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. goonking

    Verify Answers to Mechanical Energy Homework

    Homework Statement You do 100 J of work while pulling a child back on a swing, whose chain is 2.0 m long, until the swing makes an angle of 30.0° with the vertical. a) What is the child's mass? (Consider the swing itself and the chain massless) b) Upon releasing the swing from this position...
  2. M

    Flat plate heat exchanger - Hand calculations help

    I am designing a flat plate heat exchanger for a project and I am not sure where to start with the hand calculations, specifically the LMTD and E-NTU methods, also how to work out the parameters which i will need to complete these methods such as area and number of plates. My deadline is soon...
  3. G

    Black holes and mechanical engineers

    Hello geeks! I've reached that point in life, where I've to decide on what to study. The thing is, that I simply love the wonders and extremes of our universe, such as neutron stars, black holes etc. But the thing is, if you don't want to give lectures in a university or do research in black...
  4. 1

    The strain of a dog-bone specimen

    Homework Statement A dog-bone specimen made by aluminum alloy is used for tensile testing by a force of 4000N via two steel pins. The dimension of the specimen is shown in the following picture; the thickness of specimen and the length of pins are 4mm and 8mm, respectively. The mechanical...
  5. R

    Automotive As a mechanical project we have been asked to design a micro steam car

    [ mod note: moved from homework ] as a mechanical project we have been asked to design a micro steam car. we have chosen to use a wobbler engine for this. The aim of the project to see how far this car can travel based on a given amount of fuel. We are making a boiler which will provide the...
  6. PrincessIceFall

    How to find the depth of immersion of this boat model?

    So I am trying to find the depth of immersion of this particular boat model, which has curvilinear edges (subparabolic edges) on each side. The figure of the pontoon is shown below So now when I place this pontoon in water, the height of the water that rises, called the depth of immersion is...
  7. D

    Mechanical energy of frictionless pulley

    Homework Statement In the system shown, the block M (mass of 15.65 kg) is initially moving to the left with a speed of 3.4 m/s The mass of m is 8.26 kg and the coefficients of friction are μs=0.411 and μk=0.304. The string is massless and the pulley is massless and frictionless. How fast will M...
  8. I

    Astrophysics and mechanical engineering

    I have recently completed my A levels with 3 A's in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics (mechanics) Growing up I've always been fascinated by both aircraft engineering and astrophysics (how the universe came into being, how its going to end, big bang and big crunch etc.) My question is for a...
  9. W

    How can I use Pneumatic Muscles as Hydraulic Muscles?

    Hi everyone, this is my first post I was wondering how can I turn a pneumatic artificial muscle into a hydraulic one using water. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-air-muscles!/ These are the air muscles I was planning on using. What sort of pump would I need? Please be specific as...
  10. L

    Engineering Jobs for mechanical engineer in the US

    Hello there, i am from brazil and i will be graduating in mechanical engineering next year. i really want to live outside brazil and i would go to US or australia. thus, i want to know how could i achieve that, in terms of diploma validation and what are the best areas of mechanical engineering...
  11. Danielle Agamon

    Topics in Mechanical Engineering

    Hi! I'm currently in senior high and I'm planning to take Mechanical Engineering for my college.I want to make advance research this incoming vacation about the different things or should I call "topics" about mechanical engineering where would I start? thank you :D
  12. T

    Mechanical Vibrations Coursework: Frequency of Block Rolling in Water

    Homework Statement I am currently taking mechanical vibration course and am given coursework. A wooden block (20X200mm) floats half submerged in water. Determine the frequency of small oscillations of the block rolling from side to side. In this motion, the centre of mass remains in the plane...
  13. J

    Programs Pursuing a Minor in Physics as a Mechanical Engineering Student: Is it Worth It?

    Hello, I'm currently a freshman planning to pursue Mechanical Engineering with the intent of getting a Master's in Nuclear Engineering. I am attempting to decide whether or not to pursue a minor in physics because I deeply enjoy physics. However, my degree by itself is challenging and I want to...
  14. Patolord

    Engineering Looking for a good book on Mechanical Vibration

    Hi, I just started an introductory class on Mechanical Vibration and would like to know what's a good book mainly with good problems so i can practice. To be more clear the topic discussed here ->...
  15. M

    Thermodynamics for Mechanical Engineering Problem

    Homework Statement A closed, rigid tank contains a two-phase liquid-vapor mixture of Refrigerant 22 initially at -20 C with a quality of 50.36%. Energy transfer by heat into the tank occurs until the refrigerant is at a final pressure of 6 bar. Determine the final temperature. If the final...
  16. N

    How can I simulate a rolling non-rigid tire with obstacles using ANSYS 14.5?

