Lecture Wk2 _ What is Engineering

© 2009 John Wiley and Sons Australia

Chapter 1 – What is engineering?

Presentation prepared byDr Simon Iveson

University of Newcastle

© John Wiley and Sons Australia

Learning objectives

• Describe the roles of an engineer• Identify the major engineering disciplines• List the core skills and attributes of an engineer• Identify some fundamentals of engineering science• Explain how engineering has impacted society• Explain the need for professionalism and ethics in

engineering


What is engineering?

• Engineering can be described in many ways e.g.– “The difference between engineering and

science is that engineering has to work.”– “A scientist is like a triangle – they start with a

broad base and become very knowledgeable about a specific area. Engineers are more like a box – you throw in elements of management, social awareness, looking at costs …”


What is the role of an engineer?Historical perspective

• Historically, engineers relied on precedent, rules of thumb and experimentation … engineering was as much an art as it was a science.

• During the 1900s, significant discoveries in mathematics and physics have enabled engineering to become based on the application of fundamental principles – engineering science.


What is the role of an engineer?Contemporary perspective

• Modern engineers operate in a variety of roles:– e.g. technical specialists, integrators, change

agents, project managers, asset managers.• Engineers are found everywhere: – e.g. factory floor, laboratory, sales and

management. • Key Point: Engineers requires more than just

technical competence. They need a wide range of skills.

• Many graduates choose work in non-engineering fields.

Engineer roles in the future


Engineering disciplines

• There are over 100 fields of engineering recognised by Engineers Australia, which can be divided into 12 general areas.

• Knowing what each discipline does will help you to settle on the right specialisation for you.

• We will now briefly examine seven of the major disciplines.


Electrical, electronics and telecommunications engineering

• Electrical engineering covers the creation, transmission and use of electrical energy in homes, the community and industry.

• Electronics and telecommunications engineers design devices that use small amounts of electrical energy to analyse, transmit and store information.

• There are many specialisations, including software engineering and mechatronics.


Mechanical engineering

• Mechanical engineers specialise in the design, optimisation, trial, creation and maintenance of mechanical systems and processes; and systems and processes that deal with heat e.g. engines, turbines, refrigeration, air-conditioning, robots, manufacturing.

• They understand the flow of fluids and the forces on moving objects.


Aerospace and aviation engineering

• Aerospace engineers design, construct and operate aircraft, aerospace vehicles and propulsion systems for planes, jets, helicopters, gliders, missiles and spacecraft.

• Some become involved in safety certification of aircraft, or investigation of faults and failures.


Chemical engineering

• Chemical Engineers design and manage technology and processes for large-scale conversion of raw materials into useful products. These include food, petrol, plastics, paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, paper, ceramics, minerals and more.

• Some specialise in water treatment or clean-up of contaminated sites.


Civil engineering

• Civil engineers mainly focus on the physical structure of the urban environment e.g. roads, bridges, dams, playing fields, skyscrapers and sports stadiums.

• They rely heavily on statics, geomechanics and fluid dynamics.

• Many become involved in organisational roles, including policy-making and consultation.


Environmental engineering

• Environmental engineers are responsible for protecting the environment by assessing the impact a technological project or process will have on the air, water, soil and noise levels in the vicinity.

• This requires investigation and analysis to identify and predict what problems may be caused by accidents, spillages, etc.


Mining engineering

• Mining engineers work with geologists to investigate and carry out the extraction of ore bodies and mineral deposits.

• They are responsible for planning the safest and most cost-effective ways to remove minerals from the ground, rivers or sea bed, and for supervising existing mining operations.


Other engineering disciplines

• Besides the ones we have looked at above, some of the other major engineering disciplines include areas such as Biomedical, Building Services, Management and Naval Architecture.

• Many specialisations lie at the intersection of different engineering fields or other disciplines.– e.g. mechanical + electrical = mechatronic.– e.g. mechanical + electrical + human movement

studies = biomechanical prosthetics engineering.


Class exercise – The engineering behind brushing your teeth

• Working together with the person next to you, identify what fields of engineering are involved in brushing your teeth.

Class exercise – The engineering behind brushing your teeth


Engineering salaries

• Engineering graduates can expect to earn around A$58,000 per annum.

• Some disciplines pay better than others. Mining engineers usually earn the most, but they are often required to work and live in remote areas.

