roles of mechanical engineers in nation building
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Term PaperTRANSCRIPT
Introduction
Mechanical engineers have roles in Nation Building. Today, we are living on an
advanced world. A Highly developed societies run by highly influential people. As time
goes on, the needs of improvement on the society is a necessity for the many. For them
our nation should continue building its blocks towards success and development. Nation
building for them is a commodity that should sustain its needs in order to obtain their
ultimate goal.[ Nation-building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a
national identity using the power of the state. This process aims at the unification of the
people within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run.
Nation-building can involve the use of propaganda or major infrastructure development
to foster social harmony and economic growth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation-
building)]. Although our nation is improving , it is much better to have companions in
this goal towards success.
Mechanical Engineers is one of the perfect partner toward this aim. Mechanical
Engineers are modern professionals trained by highly competitive instructors with world
class institutions. They are modern individuals trained to help the nation on building it’s
block towards success and development. They have skills and abilities required fir the
Nation Development. The presence of Mechanical Engineers towards this ultimate goal
is highly appreciated and should always demand for their presence because their skills
are very useful.
Statement of the Problem
The problem is all about the roles of Mechanical Engineers in Nation building. Do
they have concrete roles played during this process? It also covers what are the
possible abilities and skills covered by Mechanical Engineers that can be useful towards
Nation Building. We are also to find out if Mechanical Engineers is useful or not
regarding it’s presence in Nation Development.
Significance of the Study
This study is to find out the significant roles of Mechanical Engineers towards Nation
Building. This study aims to know if Mechanical Engineers have contributions based on
their covered field of specialization that can contribute in Nation Building. It is for us to
know their importance with our ultimate goal of success in our nation.
Scope and Limitation
The study about the significant roles of Mechanical Engineers in Nation Building
covers a time frame of three (3) calendar months, starting December of 2011 until the
first week of March 2012. The internet databases, Licensed Mechanical Engineers and
academic Libraries within the city proper of Cagayan de Oro are the main sources in
data gathering. The research is conducted within the city of Cagayan de Oro.
Nation building is the drive of the nation to change and improve their quality of life,
Technologies, Politics, Environment and more. It is where everyone unites and together
work for reforms and certain improvements. This study about the roles of Mechanical
Engineers in Nation Building only covers the Economic and Technological aspects in
Nation Building. The part where the Technologies, Industries, Transportation, Energy
and Machinery were found and talked about.
Sentence Outline
I Mechanical engineering, a broad profession
A. Mechanical Engineering covers Heat and energy
B. Mechanical Engineering covers Transportation/Automotive
C. Mechanical Engineering covers Machines
D. Mechanical Engineering covers Mechanical Designing
E. Mechanical Engineering covers Main Industrial Plant/Manufacturing
II Mechanical Engineers are useful
A. Mechanical Engineers provide state of the art Machines
B. Mechanical Engineers secure the safeness of Industries
C. Mechanical Engineers maintains the stability in the Mechanical World
III. Does Mechanical Engineers have roles in Nation Building
A. Yes, because they have many field of specializations that covers the
development of the Nation.
B. No, because their capability and skills are not enough in Nation Building
Mechanical Engineering: a Broad Profession
. Mechanical Engineers are professionals who graduated a degree of Bachelor of
Science in Mechanical Engineering and passed the Licensure Examination organized
by the Professionals Regulation Commission of a certain Nation. [Mechanical Engineers
are professionals that design and develop Machines. They also influence the design of
other products like shoes, light bulbs and even doors. Few of it’s specializations are
Manufacturing, Robotics, Automotive/Transportation and Air Conditioning. They also
engaged with nanotechnology that is very efficient today in this Modern World. They
also create a system and analyze their designs using the principles of motion, energy
and force to ensure the product functions safely, effectively, reliable and can be
manufactured at a competitive cost (http://www.me.mtu.edu/admin/whatme.html)].
Mechanical Engineering is a five (5) year course offered by accredited institutions of a
certain Nation. It is [ the branch of engineering that encompasses the generation and
application of heat and mechanical power and the design, production, and use of
machines and tools” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mechanical+engineering) ] .