    Urgent help required! I need to simulate a rolling non-rigid tyre on a ground with obstacle(s). How should i proceed with ansys 14.5? Any help will be deeply appreciated.
  17. F

    Conservation of Mechanical Energy on a Roller Coaster

    Homework Statement A roller coaster at an amusement park is at rest on top of a 30 m hill (point A). The car starts to roll down the hill and reaches point B which is 10 m above the ground, and then rolls up the track to point C, which is 20 m above the ground. (A) A student assumes no energy...
  18. D

    How Do I Solve These Mechanical Principles Problems in Electronic Engineering?

    hey, so I'm currently studying electronic engineering on year 2 of level 3 and having to study mechanical principles this year which I don't really know anything about and my tutor doesn't explain properly. I would appreciate some help on the method of calculating the questions. I've added clear...
  19. MagnetDude

    Engineering I want to do nuclear, electrical, and mechanical engineering

    Because there are only so many characters I can put in the title I will future explain down here. I want to do design/work on many things... I don't know how likely it is for me to do these things, but I want to work on electric motors, generators, nuclear reactors, Combustion engines, steam...
  20. R

    Civil vs Mechanical vs Computing

    There are probably numerous threads like this, I have read them all but I'm still undecided. I am a high school senior and applying to UK universities - I have applied to more than one subject (three, actually: civil, mechanical engineering and computing, all from Imperial College) and received...
  21. H

    Kinetic friction and lost mechanical energy

    An Object slides with a consistent velocity down an incline that has a 30 degree angle. I'm trying to find the kinetic friction and the ratio that the mechanical energy is lost on the way down. I think I have already calculated µ with F(friction)= µmgcos(θ)=mgsin(θ) out comes Tan(θ) = µ I...
  22. A

    Pressure/Temperature mechanical equilibrium

    1. Homework Statement Three thermally insulated containers of equal volume are connected together by thin tubes of negligible volume so that gas can flow from one container to the next when a valve between them is open. Initially, the pressure and temperature in each container is at the same...
  23. Machinekraft

    What Are the Limits of Torque Amplification in Mechanical Torque Multipliers?

    What is the maximum torque amplification that can be achieved using a mechanical torque amplifier?
  24. M

    Civilian Nuclear Engineer at Naval Shipyard

    I was recently offered a job by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to be a civilian Nuclear Engineer in the Nuclear Fluids and Mechanical Engineering Department. I will be graduating with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in the spring (3.70 GPA), and have accepted this offer for employment, though its...
  25. H

    Work done by friction and change in mechanical energy

    We want to slide a 12-kg crate up a 2.5-m-long ramp inclined at . A worker, ignoring friction, calculates that he can do this by giving it an initial speed of 5 m/s at the bottom and letting it go. But friction is not negligible; the crate slides only 1.6m up the ramp, stops, and slides back...
  26. D

    Programs Mechanical engineering major problem

    I am currently a freshman getting my undergrad in Physics, but I want to be a mechanical engineer. However, my school does not offer a degree in mechanical engineering. I would consider transferring out, but I have a full ride. The physics department at my school is also fairly good and they...
  27. T

    Mechanical Engineering thoughts in college vs. reality?

    Hi everyone, I'm a sophomore in college and we have a project discussing mechanical engineering. I'd like to know what you thought your career would be like before you graduated and now that you're in your career what is the reality. Addition questions: How long after college did you wait for...
  28. N

    How to Determine the Height of an Object Dropped at a Given Speed?

    Tim drops his watch from a 3-story-building, 12.5 m above ground. In task a. you were asked to find what the v was when it hit the ground, the answer was 15.7. However I am having trouble finding the answer to task b in which you are asked to find the h when the watch is dropped at the speed of...
  29. F

    Should i at least try mechanical engineering ?

    So here's the deal, currently I am in med school (1st year) and the thing is i didnt love it but I am starting to hate it now Initially i wantet to study mechanical engineering but i thought i wasnt good enough since I am not naturally good at math (i love physics though),i also was afraid on...
  30. O

    Mechanical Engineering Requirements

    Okay, I hope I'm not bothering, but I just need some help, I'm a 16 years old guy from Egypt, I love Engineering and I've learned the Autodesk Inventor in 2011 (I was only 13), anyway, I need to boost my abilities to be able to be an mechanical engineer, I'm still in high school, but I'm willing...
  31. A

    How to use the first law of thermodynamics for simple mechanical problems

    I'm confused about what exactly is Q and U and their signs. Consider a block initially having some kinetic energy which we stop and we want to find by how much amount its temperature increases. Then Q=dU+W where dU is change in internal energy. (I'm using the sign convention that heat absorbed...
  32. physicsisgreat

    Units in quantum mechanical problem about 4-He

    Homework Statement Units of the problem are chosen to be such as KB = 1 and ħ = 1 so that energies are expressed in Kelvin and lengths in Å. The professor says the resulting value of ħ2 / 2 m for a 4-He atom is 6.0599278: how is that possibile? Homework Equations Natural units websites give...
  33. F

    Engineering Relationship Mechanical Engineering and Nanotechnology

    I got a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and I am now doing a PhD in Nanotechnology in which I am synthesizing a nanomaterial. Someone just told me that nanotechnology is more like mechanical engineering and materials engineering than any other thing. Based on my work I can see the relationship...
  34. J

    What Are John's Interests and Background in Mechanical Engineering?

