Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on a precision control system that has been optimized for manufacturing economics and ease of assembly. However, I want to open up a discussion about optimizing certain functional properties. Here are a few points I'd love to get your input on:

1. Coupling of Gears: The base active gear needs to couple with the passive one effectively. One solution could be using a predesigned accurate tolerance coupling where a bearing holds the active gear in place and the actuator couples to that. Has anyone tried similar methods or have other suggestions?

2. Handling External Loads: The base actuator performs well under normal conditions, but I'm considering more realistic parameters. For instance, if an external load (e.g., a human) acts on the frame, especially on the large lever arms of the tilt actuator or the camera, the base motion system might struggle. Should we include extra costs to reinforce the system to handle such loads, even if it might slightly compromise dynamic performance?

It's challenging to address these issues, especially when the alignment of the final ideas of what the system has to do isn't fully defined.

I'd love to exchange some insights on this. You can check out my project which has a big cost optimization factor if you're interested in the same domain!

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a recent project I worked on that demonstrates how using systems in different manners than industry standards can significantly reduce costs. You can refer to my project to understand what I’m talking about. Typically, building a frame for a robust 2-axis motion system costs around $8,000 to $10,000, but I managed to create one for just $800 to $1,000. 

The Traditional Approach

Usually, the main structural frames for systems like this are cast, coming as one large piece. This method is very expensive to manufacture, post-process, and even design.

My Approach

To solve this issue, I sought the cheapest manufacturing processes for steel available to me, which turned out to be 2D CNC of steel, either using water jet or plasma cutting. Here’s a breakdown of my method:

• 2D CNC Steel Plates: I used 2D CNC steel plates to create the main frame. This process is much cheaper than casting large pieces.
• Coupling Plates with Bolts: By cutting multiple shapes from steel plates and coupling them with bolts, I was able to construct a 3D frame.
• Custom Angle Brackets: I designed custom 90-degree brackets to couple the horizontal assembly to another set of 2D steel plates in the vertical direction. This mimicked a 3D casted steel frame.

Benefits

This method resulted in a frame that was as robust, accurate, and high-performing as those made by conventional means but at a fraction of the cost. It was multiple folds cheaper and reliable enough for the intended application.

Further Discussion & Application

This approach can be refined further. Imagine a specific modeler that imports a 3D model of the desired frame and iterates using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to build an assembly with 2D plate slices. The modeler would determine the shapes, thicknesses, and coupling methods to be used. We are currently working on such a system/modeler.

https://preview.redd.it/2khici7344dd1.png?width=630&format=png&auto=webp&s=d57e61ae6f8b978ab1e5924f8bbc2bdbbfef44a3

Hello guys. I am a mechanical engineering student that is looking for some "light studying" before the fall semester kicks off. I am very passionate about firearms due to the history and mechanics behind it. This is not a firearm subreddit so I'll keep that part separate but I was wondering if there were any book recommendations specifically about the ballistic science behind firearms from engineers who are in this field. Thanks!

I am part of a team building a cheap underwater ROV that is more budget-friendly for people who want to use it. Since it needs to be cheap we have built the body out of PVC pipe and the control system uses Arduino. However, we are running into the problem of static electricity shocking the Arduino into sleep mode, forcing us to take it apart and power cycle the Arduino. However, when we put the PVC back together, the same problem repeats itself resulting in multiple disassemblies before the Arduino stays on. For now, we are spraying everything with salt water to avoid the static and haven't had a problem since then but it is very inconvenient. Does anyone have any solutions to this?

# Intro

​

Welcome to the weekly career discussion thread, where you can talk about all career & professional topics. Topics may include:

​

* Professional career guidance & questions; e.g. job hunting advice, job offers comparisons, how to network

​

* Educational guidance & questions; e.g. what engineering discipline to major in, which university is good,

​

* Feedback on your résumé, CV, cover letter, etc.

​

* The job market, compensation, relocation, and other topics on the economics of engineering.

