Does anyone know of any programs that do traveling volunteer type work outside the US? (Or inside honestly, either way). I 26M have a little over 3 ears of mechanical engineering experience.

I am a minimalist and just looking for enough money to get by. I want to help people while gaining work and life experiences. Not really sure where to start my search.

I do feel like I have relevant engineering skills that can be of service, so if possible I would like to continue working in that field.

About Me:

I graduated back in 2020 and got my national license as a Mech Eng back in 2022. Mostly a blank state between those years except the time I worked as a tutor solving homework for kids on a platform.

I got two jobs 7 months later after getting my license. One job was a monthly junior inspector working for my uncle, inspecting the mechanical systems of this high-class condominium, and making reports to my uncle. I also got a full-time job in the elevator and escalator maintenance industry as a project mechanical engineer by title but I felt like an operations engineer by nature since we rarely get more than 1 project per quarter.

Now about my full-time work:

- During my first year I only hung around a village with the area technicians waiting for calls from the security regarding their elevators so we could fix them. The village had a total of 52 elevators ranging from 5-10 stops. I admit I was a slow learner of the technicals of the elevator and rarely went with the technicians since the engineer from other areas threw me his office work where I mostly compiled parts requests, small technical reports, and completion certificates at the village staff house (financed by the company I work for). I hated my first year, I stagnated for a year and felt like a couch potato.

- Somewhere around March, I was moved to the office away from the site, where the scheduling was handed to me I scheduled where these certain technicians will work on a daily basis, and when all of our areas will be scheduled for preventive maintenance by our technical crew. I also schedule immediate corrective maintenance as well if there are major breakdowns with some of our high-rolling clients.

- I also answer calls from our clients regarding technical concerns where they tell me that their elevator is broken and I call available nearby technicians to divert them.

Benefits from full-time work:
- Not very strict with schedule

- Most of my money only goes to transportation, and food since the company answers for all the stay-in facilities at the village.

My concerns:

1. That's mostly my work every day, am I f***ed careerwise?
2. Is this not classified as mechanical engineering work, or is this management engineering?
3. I want to get out and grow by changing to a different industry however I'm financially afraid of what might happen next since I have to start from zero.
4. Is there an industry I can apply to where I don't have to start from zero and where I can use the hard and soft skills I got from the job?
5. Is it a good idea for me to apply as a province technician in the meantime so I can learn more about on-hand maintenance?

I’ll admit I don’t know enough about engines or engineering to jump straight into this, but I'm trying to build a small model stirling engine with 2 cans and mostly 3d printed parts. Any ideas to help make it actually work? Here what I have so far. Inside the bottom can is a displacer made out of the tops of two cans and some steel wool similar the the one made in the YT video I linked on this past. I've been trying to get this thing to work for so long and it's due soon. HELP!!!!!!!!!

Images of my engine

https://southern0-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/tjreid_southern_edu/EuCpbVye9ftLnMLeZB6alhQBfsvvclQqZUx0E_q7dsyLWQ?e=PfcF1C

YT video mentioned above

https://youtu.be/gYfrKMgy_Pg?si=pUsbTgKzEQqU-4x_

Hi, I am currently studying undergrad MECH Eng. and I feel like the engineering degree is more related field/job experience and science degree is more like academy/research but these are my own observations and if we consider that I am still a student this observation has a very weak basis. I am wondering what do you think about Master's and PhD because I will apply for graduation and my current GPA is a little below to average Master's program requirements and I am currently considering re-taking some of my courses that I barely passed so I can increase my GPA but ofc this will extend the time of my graduation. Does Master's really worth compared to work experience?

I’m looking for compression springs that have a higher spring constant than this:

Uncompressed Length: 0.4510in Compressed Length: 0.1436in OD: 0.1775in ID: 0.1560in Wire Diameter: 0.0215in Number of Coils: 7

Thinking by reducing the amount of coils but keeping the uncompressed/compressed length the same will increase the strength of the springs.

Where would I be able to purchase springs that meet my requirements? I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find ones that fit my needs. Inside diameter and increasing the compression strength are the most important factors.

My son, a high school sophomore, is interested in a career as a motorsport engineer. I'm looking for ideas for gifts for the holidays and beyond. He's enrolled in the Project Lead the Way Principles of Engineering class and hopes to select the PLTW's Aeronautical Engineering course next year. What piqued his interest was the tour we took this fall at the Dallara Factory in Indianapolis, and then we watched the Ferrari Challenge for a bit.

In his Senior year, he could dual enroll at the Community College for Automotive and/or Welding classes—if that makes sense for his future. He just came across the SAE site and hopes we can observe some student events next year.