    High school education. Retired from IBM 30 years. A bit of experience in control and data acquisition. Current interest in mechanical engineering, specifically epicyclical gear systems. I'm a firm believer in knowledge with understanding. This forum looks very interesting and I am looking...
  35. P

    Which Type of Engineering Should I Choose: Mechanical or Civil?

    Hi everyone ! Iv read a lot of threads that brings up this subject . But couldn't find anyone that were in "my shoes" Im a 24 year old guy who lives in Sweden and works as a carpenter ( 5 years experience ) Iv been studying math , physics and chemistry at evenings and nights for 2 years...
  36. H

    Mechanical Waves: Essential Properties of Medium for Propagation

    What are the essential properties of the medium for the propogation of mechanical waves?
  37. K

    Looking for some help on a mechanical design

    I'm a junior at my university in electrical engineering and we're tasked with created an original project for my electricity and magnetism theory class. I've come up with something I want to do, however a fair amount of the design for this project is pretty far out of what I know how to do...
  38. M

    Vortex Tube for cabinet cooling

    Hi, I'm a mechatronics student and I am currently working on a project on the effectiveness of a vortex tube to cool a cabinet. The cabinet has a thermostat inside and if the temperature exceeds a threshold, an air compressor is turned on, causing the vortex tube to cool the cabinet. The cabinet...
  39. K

    Conservation of momentum and conservation of mechanical energy

    What are the conditions necessary for applying the conservation of mechanical energy or the conservation of momentum? Can we apply these anywhere or do we require specific conditions which have to be fulfilled for applying them?
  40. E

    Engineering Career Change to Mechanical Engineering at age 30

    I currently work in the pharmaceutical industry and I work in a lab testing purity of controlled substances. I have wanted to do engineering for several years now, more specifically electrical or mechanical. I have started to develop medical conditions due to exposure to chemicals in the lab. So...
  41. K

    Exploring a Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology

    I think I'm kind of geared more towards Mechanical Engineering Technology because of it's practicality, but I also want to make my own designs, which isn't really taught in MET, where you get to do other people's designs. But for some reason I don't want to do just ME or MET. So I've 2...
  42. D

    Engineering Study Engineering Physics or Mechanical Engineering?

    So I've been a part-time student for the last couple of years taking classes at a rather high-ranked public university that's well known for its engineering program. The problem is, my GPA is crap and so the only engineering program that will accept me is the engineering physics program. It's an...
  43. U

    A mechanical toy vehicle (w/o electronic)

    Using some kind of launching/propelling system to launch a vehicle (toy size)... The problem is getting the vehicle to turn at a certain point to avoid the obstruction w/o using any type of motor. I've tried to look into zigzag patterns, but they all require electronic motors w/ gear shafts...
  44. F

    Novice Electrical Guy with a Mechanical Question

    Hello All. This is my first post, and I hope it is not too simplistic, but I am out of my normal line of work here. I am trying to understand the relationships between flow, velocity, and cross sectional area with gases and fluids(air and water). Imagine a large vertical, cylindrical tank...
  45. A

    Studying Aerospace Engineering: A High School Senior's Dilemma

    Hi, I'm a high school senior and I was planning on studying Aerospace Engineering but my local university doesn't have it so I was opting to study ME and then move to a bigger uni where they have AE so I can get my masters degree there. Is that a good idea? Plus where would I work after I get my...
  46. T

    Mechanical Vibration: 3 Degree of Freedom

    Homework Statement http://i.imgur.com/wJu0AEs.jpg http://i.imgur.com/J9sEWgq.jpg?1 Homework Equations Kinetic Energy = T = 1/2 * I * (theta_dot)^2 Potential Energy = V = 1/2 * Kt * theta^2 The Attempt at a Solution Matlab Code and Results: >> I1=3600; I2=200; I3=800; I4=4800; d1=0.15...
  47. Aamna

    Engineering Mechanical Engineeringmajor with math minor?

    Hello everyone! So, I am a mechanical engineering student but I've recently discovered my passion for electronics and computer science. I would eventually like to pursue a graduate degree in either or both (if that's possible) of these fields. I am thinking to get a mathematics minor to help me...
  48. M

    Engineering I want to be a mechanical engineer, but I fear

    ...that I'm not smart enough. Yes, I know - hard work matters more than smarts. But I look at kids way younger than I am who are building things and have had a natural scientific curiosity, making physics for fun, doing differential equations since they were 8, etc. And I can't help but feel...
  49. Nietzsche_Keen

    Graduated No job yet. How can I stay current/relevant?

    First post in the forums. Looking forward to some great conversations. I took my ultimate exam for an A.A.S. in Instrumentation Technology, Electronics, and Bio-medical Equipment Repair Technology. I have an internship at a hospital SUPPOSEDLY scheduled to start in a month. I have plans to...
  50. W

    Programs Should I continue pursuing my Mechanical Engineering Degree?

    I have recently transferred to UCSD from a community college, but I am not sure if I should continue my degree. Before I ask what I really want to know, let me explain my where I am at in school and life right now. I hope you enjoy reading :) but if you are willing, I am very interested in...
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