing really well up until this current semester and my grades are starting to get lower and I have been losing interest in the material. I am considering switching to civil because their technical gpa requirements are a bit...
  48. J

    Mathematical modelling of Electric-Thermal-Structuralphysics

    Hi i am working on a research paper for which i need very good citation for the analytic analysis coupling Electric - Thermal-Structural physics(via Joule Thomson effect & Thermal stress/strain). Please provide any good source of mathematical relations describing the above complete or in part...
  49. R

    Container stack height on a ship: Mechanical strength

    In the photo of a container ship cargo seems stacked 12 high. I do know that there's lateral supports etc. that are not visible in the figure, yet the vertical load, isn't that transferred downwards to the bottom container? Or is there some way to support the stack at an intermediate point so...
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