​

> [Archive of past threads](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22weekly+discussion%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)

​

---

​

## Guidelines

​

1. **Before asking any questions, consult [the AskEngineers wiki.](https://new.reddit.com/r/askengineers/wiki/faq)\*\* There are detailed answers to common questions on:

* Job compensation

* Cost of Living adjustments

* Advice for how to decide on an engineering major

* How to choose which university to attend

​

1. Most subreddit rules still apply and will be enforced, especially R7 and R9 (with the obvious exceptions of R1 and R3)

​

1. Job POSTINGS must go into the latest [**Monthly Hiring Thread.**]((https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22hiring+thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)) Any that are posted here will be removed, and you'll be kindly redirected to the hiring thread.

​

1. **Do not request interviews in this thread!** If you need to interview an engineer for your school assignment, use the list in the sidebar.

​

## Resources

​

* [The AskEngineers wiki](https://new.reddit.com/r/askengineers/wiki/faq)

​

* [The AskEngineers Quarterly Salary Survey](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/search/?q=flair%3A%22salary+survey%22&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new)

​

* **For students:** [*"What's your average day like as an engineer?"*](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/wiki/faq#wiki_what.27s_your_average_day_like_as_an_engineer.3F) We recommend that you spend an hour or so reading about what engineers actually do at work. This will help you make a more informed decision on which major to choose, or at least give you enough info to ask follow-up questions here.

​

* For those of you interested in a career in software development / Computer Science, go to r/cscareerquestions.

Hi

I have dozens of engineering books that I have no use for. https://imgur.com/a/TwPLHFK There are some other random books mixed in too. (All of these books were given to me by an engineering professor who was quitting his job and moving to another country, so it's mostly engineering and computer science but some other stuff too.)

The biggest categories of engineering books I have are FE/PE review books, Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.

Some of the books don't have covers because I tore them off planning to recycle the books before I thought of posting here.

I can't pay to ship, so if you're interested, please message me to arrange to pick up whichever books you might be interested in in Little Rock, AR. Or if you know of some place around here that would take them off my hands, please let me know!

Thanks.

What do the UK's engineering institutions actually do? It seems like they charge a huge amount for membership so that they can host expensive dinners and rent prime London realestate, without actually doing very much at all for their members (I speak as a member of one). They don't seem to be lobbying for better recognition of engineering, for Engineer to be a protected term, for the government to produce an industrial strategy, for better salaries for engineers, and they dont have the benefits of a union. The don't provide insurance of any sort. Companies dont require membership for jobs. So what are they for?

https://preview.redd.it/2q8ske98o3cd1.png?width=1426&format=png&auto=webp&s=7663f42451e3bea35713848a3e55d154e01300cd

https://preview.redd.it/b13old98o3cd1.png?width=1678&format=png&auto=webp&s=2dc72055c35e68170466621446292e7e1e701453

Hey everyone,

I've been working on the model and a planning and wanted to see if people had more input. You can look at my previous post for context.

I was thinking about how I'm going to make the fuel tank. Can't remember the dimensions off the top of my head. Would aluminum brazing or steel brazing with bronze with propane or map gas be an effective method? I've been reading that most people stick with around 18ga. I was thinking of putting a tank liner in it regardless of the material choice.

I don't have whole drive train modeled yet but the idea is to have two sprockets on the jack shaft similar to how to old btr's used to have. The two sprockets would be connected to each other to transfer power and ride on their own bearings. The jack shaft is 5/8 keyed shaft inside flange bearings with set screw collars. I was thinking of welding a mounting flange to the bottom bracket shell for the flange bearings. The only reason I'm using bearings and not just using static foot rests is because I'd like to be able to pedal the bike. So on the starboard side there will be a conventional single speed pedal drive train

Also thinking about using mild steel for the bike frame instead of chromoly but haven't made a final decision on that. I'm still learning how to use Ansys which will probably take me a while. I know a shop could tig weld a chromoly frame very well but honestly I think I would enjoy it a lot to try and do it myself with mild steel if it ends up being strong enough in my simulations. I guess if I really wanted to stick with chromoly I could just braze that with map gas as well?

Another thought about map gas is that I wonder if it would get hot enough to bend mild steel? I know people mentioned bending the pipes vs welding those bends together. I would make some sort of fixture for the tube, fill it with sand so it doesn't deform, and then bend it around a makeshift die. This would be nice for the large down tube piece and the top tank tube. I would reduce the stress concentrations and be less welding. I wonder if the mild steel ends up not being strong enough if I could add gussets in the corners.

