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 »
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 »
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 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 »
Choosing the right design partner is not an easy thing since it involves making a big decision. The future of your business depends on whether you made the right choice or a wrong one. If you get it wrong, then it is frustrating, damaging and costly to your business. When you are looking into design engineering, you are essentially seeking inventiveness, and it’s necessary for the substantial enhancement of what you have planned. Do not rush into making decisions that are very crucial and delicate. The tips below are designed to guide you make the selection process easy. Ensure that your selection criteria is clear Have clear selection criteria organised before you begin putting down the names of the prospective design partners around you. This will not only make the... Read More »
Engineering courses are extremely popular, and that’s because there are so many different niches to specialise in, including mechanical engineering, computer engineering, architectural engineering and online engineering among others. With each of these courses, you have to understand that they’re going to be very analytical, with a lot of focus on mathematical and scientific knowledge. This is reflected in the requirements, which is usually A to B grades in at least two science (or science-related subjects) and mathematics. Of course, there will also be a lot of hands on design and experimentation, and that’s why engineering courses are so diverse. You could be writing an essay on theorists one day and building your own device the next, and that’s more than enough to keep aspiring engineers engaged throughout their studies.... Read More »
Injection moulding is a widely used manufacturing technique, and in simple terms, it’s injecting material into a mould. Most of these products are made by engineers, and you’ll often see this technique used in the manufacturing of cars, while advances in 3D printing have benefited moulding of lower temperature thermoplastics. There are many possibilities with injection moulding and engineers can create a dynamic range of shapes, but everyday products like bottle caps, packaging and automotive dashboards are formed by injection moulding. It’s a form of engineering which requires specialist skill, and a detailed understanding on thermoplastics and how they work. It must be said that while the industry is changing, the techniques used are too, but the basic principles apply and this form of engineering will continue to be used... Read More »
According to the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Engineering companies need to stop expecting young ‘oven-ready’ employees, and start offering more training opportunities. IET’s 2014 report states that almost half of the employers interviewed said new recruits’ skill levels didn’t meet reasonable expectations and the IET says that it is the employers who are partly to blame. The majority of the employers also noticed a shortage of new engineers. Specialist skills often need time to perfect and new engineers will only begin to perfect those skills when they gain working experience, and there definitely needs to be opportunities out there. On a more positive note, apprentices are on the rise and hopefully these young engineers will get more working opportunities in the future when their apprenticeships come to a close.
Well, corrosion is everything to do with cracking, brittle fractures and erosion and it’s the job of a corrosion engineer to manage the effects of corrosion. They use their scientific knowledge and a natural and physical understanding to form structures that are designed to withstand or perhaps even prevent corrosion. It’s an extremely niche sector of engineering but it’s something that is ever-present and there-is more need for corrosion-free structures than ever before. Various career opportunities are out there for those that specialise in corrosion, including engineers, scientists and researchers. The fact of the matter is corrosion is destructive, and there are serious consequences of corrosion and more people are aware of the need for prevention in products, machines and equipment. Different products and structures require different ways of dealing... Read More »
Precision is everything as an engineer or a machinist and that’s why various measurement systems flooded the market, some dating back to the era of industrialisation. The roundness measurement system is extremely clever and it basically measures the roundness of an object accurately. There are many different motors that require accurate measurement before rounded part can be added and without that accuracy otherwise the device can fail completely. Today these machines are hooked up to tablet like touch screen software, and you can then print off the information or save it to the device to view later. Any machinists or engineer could benefit from this type of system and they’re actually rather affordable and that’s why countless engineers have their own measurement system at home to for personal projects and... Read More »
