Author Archives: Toby

The Importance of Testing in Engineering and Manufacture

Testing something to see if it works, its an instinctual human skill that we’ve evolved over thousands of years. Making sure a tool does what it’s supposed could of been a matter of life or death when we lived in tribes and caves. Nowadays our lives aren’t in so much threat, but testing is still just as important and not just for tools. Almost everything that is produced for use by humans, has to have gone through some kind of testing procedure. One that is often enforced by law. If the thing that is being made and distributed is not tested, it could potentially break on use, which makes it useless. Decent businesses and corporations don’t want to distribute things that might be useless, they wont sell, at least not for long before people stop... Read More »

Engineering Apprenticeship Teaching Method

One of the best ways to begin an engineering career is to start as an apprentice. Engineering requires the combination of manual and mental skill. Because of this one the best ways to learn the skills required is through an apprenticeship. On an apprenticeship you will be following the instruction of a mentor, as opposed to simply learning the skills through training programs or from colleagues. Learning from a mentor is different to the other practices because you are following the instruction of a skilled person, regularly and in close proximity. Learning in this way is one of the most efficient processes of acquiring skills. It’s no coincidence that the apprentice and master teaching method has survived throughout all of history and is still widely used today. It may be jarring at first... Read More »

Metal Joining Techniques

There are many ways of joining metal for engineering purposes. It is the function, strength and quality of the product that will determine what method is best suited for the task. Welding   Welding is a common joining technique, used to join two metals together by melting and cooling both materials directly. In oxy-acetylene welding a very hot flame is used. In electric arc welding a spark is used to heat the metal. In both processes a filler rod may be used to improve the strength of the join. Soldering Soldering is different to welding in that a secondary ‘solder’ is used to join the metals together. The solder has a lower melting point than the materials being joined, so it is melted on top the the initial material and cools solid to complete the joint. Rivets... Read More »

Structuring Engineering Tasks

With all engineering jobs it’s important to structure the tasks that compose each job. Organising a job into different components helps to break it down into a more manageable format. Much like breaking down a machine into its individual parts, breaking down a job can help to give a greater perspective over the entire thing. This is important as a greater perspective can give the engineers a clue into where a job is heading, and if there are any alterations that should be made. This is especially important when working to a budget. Spotting issues and making the appropriate adjustments at this stage will help the engineers to avoid any potentially costly mistakes. A greater structure means a more streamlined work process. For an engineering job this is a godsend. It allows the engineers to... Read More »

Learning The Engineering Skills Needed To Be Successful

The process of becoming a fully fledged engineer is a long and arduous road. There are many tests to pass and skills to learn. But don’t let it dis-hearten you. As an engineer you will become a well regarded and extremely valuable part of a country’s constructive effort. The skills you need to be a great engineer cover many different areas. www.career-advice.monster.co.uk recommends the following skills: Effective communication skills: With an increase in the documentation and instructions that engineers use in the workplace, clear and concise communication is a requirement. Interpersonal skills: Working as part of a team is a required aspect of being an engineer. Skills focused around customer and colleague relations are a must. Technical knowledge: Understanding how machines work, chemical formulae, the ability to assess blueprints. These are a few of the technical skills you will... Read More »

STEM, Its Importance In Developing A Country

STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEM in general is crucial for the successful development of a country. It is also integral to already growing countries and if not continually renewed, can cause a country to stagnate in its overall growth. It is a major priority for a country to regularly turn over graduates of STEM. As times change so to do engineering techniques, technology and scientific development. So new subjects have to be taught and updated within STEM education to keep up with time. As important are the teachers of STEM. The teachers and lecturers are the ones who will pass down the knowledge. Quality teachers can provide quality teaching to many students. With many students all taught well, this quality knowledge can spread to developments in every area of STEM. Setting a solid foundation for... Read More »

The Shortage Of Engineers In The UK, A Lack Of Fuel In A Global Race

Its been a concern for the last 200 years, but now it’s becoming increasingly clear that the UK is lagging behind in the global engineering race. In the UK there is a large shortage of engineers and engineering graduates. This has direct knock-on effects with business, science and engineering for the country as a whole and needs to be addressed if the UK is to stand a chance against other growing countries. Politicians are even forced to accept the issue with awareness growing increasingly of the decline. Its difficult to assess why exactly there is a lack of the crucial workers needed to power this part of the country. But it is apparent that there aren’t enough young people studying the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. A obvious indication of the decline in interest in the field. This,... Read More »