Not 100% sure about the forks. I've see some springer forks online that are tempting because their already put together, but the ones that look sturdy enough cost an arm and a leg. I'm not so sure about the other ones. I'm thinking I could build one myself that safe and strong enough for cheaper.

Lots to think about! Looking forward to everyone's input.

In an arm that moves circular parts from one lathe chuck to another, there is a spring mounted fixture that locates the parts in a claw that moves them. Not super important... So these spring mounted guides are held in by pins that are threaded for machine screws, the machine screws are fine thread and they keep backing out from vibration. They've tried using red thread locker, they still back out (maybe coolant seeping in and degrading the thread lock?)

What solutions does anyone maybe have to keep red thread locker machine screws from backing out?

Hello all,

I've been given a fun opportunity. I write C programming embedded firmware for what I would consider a global company, not anything near the size of a Google or Amazon, but a company that sells millions yearly worldwide and whose products are seen in most countries. If I were to hint at what they do it'd be a pretty dead giveaway.

I came up with a specific workflow in our bootloader used in a few of our product lines that is as follows: If we need to run a certain sequence, I have a specific string of characters in memory and a CRC value associated with them. If the CRC is valid, we can run this workflow. If, for whatever reason, our memory is bricked or jumbled and no longer working, don't attempt the workflow and simply run the application as normal. It would bypass any new workflow and just run what was the previous workflow.

After asking my boss what we should make the string of characters, he gave me free reign to add what I want. He said "You could even put 'I [my boss's name] suck' in there if you want." My question to you all is, what do you think is a good/funny/meaningful Easter egg and what do you think goes into making that Easter egg good/funny/meaningful?

# Announcement

​

(no announcements this quarter)

​

---

# Overview

If you have open positions at your company for engineering professionals (including technologists, fabricators, and technicians) and would like to hire from the r/engineering user base, please leave a comment detailing any open job listings at your company.

​

​

We also encourage you to post internship positions as well. Many of our readers are currently in school or are just finishing their education.

​

**Please don't post duplicate comments.** This thread uses Contest Mode, which means all comments are forced to randomly sort with scores hidden. If you want to advertise new positions, edit your original comment.

​

> [[Archive of old hiring threads]](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A"hiring+thread"&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all)

​

## Top-level comments are reserved for posting open positions!

​

Any top-level comments that are not a job posting will be removed. However, I will sticky a comment that you can reply to for discussion related to hiring and the job market. Alternatively, feel free to use the [Weekly Career Discussion Thread.](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22Weekly+Discussion%22&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all)

​

## Feedback

​

Feedback and suggestions are welcome, but please [**message us**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fengineering&subject=Feedback:%20Quarterly%20Hiring%20Thread) instead of posting them here.

​

---

​

# READ THIS BEFORE POSTING

​

## Rules & Guidelines

​

1. Include the company name in your post.

​

1. Include the geographic location of the position along with any availability of relocation assistance.

​

1. Clearly list citizenship, visa, and security clearance requirements.

​

1. State whether the position is *Full Time*, *Part Time*, or *Contract*. For contract positions, include the duration of the contract and any details on contract renewal / extension.

​

1. Mention if applicants should apply officially through HR, or directly through you.

* **If you are a third-party recruiter, you must disclose this in your posting.**

* While it's fine to link to the position on your company website, provide the important details in your comment.

* Please be thorough and upfront with the position details. Use of non-HR'd (realistic) requirements is encouraged.

​

1. **Pandemic Guidelines:**

* Include a percent estimate of how much of the job can be done remotely, OR how many days each week the hire is expected to show up at the office.

* Include your company's policy on Paid Time Off (PTO), Flex Time Off (FTO), and/or another form of sick leave compensation, and details of how much of this is available on Day 1 of employment. **If this type of compensation is unknown or not provided, you must state this in your posting.**

* Include what type of health insurance is offered by the company as part of the position.

​

## TEMPLATE

​

### !!! NOTE: Turn on Markdown Mode for this to format correctly!

​

**Company Name:**

​

**Location (City/State/Country):**

​

**Citizenship / Visa Requirement:**

​

**Position Type:** (Full Time / Part Time / Contract)

​

**Contract Duration (if applicable):**

​

**Third-Party Recruiter:** (YES / NO)

​

**Remote Work (%):**

​

**Paid Time Off Policy:**

​

**Health Insurance Compensation:**

​

**Position Details:**

​

(Describe the details of the open position here. Please be thorough and upfront with the position details. Use of non-HR'd (realistic) requirements is encouraged.)