The Field
Mechanical engineering is one of the largest, broadest, and oldest engineering
disciplines. Mechanical engineers use the principles of energy, materials, and
mechanics to design and manufacture machines and devices of all types. They create
the processes and systems that drive technology and industry. The technical interests
and contours of the mechanical engineering profession are reflected in the professional
groups and technical divisions that make up the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME).The key characteristics of the profession are its breadth, flexibility,
and individuality. The career paths of mechanical engineers are largely determined by
individual choices, a decided advantage in a changing world. Mechanics, energy and
heat, mathematics, engineering sciences, design and manufacturing form the
foundation of mechanical engineering. Mechanics includes fluids, ranging from still
water to hypersonic gases flowing around a space vehicle; it involves the motion of
anything from a particle to a machine or complex structure. Analysis, design, and
synthesis are the key functions of mechanical engineers. The question is often how
devices and processes actually work. The first step is to visualize what is happening
and clearly state the problem. A mechanical engineer will then use computer-based
modeling, simulation, and visualization techniques to test different solutions.
Design is one of the most satisfying jobs for a mechanical engineer. To design and build
a new car, you must reckon with power, weight, size and shape, materials, reliability,
and safety. "Synthesis" is when you pull all the factors together in a design that can be
successfully manufactured. Design problems are challenging because most are open-
ended, without a single or best answer. There is no best mousetrap -- just better ones.
The field is notable for emphasizing versatility. A mechanical engineering education is
an excellent foundation for work in other fields. Some mechanical engineers work on
medical problems, such as the mechanics of bones and joints, or the fluid dynamics of
the circulatory system. Mechanical engineers deal with economic issues, from the cost
of a single component, to the economic impact of a manufacturing plant. M.E.'s can be
found in sales, engineering management, and corporate management. Versatility is a
decided asset in a world that is undergoing constant economic, political, industrial, and
social change. Mechanical engineers are educated and positioned, not only to adapt,
but to define and direct change
(http://www.careercornerstone.org/pdf/me/meoverview.pdf)].
In order for a nation to grow and develop, it should first improve the quality of life
and technologies that it cover in order to fully enforce its improvement. There are many
aspects and fields in Nation development, and few of it is covered by the field of
specialization of Mechanical Engineers. Some of it is very useful and necessary in
improving the level of development on a certain nation. Some of the factors that is
covered by Mechanical Engineers are Heat and Energy, Transportation/Automotives,
Machines, Mechanical Designs and Industrial plants. These are only few of the fields
covered by Mechanical Engineers that can possibly help in Nation building. As you
continue reading, you will be reading the different fields of Mechanical Engineers that is
required in Nation building.
Heat and Energy
[Matter has the capacity to do work under certain conditions even though it may not
be accomplished at a particular moment. A moving of water or water stored behind a
dam, for example can be made of work in a variety of at a particular .Gas or air
compressed in a tank can also do work when it is released at a particular time. The
capacity of matter to do work is generally called energy. All life on earth depends in
some way upon energy. Most of the earth energy comes from the sun. It travels to the
earth in rays or waves. Energy in this form is used by plants to make food. Plant food is
needed to sustain life by providing nourishment for our bodies and muscles. The sun's
energy is also stored in coal, wood and oil which is also used to produce food and
modify matter. It has been estimate that the amount of energy falling on the earth
surface annually is equal to the energy of 250 million tons of coal. Energy is known to
exist in a variety of different forms; among these are heat, light, chemical, electrical,
sound, mechanical and nuclear. As a general rule, energy changes rather easily from
on form to another. The steam driven turbine generator of power plant is designed to
convert heat energy into electrical energy. The heating system of a building operates by
converting the chemical energy of gas or fuel into a usable form of heat. Electrical
energy may also be converted into light, heat or mechanical energy though the use of
different equipment. The capacity of energy to do work makes all of this possible
(http://ninjacraze.hubpages.com/hub/What-is-energy-and-importance-of-energy)].
Heat and Energy also are the primary sources of life in the Industrial world. Without
it, major Industries would be paralyzed. Thus, bringing much pain in the country for
major industries will close and many people will be jobless. The importance of Heat and
Energy in the nation is very necessary even though it doesn’t directly sustain the life of
the Nation. So, it is really important that someone would manage and maintain the
stability of Heat and Energy. The presence of Heat and Energy is surely be very useful,
so Mechanical Engineers does the job in maintaining and improving the quality of Heat
and Energy systems in the Country. Mechanical Engineers are professionally trained to
design and produce Machines regarding the production and different ways of producing
Energies. The presence of Mechanical Engineers in energy stability is really important,
that is why many Mechanical Engineers are in demand in the different Energy-
Production companies.