• Other considerations may also be important in choosing the best discipline for you, such as intellectual challenge and the opportunity to make a difference in a problem that you care about.

Commencing salaries


Women in engineering

• Currently around 16% of students and 11% of practicing engineers in Australia are women. However, the proportion in some fields is considerably higher.

• There are certainly plenty of opportunities for women engineers, as employers are often looking to balance their workforce to better reflect the concerns of the wider community.

• Several programs are in place to attract and retain more women in engineering degrees.


The engineering profession

• Engineers Australia (EA) and Institution of Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) are professional bodies that accredit universities to teach engineering degrees.

• Holding a degree from an accredited institution enables graduates to practice as engineers in countries that are signatories to the Washington Accord without having to undertake further training.

• EA and IPENZ specify a range of technical and non-technical attributes that students must acquire.


Skills and attributes of an engineer

• Engineers obviously need certain technical abilities to be able to perform their roles.

• Modern engineers also require a wide range of additional non-technical skills such as:– Creativity– Being able to work in teams– Ability to clearly communicate complex ideas– Business acumen– Organisational and management skills


Engineering science(technical skills)

• There is a certain body of technical ‘know-how’ that forms an engineer’s foundation for coming up with innovative solutions to engineering problems.– Conservation of energy: energy flow and

conversion– Statics: how forces affect solid objects– Dynamics: what happens when objects move– Fluid dynamics: the behaviour of gases and liquids– Thermodynamics: how heat moves– Computer modelling


Example: Fluid mechanics

An understanding of fluid mechanics enables:• aerospace engineers to predict lift and drag on

wings,• chemical engineers to optimise heating and mixing

conditions in tanks,• civil engineers to predict wind forces on buildings,• environmental engineers to predict flow of

contaminants in ground water or the atmosphere, and

• mechanical engineers to design pneumatic and hydraulic equipment.


Engineers and society

• Advances in engineering practice have shaped the historical development of society and have influenced the rise and fall of many civilisations.

• Roman civil engineers built roads for the rapid movement of troops and goods, and aqueducts to supply clean water to major cities.

• The industrial revolution, which began in the 1700s, resulted in a major population shift to the cities and rapid economic growth.

Industrial revolution and mass production


Engineers and society

• Overcrowding in cities resulted in major public health problems. Development of water supply/sewerage systems greatly reduced instances of typhoid and cholera.

• The first half of the 20th century saw rapid advancement in many fields, such as aviation, mass production, electricity, telecommunications.

• The information revolution, and advances in genetics and material science, have all continued to fuel rapid changes in society in the late 20th century.


Engineers and national identity

• Major engineering feats have also helped to shape and build a sense of national identity and pride.– e.g. Australia’s Sydney Harbour Bridge (1932)

and the Snowy Mountain Hydro Scheme.– e.g. New Zealand’s Roxburgh Dam and North

Island Main Trunk Railway (1908).


Limitations and social responsibility

• Most engineers have the best intentions, but even well-intentioned actions can have negative outcomes. – e.g. built-in obsolescence has lead to huge

amounts of hard-to-recycle ‘e-waste’.– e.g. coal-fired power generation has lead to a rise

in CO2 levels and global warming.• There is now a recognition of the importance of

sustainability, and considering the full life-cycle of products and processes.


Professionalism, certification and ethical practice

• Engineers are trusted by the public to do their job safely and to high standards.

• The engineering profession is allowed to self-accredit. This is done through professional organisations like EA or IPENZ, which have the responsibility for checking and ensuring the quality of training for the next generation of engineers.

• Once they judge you to be fully qualified, you have the legal right to practice independently.


Becoming a certified practicing engineer

Two stages:1. First stage is to successfully complete an

undergraduate degree that is accredited by EA.2. Second stage occurs during your first few years of

work, when you need to collect evidence to build a portfolio proving your competence in the criteria specified under EA’s stage 2 competency framework (see www.engineersaustralia.org.au).

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/

Engineers Australia’s path to registration


Summary

• The role of an engineer – to creatively transform nature to serve people’s needs.

• The major engineering disciplines – 12 broad areas divided into over 100 specialisations.

• Attributes of an engineer – core technical skills, but also a range of non-technical skills.

• How engineering changes people’s lives and influences national character.

• The role of ethics and professionalism.

Documents

Lecture Wk2 _ What is Engineering