# Intro

​

Welcome to the weekly career discussion thread, where you can talk about all career & professional topics. Topics may include:

​

* Professional career guidance & questions; e.g. job hunting advice, job offers comparisons, how to network

​

* Educational guidance & questions; e.g. what engineering discipline to major in, which university is good,

​

* Feedback on your résumé, CV, cover letter, etc.

​

* The job market, compensation, relocation, and other topics on the economics of engineering.

​

> [[Archive of past threads]](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22weekly+discussion%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)

​

---

​

## Guidelines

​

1. **Before asking any questions, consult [the AskEngineers wiki.](https://new.reddit.com/r/askengineers/wiki/faq)** There are detailed answers to common questions on:

* Job compensation

* Cost of Living adjustments

* Advice for how to decide on an engineering major

* How to choose which university to attend

​

1. Most subreddit rules still apply and will be enforced, especially R7 and R9 (with the obvious exceptions of R1 and R3)

​

1. Job POSTINGS must go into the latest [**Quarterly Hiring Thread.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22hiring+thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) Any that are posted here will be removed, and you'll be kindly redirected to the hiring thread.

​

1. **Do not request interviews in this thread!** If you need to interview an engineer for your school assignment, use the list in the sidebar.

​

## Resources

​

* [The AskEngineers wiki](https://new.reddit.com/r/askengineers/wiki/faq)

​

* [The AskEngineers Quarterly Salary Survey](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/search/?q=flair%3A%22salary+survey%22&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new)

​

* **For students:** [*"What's your average day like as an engineer?"*](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/wiki/faq#wiki_what.27s_your_average_day_like_as_an_engineer.3F) We recommend that you spend an hour or so reading about what engineers actually do at work. This will help you make a more informed decision on which major to choose, or at least give you enough info to ask follow-up questions here.

​

* For those of you interested in a career in software development / Computer Science, go to r/cscareerquestions.

I did some research but could use more info from either process or more experienced mechanical designers.

1. I guess the sand jetter is used for cleaning the vessel, but wouldn’t you get the same effect from just using a hose?

2. How do you arrive at a good pressure for the sand jetter?

3. How is material selection for internals done? How do you decide between stainless steel or carbon steel and what thickness?

4. On the inlet, we have a few vanes to reduce the flow due to a Schoepentoeter calculation. Can anyone give more advice on what this means? Ask questions and I can try to give more info, but I’m confused on this one.

5. We have a defoamer, made of a fin-type shape. What is this for? What foam is formed in the separator?

6. We also have a perforated plate which is made with 3-inch diameter holes below the defoamer and inlet.

7. If anyone could share some design drawings of vertical separators, I would appreciate it.

8. Can someone give more explanation about the importance of the angle between the inlet and outlet? I saw this was a critical calculation to design.

I know it’s a lot, so feel free to only answer what you feel comfortable sharing.

Hi Engineers, Quality, CMM Inspection and Machinist I'm curious if my GD & T application of perpendicularity (DATUM 😎 and dimensioning is within the standard, especially on quality inspection and fabrication. Your comments are highly appreciated
Thanks!

I need some guidance/direction to design this with one motor.

I need to design a mechanism which moves a ~5lb (rectangular-ish prism shaped) load vertically ~250mm, rotates 90 degrees along one axis, then moves horizontally ~250mm. This motion has to be done <3 seconds and in a confined area. The linear portion of this resembles an L. The three motion can be combined, but the rotation needs to start and finish at an offset from the ends of the motion. Below is a GIF of the motion.

https://i.redd.it/758760cslead1.gif

The straightforward design would be to use two motors with drive belts for the linear motion then a servo for the rotation, but since the motion is always constant, this seems like a waste of motors and money.

I have looked into using a rack and pinion for the linear portion, utilizing two racks and one pinion which shifts from one rack to the other to allow for the change in direction, but this seems not the best solution.

I have also looked into three-bar linkages, but the design doesn't look like it will fit into the space constraint and seems like precision is required.