Transportation
[Transportation is any device used to move an item from one location to
another. Common forms of transportation include planes, trains, automobiles, and other
two-wheel devices such as bikes or motorcycles. It is the process of shipping or moving
an item from point A to point B.
(http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/transportation.html)] The world that we
live in now will most likely be impossible had it not been for innovations in
transportation. There would not have been any great infrastructure, industrialisation, or
massive production, if transportation was incompetent. Life would not have kept up with
the fast changing times if there were no huge trucks, bulldozers, trailers, cargo ships, or
large aircrafts to carry them to different places. In other words, the global society would
not have experienced comfort and convenience had it not been for advancements in the
transportation sector. Today, humanity has technology to thank for all the wonderful
things that it currently enjoys now. (http://www.moving-strategy.com/importance-of-
transportation-to-society.html)
[The ability to move people and goods from one location to another is perhaps the
key to survival. That fact cannot be hammered home hard enough. This may sound
alarmist or over-the-top, but the simple act of moving someone or something from one
point to another is absolutely vital. The ease of transportation—in all of its forms—is the
hallmark of industrialized civilization. This ease of course has been made possible by
cheap fossil-fuel inputs and is best exemplified by the modern American commuter
driving from one suburb to work in another suburb or by the trucker hauling a collection
of inexpensively made Chinese products to the local Wal-Mart.
.
Being able to move from one point to another is of course important. People seldom
live, work, shop and relax in the same place. In order to maintain a functioning
economy, people must be able to circulate between the various points that are
important to them and do so with ease. In pre-Industrial times, most people got around
by foot, horse or boat. Distances were small and trips were few in number. Today in
many locations, fossil fuel availability has dramatically increased the distances one can
travel and lifted the overall number of trips made.
But transportation is really much more than the movement of people. The truly vital
function that it plays is the movement of goods. Goods movement is often overlooked
by transportation planners but it includes the shipment of raw materials, finished
products and even wastes. Raw materials such as minerals, energy, food and other
resources are obvious candidates for transportation as most occur in limited
concentrations away from their eventual points of consumption. Movement of finished
goods from manufacturers to their eventual end users also requires a well established
transport network. Finally, transportation plays a vital role in removing wastes and
preventing their accumulation to dangerous levels.
.
Likewise, most visualizations of the transportation network commonly are focused
on road, rail, marine and air-based systems. While this is accurate, it neglects two other
important forms of transport: electrical and pipeline. Both topics are commonly
discussed as “infrastructure” in planning documents but really need to be seen as
another form of transportation. The electrical transmission system makes it possible to
instantaneously move large amounts of energy from one location where it is in
overabundance to another where it is in demand. Pipelines play the equally important
role of transporting liquids and gasses from one point to another in great, uninterruptible
volumes. (http://unplanning.blogspot.com/2005/06/importance-of-transportation.html)].
Transportation is truly helpful in our everyday lives for it’s one of the basic
requirements in order to attain our individual goals. Transportation also made our lives
easier; it can also save our energy and time for it can instantly transfer certain things to
a certain place without applying too much effort and time. Transportation plays also an
important role in Nation Building. It can be seen in different angles. It can speed up and
hasten up the speed of the industries. It can deliver goods to a certain place in just a
short period of time. With the advantages of transportation, we can really say that it is
very important in our ultimate goal of success in our country.
Transportation is run by Heat and energy, it uses heat transfer to make cars, planes,
trains and trucks move. It uses Physics to explain how a car moves and how a plane
flies. This field is one of the fields of specialization of Mechanical Engineers , thus
saying that Mechanical Engineers play an important role in sustaining and improving the
quality of Transportation.
Machines
[A machine is any combination of bodies so connected that their relative motions are
constrained, and by means of which force and motion may be transmitted and modified,
as a screw and its nut, or a lever arranged to turn about a fulcrum or a pulley about its
pivot, etc.; especially, a construction, more or less complex, consisting of a combination
of moving parts, or simple mechanical elements, as wheels, levers, cams, etc., with
their supports and connecting framework, calculated to constitute a prime mover, or to
receive force and motion from a prime mover or from another machine, and transmit,
modify, and apply them to the production of some desired mechanical effect or work, as
weaving by a loom, or the excitation of electricity by an electrical machine
(http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ma/machine186892.html ) ].