Following advice from a previous post, I just ordered "How to Build a Car: The Autobiography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer."

What ideas could you offer? He told me last night that he prefers building to coding.

I wished we lived closer to my dad so he could get his hands dirty building things in the shop, but not to be.

Thank you!

Hi everyone. I'm a ME grad specializing in product design, and in a couple of months I will start to work on my degree thesis and the relevant internship. I'm torn betwen two topics for it: Design for additive manufacturing to overcome fatigue weakness and NVH. Here are some thoughts:

Design for AM seems like a niche industry for a non-process engineer to me, and i'm afraid AI generative design will increasingly make it a sector for few. It suits my inclination, but... isn't it a too easy topic for a msc thesis? The internsip would be in a small company.

NVH: My supervisor presented it as a very hard topic. This is both tempting and scary to me. I'd like to gather hard and specific skill, but I don't want to spend too long extra time before to get the m.d.. Also, I know that NVH specialists work in various fields, but taking a look at linkedin i cannot find job adverts in non automotive companies, which i don't like very much. The internship would be at a big automotive company (I can certanly sustain it for a couple of months to acquire a precious skill like that and a well known name on the cv).

How much is NVH actually more difficult? How much more time would it take? (I have no specific knowledge in AM; i have good theoretical knoledge on multiple dof vibrations and basics on finte elements modal analysis). I'd like to have confirmations and denials, and every suggestion you have about it for a young collegue.
Thank you a lot.

Hello.

A (long) while ago, I stumbled upon a reference that suggested the exponent for the theoretical affinity laws should be modified as follow:

dPressure2/dPressure1 = (Flow2/Flow1)^1.85 instead of dP2/dP1 = (F2/F1)^2

Power2/Power1 = (Flow2/Flow1)^2.85 instead of Power2/Power1 = (Flow2/Flow1)^3

I assume this changes applies as well to equations using ratios of impeller Diameter instead.

The justification was that these "better represented reality". It seems to when I make hand calculations and compare them with manufacturer's data, for example.

Attempting to look again for that original reference, I found another one that seemed to hint that it was to account for changes in mechanical/motor efficiencies. But apparently we can account for that by adding another ratio to the affinity law: (efficiency2/efficency1).

I'm trying to find a more "formal" reference for this different exponent.

Any comment?

Or, more importantly, any suggestion for such references?

Thanks.

Between the T slot and rail sliding system. Which system is better in terms of durability and resistance to wear, debris, buildup and Corrosion? Which one is more likely to experience problems during production?

(I don't have a big charge to slide and the machine could have large number of sliding cycles)

I have a proposed study for this but I want to add another purpose aside from producing biochar and/or fuel. Can you suggest some? Thank You!

Hi everyone, I’m working on a project that involves designing a purely mechanical system for a unique locking mechanism. The system would require inserting a set of “keys” (pegs, pins, or similar objects) into a panel to match against a predefined “code” within the lock. I’m not a formally educated engineer, it’s more of a hobby of mine. There are a lot more details on the project that I don’t wanna reveal here that I would love some more input/suggestions on so please PM me if you’d like to help. Thanks!

My project involves designing a portable graywater treatment system. It will treat graywater through two different stages, first is through filters and next is chemical treatment using Cationic, Anionic, PAC, and Hydrated Lime. My design will also include vacuum, submersible, and chemical dosing pumps, agitator, and control system (Arduino). The purpose of this project is for the safe reuse of household graywater. What can you suggest for components, improvement, or for designing? Thank You!!!

https://preview.redd.it/2kpt1m3t9p3e1.png?width=1147&format=png&auto=webp&s=c7e2aeba284470a9d5c05132268d2c458c3d6885

Hey everyone,

I’ve been in talks with another firm about a side project (outside of work). I think this is a great opportunity for me to start working freelance 5 - 10 years in the future.

How much can I realistically charge as a novice design engineer? It’s looking like a one-time design work with maybe a couple of revisions.

Thanks in advance!

I'm working in production planning where I currently understand the production processes and help out with the planning for projects, mainly gearboxes. There's tons of cool stuff being made around but I can't seem to comprehend the drawings and design bit at all when it comes to these complex projects.

I studied during COVID,so some of my classes took a hit, as a mechanical engineer,fresher and a GET,I just don't wanna not learn all about the stuff I'm working on and just stick to my job.

If any of you guys who work in similar fields can recommend me some study material that'd help understand CAD drawings and gearbox design, it'd be great.

It's my first Job,and my first few weeks here,so I don't wanna look incompetent when things serious. I seriously appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

It’s always nice to be recognized for hard work.

