What is Mechanical Engineering?

In simple terms, it's about turning energy into motion and power.

More formally, mechanical engineering covers the generation, conversion, transmission and use of mechanical and thermal energy, and includes the design, construction, and operation of devices and systems. It also involves studying the behaviour of solids, liquids and gases when forces are applied and when they are heated and cooled.

Mechanical engineers examine:

How forces are transmitted to and throughout a structure (statics) The velocities, accelerations and resulting forces for a system in motion (dynamics) The behaviour of mechanisms in motion (kinematics) Whether the component is strong enough and stiff enough to support the loads Which material has the optimum properties for a particular application How energy gets converted to useful power and the losses involved (thermodynamics) The pressure drop due to a fluid flow and the aerodynamic drag forces (fluid mechanics) The calculation of heat transfer rates from temperature data and temperature distributions The selection of manufacturing processes The integration of electronic controls into an engineering design The prediction and control of vibrations The estimation of manufacturing costs.

Course overview Bachelor of Engineering Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Biomedical Science Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Commerce Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Science

What do mechanical engineers do?

More than you can possibly imagine. They design and develop everything from door locks to space shuttles.

They work on power plants, renewable energy systems, electrical generators, robots, propulsion systems, computer systems, climate control systems, engine cooling, respirator and air conditioning systems, aircraft engines and cars.

New areas of investigation include prosthetic limb and joint design, noise and vibration restriction, high-performance composite materials development, flexible manufacturing, mechanical design automation and the control of industrial pollution control.

Typically, a mechanical engineer will:

Study the energy, environmental and safety aspects of a project Design advanced materials and structures to meet the demands of supersonic and hypersonic space travel Design electrical power plants with reactors, heat exchangers, an appropriate piping network, and other specialised components for the provision of nuclear energy Design robots and automatic control systems Develop computer systems that improve and speed up production processes Work alongside physicians, therapists, and other medical professionals to investigate the workings of the human body and to design aids and instruments for medicine Work closely with trainers, coaches and athletes on the design of sporting equipment Research elements of mechanical and thermal design for modern computers and other electronic equipment Supervise the building and repair of machines and systems Carry out research into the use of energy sources, machinery and materials Prepare specifications, plans and drawings of machines or machine parts Work out how much a project will cost.

Careers in mechanical engineering

Opportunities are, in a word, excellent.

Careers include research and development, product and process design, manufacturing, field and test engineering, technical sales and support, project management, systems design, power plant operations and quality control.

Mechanical engineers work in the petrochemical, manufacturing, transportation, automotive, aerospace, electronic, mining, and robotics industries, and in growth sectors like communications, banking, public utilities, consulting practices and entertainment. Mechanical engineers also work in universities, government research organisations and in the public service.