[ It manages power to accomplish a task. Examples include, a mechanical system,
a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common
usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing
any type of work. A simple machine is a device that transforms the direction or
magnitude of a force(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine)}.
Machines, so called “the life saver”. For its main function is to make our lives easier.
With machines, we can make a certain job on less time. Machines also are efficient
because it doesn’t require too much effort to make it functional. It just need a little of
Science like Physics to make it move and does its job. Machines is really important in
helping the nation. With this, people can make more things and make them more useful
to the society. With this, people can be more effective in helping the society in building
more blocks to attain success. Lastly, machines also is one of the field of specialization
of Mechanical Engineers. It is one of their specialty as an Engineer to design Machines
and develop and discover more useful machine that can possibly help the people in
obtaining success.
Mechanical Designing
[Most mechanical engineers work in the design and control of mechanical,
electromechanical and fluid power systems. As a mechanical engineer functioning as a
design engineer it is likely that you would be involved with one or more technical
specialties, for example: Robotic System Design; Computer Coordinated Mechanisms;
Expert Systems in Design; Computer Aided Engineering; Geometric Design; Design
Optimization; Kinematics and Dynamics of Mechanisms; Cam Design/Gear Design;
Power Transmission; or Design of Machine Elements. Design engineers take into
account a truly wide number of factors in the course of their work, such as: product
performance, cost, safety, manufacturability, serviceability, human factors, aesthetic
appearance, durability, reliability, environmental impact and recyclability.
Design Engineering: M.E.'s design components, entire machines, complex
structures, systems and processes. This work requires a knowledge of the basic
sciences, engineering principles, materials, computer techniques, manufacturing
methods, and even economics. New and challenging problems come along with
regularity. If you are working for an aircraft company, today's problem may be vibration
in an engine; tomorrow it may be wind noise, stress on the landing gear, or a need to
increase lift at low speeds (http://www.careercornerstone.org/pdf/me/meoverview.pdf)].
Main Industrial Plants/Manufacturing
[Manufacturing In contemporary manufacturing companies, mechanical engineers
play a key role in the "realization" of products, working closely with other engineers and
specialists in corporate management, finance, marketing, and packaging. ME's design
products, select materials and processes, and convert them to finished products. They
design and manufacture machine tools -- literally the machines that make machines and
design entire manufacturing processes, aided by the latest technologies in automation
and robotics. Finally, the finished products are transported in equipment designed by
mechanical engineers. This is the largest area of employment for mechanical engineers,
especially when the process and textile industries are included. A finished product
requires the right materials, a viable plant and equipment, and a manufacturing system.
This all comes within the purview of mechanical, manufacturing and industrial
engineers.
Manufacturing Engineering: About half of all M.E.'s work in companies that
manufacture "something," such as consumer goods, transportation, or industrial
equipment. Another 16% work in the process industries, like petrochemical or
pharmaceutical. The challenges are as diverse as the products -- from miniature
devices used by surgeons, to disk drives, or massive pieces of industrial equipment.
This work calls for a knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, thermal
processes, controls, electronics, and, as in all of engineering --- teamwork skills.
Materials Handling Engineering: Materials must be delivered at the right time,
place, and in the right form -- a challenge with the costly, exotic, and sometimes
hazardous materials used in some industries. Some M.E.'s specialized in materials
transportation, handling equipment and procedures, hazard control technologies, and in
the training of employees who will work with these materials.
Plant Engineering & Maintenance: Competitive industries must often update their
plants, manufacturing equipment, and operating procedures. This must be done quickly
and with the least possible disruption. M.E.'s in plant engineering focus on systems,
equipment, processes, and facilities. They provide creative solutions that allow
companies to meet their goals for quality, safety, and cost.
Process Industries: The M.E. `process engineer' changes materials from one form
to another or gives them new properties. They can then be used in manufacturing
components and finished products. The M.E. `process engineer' designs and builds the
systems and machines that heat, cool, soften, harden, or liquefy substances -- anything
from industrial fluids and gases, to metals, or even food products and pharmaceuticals.