Struggling with numericals from the chapter equilibrium of solid bodies from BB GHOSH book. Any suggestions on how to do better? These are the problems I am struggling with so any youtube lectures that I should go through?

I am currently on internship, but im contemplating whether to go uni... I am holding a diploma for mechanical engineering, I dont really like it, so I thought of just finishing internship to come out and work.

But recently I found out that a lot of engineering positions related to my field wants someone who has a degree/masters. My grades arent good enough for regular unis, and private is expensive.

I have already placed alot of burden on my parents by going to poly, already spending 3k+ for like half a semester for 3 years. Not too sure if its worth it to go uni and not get good grades and just for a slip of paper.

Can someone from mech engineering or the engineering field give me some advice?

#mechanicalengineering

Have just started a new YouTube channel as well as Reddit page on designing and making carbon fiber parts. You can see how we test the parts we make and the theory behind it. I’ll be posting about the process of designing on CAD, to creating FEA and then how we can test the properties of them. Hope you can learn from it THANK YOU

I am a mechanical engineering student, Good analytical skills and so on, I got 4 months internships in Automotive maintenance a year ago, and today i am in my last year

Next week i have a compitetion which is about: Solving a Real Problem for a manufacture

Can you give me soms tips? And names of similar compitetion.

Thanks in advance

I want to study mechanical engineering, but I have to study it in Egypt and in Russia by applying for a Russian government scholarship. Which is better?

If humidity is high indoors and you suspect mold, it's generally better to keep windows closed rather than open them. www.au

Reasons to Keep Windows Closed:

1. Preventing Humidity Influx: Opening windows can allow more humid outdoor air to enter, which may exacerbate the indoor humidity problem. High humidity levels promote mold growth.
2. Controlling Indoor Conditions: Keeping windows closed allows you to better manage indoor humidity levels with dehumidifiers or air conditioning systems that can remove excess moisture from the air.
3. Mold Prevention: If you suspect mold is present, it's crucial to reduce humidity to inhibit its growth. Opening windows can counteract your efforts to control moisture.

Alternatives for Fresh Air:

• Use Dehumidifiers: These devices can help reduce humidity levels effectively without compromising air quality.
• Ventilation Systems: Mechanical ventilation systems can bring in fresh air while filtering out humidity and potential contaminants.
• Air Purifiers: High-quality air purifiers can help reduce mold spores and other allergens in the air.

Conclusion

While fresh air is important for overall indoor air quality, in the case of high indoor humidity and suspected mold, keeping windows closed is typically the better option. Focus on using dehumidifiers and proper ventilation methods to manage humidity and improve air quality safely. If mold is suspected, addressing the source of moisture and cleaning any mold present is essential.

Hi everyone,

I recently started my first job as a BIM technician, and it’s also my first experience in the construction industry. Before this, I was studying Bio Sciences, so this career shift has been a big change for me. Fortunately, my company is supporting my education while I work, but they expect me to get up to speed quickly—ideally within the 6-month probation period.

The challenge is that I need to learn as efficiently as possible to excel in this role, and I haven’t found much targeted help through YouTube or similar resources. So, I’m reaching out to ask:

• What resources, techniques, or courses would you recommend for rapidly improving BIM skills?
• Are there any industry tips or common pitfalls I should be aware of?
• How can I effectively balance learning on the job with developing my skills outside of work hours?

Any advice, resource suggestions, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

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I have a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from India and I got accepted in University of Houston in MS Engineering Technology- MET and MS Mechanical Engineering in University of Texas at Arlington. I am confused between these two. I have the following questions :

1. Is Mechanical Engineering a better option than MET?

2. Will my future job prospects vary if I pursue MS-MET or MS Mechanical Engineering

3. Do professionals who have a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and MS in mechanical engineering get paid more and have higher salaries as compared to someone who has a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and MS in MET

Dear Fellow engineers, I need solutions for Theory of Elasticity by Timoshenko and Goodier. Please help me!!!

So, here’s my situation: I graduated in 2023 from a tier-3 university in mechanical engineering, but right after that, I took a year off to travel around India (no regrets, it was awesome). Now it’s 2024, and I’m ready to dive into a career in the mechanical field.

Only thing is… I’ve got this 2-year gap now, and I’m not sure how to handle it when job hunting. Any advice on making myself more hireable with this gap?

I need to know what skills and how can i get a decent job in mechanical field..

Need advices....

I want hardcopy of hydroturbine design and construction by N.N Kovalev. Anyone know where to get and of is there any latest version of that book available?