I'm thinking of some tracks that allows the load to move and rotate, but can't seem to find good reference examples online. The curved linear tracks online also look to keep the orientation of the carriage the same and what I am looking for changes the angle.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance!

Were using cleaner oils for cutting and minimizing scrap iron by using a cutlist optimizer.

I am building a containment system for Plasma, (and by extension, fusion containment vessels, and yes, I know it is extremely dangerous, I study this), and I got to the point where I am researching the best elements (or alloys) to use as a material for the electromagnetic coils required. I soon found that cobalt is a lot more expensive than I thought, and a lack of places to buy pre-made cobalt-iron alloy wire, or cobalt iron alloy at all… I cannot find a good answer from the IAEA, NRC, and Google in general. Thanks! (NO, this is not a career, school project, although I have no clue what school would have this insanity as a project, or anything related to that. I do this because I am, quite ‘off my rocker’ and because this as a hobby. Sorry so long!)

Background: I work in Automotive Validation Testing doing a mix of Test Equipment design, DAQ, LabVIEW, etc for typical automotive products. For our testing, everything is under 16V, with one of our products having a peak current draw of 40A. Most of our products draw less than 5A peak.

With EVs becoming a big push, we are starting to see requests from our customers to make designs that can handle 240-800VDC with various current draw requirements. Can anyone point me to some literature for design guidelines in higher voltage DC Testing? Saftey concerns? Etc.?

Thank you

Hello! I am trying to streamline some rain barrel irrigation and I was looking for what I am calling a "float valve."

Essentially I want a container to fill but need air to flow out, once water has filled it I want a valve to close the air port preventing water from leaking, and when water goes back down the float will as well, all with no real pressure needed.

I picture essentially an upside down hamster water bottle but with a floating ball instead of sinking.

Does such an item have a name? I am hoping this exists and can be had cheap, I imagine I can print some up but off the shelf will likely be less leaky and more robust.

Thanks!

I am working on something rn, and am kinda scratching my head on how to go about it. We have an aeration pond that hasn't had the solids dealt with for about 34 years. We had someone come in and survey the depths so, we can see how much the solids have built up. However, the pond is kind of an odd shape to begin with. I was wondering if anyone could point me in a direction to

1. Calculate the original volume of the pond with an odd shape

2. Calculate the volume of the pond given the depth readings that we collected from the odd shaped pond

I want make a tool to be able to more easily pull one magnet off of a stack of magnets (Neodymium magnets). Imagine a tool like the famous Lego separator tools. What material above the top magnet of a stack would have the greatest affect of helping release it from the magnet below it?

I started just thinking I would 3d Print a tool with the two magnets fastened in the end of it. I was thinking that the top magnet would then have a strong bond to the tool and make it easier to slide/peel the magnet off the stack. Then I was afraid that I would essentially be adding magnets to the stack and making the top magnet have a stronger bond to the one beneath it.

I then wondered if a tool with a piece of steel on the end would direct the magnetic field and weaken the bond with the magnet beneath and provide leverage to slide/peal it off.

What do you think? If you were making a magnet disassembly tool would you use a magnet in the end of it, steel, or something else?

I design custom equipment that requires interacting with our customers and I'm usually dealing with a manufacturing engineer or similar on the customer's end. I swear over the last 5 years or so the people I'm interacting with are just getting dumber over time. Quotes often get hung up over their inability to answer simple questions or provide usable information. For example, received a video attachment today of someone pointing to "something" just sitting on their desk that I need to accommodate for/mount on our product. No information at all about what it actually is like a manufacturer/part number, etc. And that's just today, stuff like this happens all the time, seems to be every other customer now that lacks all common sense and these people are often engineers of one sort or another. Am I the only one dealing with this nonsense?

I’m currently interning at a large engineering company. A discussion amongst the interns came up of the importance of taking the FE exam. We polled the majority of mechanical engineers here and only 2 had their PE. Our professors stress in school the importance of taking the FE but is this practical for mechanical? Is this just more of a civil thing nowadays?

Hi, I'm trying to create a water dispenser without any plastic parts. I tried creating one with cork, copper pipe, and a brass valve. The cork got too compressed over time to hold the weight of the water though. Is there a way to create a sort of natural seal that can be taken off for refilling? or some other design that would be better? Thanks