Textile Engineering: Textile manufacturing is a global industry that depends on
automated equipment to prepare and handle fibers, weave or knit fabrics, manufacture
finished apparel, and handle finished products. Multinational textile industries turn to
M.E.'s for expertise in plant design and construction, equipment installation,
programming and control techniques, operations, and maintenance
(http://www.careercornerstone.org/pdf/me/meoverview.pdf)].
Mechanical Engineers are Useful
[Mechanical engineering is a diverse subject that derives its breadth from the need
to design and manufacture everything from small individual parts and devices (e.g.,
microscale sensors and inkjet printer nozzles) to large systems (e.g., spacecraft and
machine tools). The role of a mechanical engineer is to take a product from an idea to
the marketplace. In order to accomplish this, a broad range of skills are needed. The
mechanical engineer needs to acquire particular skills and knowledge. He/she needs to
understand the forces and the thermal environment that a product, its parts, or its
subsystems will encounter; to design them for functionality, aesthetics, and the ability to
withstand the forces and the thermal environment they will be subjected to; and to
determine the best way to manufacture them and ensure they will operate without
failure. Perhaps the one skill that is the mechanical engineer’s exclusive domain is the
ability to analyze and design objects and systems with motion.
Since these skills are required for virtually everything that is made, mechanical
engineering is perhaps the broadest and most diverse of engineering disciplines.
Mechanical engineers play a central role in such industries as automotive (from the car
chassis to its every subsystem—engine, transmission, sensors); aerospace (airplanes,
aircraft engines, control systems for airplanes and spacecraft); biotechnology (implants,
prosthetic devices, fluidic systems for pharmaceutical industries); computers and
electronics (disk drives, printers, cooling systems, semiconductor tools);
microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS (sensors, actuators, micropower
generation); energy conversion (gas turbines, wind turbines, solar energy, fuel cells);
environmental control (HVAC, air-conditioning, refrigeration, compressors); automation
(robots, data and image acquisition, recognition, control); manufacturing (machining,
machine tools, prototyping, microfabrication).
To put it simply, mechanical engineering deals with anything that moves, including the
human body, a very complex machine. Mechanical engineers learn about materials,
solid and fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, control, instrumentation,
design, and manufacturing to understand mechanical systems. Specialized mechanical
engineering subjects include biomechanics, cartilage-tissue engineering, energy
conversion, laser-assisted materials processing, combustion, MEMS, microfluidic
devices, fracture mechanics, nanomechanics, mechanisms, micropower generation,
tribology (friction and wear), and vibrations. The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) currently lists 36 technical divisions, from advanced energy systems
and aerospace engineering to solid-waste engineering and textile engineering.
The breadth of the mechanical engineering discipline allows students a variety of career
options beyond some of the industries listed above. Regardless of the particular path
they envision for themselves after they graduate, their education will have provided
them with the creative thinking that allows them to design an exciting product or system,
the analytical tools to achieve their design goals, the ability to overcome all constraints,
and the teamwork needed to design, market, and produce a system. These valuable
skills could also launch a career in medicine, law, consulting, management, banking,
finance, and so on (http://me.columbia.edu/pages/dptoverview/whatisme/index.html)].
[Four functions of the mechanical engineer, common to all branches of mechanical
engineering, can be cited. The first is the understanding of and dealing with the bases of
mechanical science. These include dynamics, concerning the relation between forces
and motion, such as in vibration; automatic control; thermodynamics, dealing with the
relations among the various forms of heat, energy, and power; fluid flow; heat transfer;
lubrication; and properties of materials
(http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/371845/mechanical-engineering/64672/
Mechanical-engineering-functions ) ].
[Mechanical engineers research, develop, design, manufacture, and test tools,
engines, machines, and other mechanical devices. Mechanical engineers work in many
industries, and their work varies by industry and function. Some specialize in energy
systems; applied mechanics; automotive design; manufacturing; materials; plant
engineering and maintenance; pressure vessels and piping; and heating, refrigeration,
and air-conditioning systems
(http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_duties_of_a_mechanical_engineer ) ].
Mechanical engineering is a really broad profession because it has lots of uses and
advantages. The fields that it covers are really useful in Nation building. Thus, we can
really say that Mechanical Engineering is Very useful.