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What is a Mechanical Engineer?

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Anushree Reddy
They often have an innate curiosity about the way things work. For J. Robert Sims, former president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, this curiosity reared its head at age 10. "I repaired an old radio and used an old power supply to experiment with the electrolysis of water. I produced a small amount of hydrogen that I proceeded to ignite," he wrote in an email. "Good judgment is not inherent in the young – that comes later with experience." Learn more: Mechanical design Course
 
An enthusiasm for solving problems is a vital trait of mechanical engineers, says Warren Seering, a professor of mechanical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It takes creativity to shepherd a theoretical device into a practical reality.
Computers have changed the way mechanical engineers do their work. Computing tools now "allow complex analyses to be performed in seconds that once required days or weeks of hand calculations," Sims writes. But to produce a fully refined product, mechanical engineers use grittier items, such as electric generators, industrial production equipment and material-handling systems. When confronted with the more complex and analytical portions of the occupation, being a wiz in areas like calculus and trigonometry is a major advantage.
 
Mechanical design Course is an exciting professional field, thanks to innovations like 3D printing and the development of new engineering materials like carbon fiber composites. And as a result of globalization, Seering says many mechanical engineers now work in teams and create designs for communities throughout the world.
 
Architecture, alternative energies, remanufacturing and nanotechnology are subsets of this profession that will have openings for candidates with the right education and experience.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 3.9 percent employment growth for mechanical engineers between 2019 and 2029. In that period, an estimated 12,400 jobs should open up.
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