What Is Engineering?

2. 1 What Is Engineering?

3. Objectives • Define engineering. • Identify and describe the types of knowledge used by engineers. • List the roles that make an engineering team. • List several engineering disciplines. • Summarize the historical developments in engineering.

4. Engineering Defined • Uses math, science, and technology • Creates products and systems • Improves world

5. What Are Engineers? • Highly trained professionals • Use math and science knowledge and skills • Use materials and natural forces • Solve problems

6. Problem Solving • Engineers use engineering design process • Take into account design parameters • Specifications • Constraints • Balance for optimization • Make trade-offs

7. Types of Knowledge • Mathematical knowledge • Scientific knowledge • Technical knowledge Picsfive/Shutterstock.com; Stuart Jenner/Shutterstock.com; Serg64/Shutterstock.com

8. Mathematical Knowledge • Analysis of data (graphs, charts, data tables) • Algebra (relationships between variables) • Calculus (rate of change, forces acting on object) • Statistics (failure analyses, reliability, justification of design decisions)

9. Scientific Knowledge • Statics, force, load, and tension • Ohm’s law, atomic structure, and circuit theory • Thermodynamics • Kinematics • Fluid mechanics • Boolean logic

10. Technical Knowledge • Use of design tools, such as computer-aided design software and drawing tools • Use of mechanical tools, such as gauges and meters • Use of communication tools, such as e-mail and document preparation and presentation software

11. Types of Skills and Traits • Interest in solving problems • Detail oriented • Analytic ability • Creativity • Drawing and design skills • Interpersonal and communication skills • Time and project management skills

12. Role of Engineers • Design • Production • Material use • Coordination and management of project • Analysis • Project leading • Decision making

13. Engineering Teams • Often include engineering technicians • Generally use more technology than engineers • Often use less scientific and math knowledge than engineers • Often include tradespeople • Follow plans of engineers or technicians • Have specific technical knowledge and skills

14. Chemical engineering Environmental engineering Nuclear engineering Petroleum and mining engineering Engineering Disciplines • Materials engineering • Electrical engineering • Civil engineering • Mechanical engineering • Bioengineering • Computer engineering • Aerospace engineering • Manufacturing engineering

15. Materials Engineering • Focuses on nature of materials • Design and test new materials • Find new ways to use existing materials • Requires understanding of material properties • Atomic structure • Strength • Stress • Strain • Elasticity

16. Electrical Engineering • Focuses on design and development of electrical and electronic systems and products • Sometimes employed in other industries • Requires application of electrical principles • Nature of electricity • Voltage, current, and resistance • Circuit design • Electrical measurement

17. Civil Engineering • Focuses on structures and natural resources • Considered to be oldest engineering field • Subfields include structural engineering • Requires use of construction concepts • Statics • Mechanics • Surveying and mapping • Use of different construction materials

18. Mechanical Engineering • Focuses on design, building, and maintenance of mechanical, thermal, and fluid systems • Requires use of energy concepts • Mechanics • Pneumatics • Hydraulics • Power transmission • Gear ratios • Efficiency

19. Bioengineering • Focuses on problems relating to biology • Includes biomedical engineering • Focus on humans • Design of medical devices and diagnostic tools • Includes agricultural engineering • Focus on plants and animals • Design of machines and processes for farming

20. Computer Engineering • Focuses on design, development, and testing of computer systems • Computer hardware and peripherals • Computer software • Computer network devices • Requires understanding of computer concepts • Computer logic • Computer architecture • Human-computer interaction

21. Aerospace Engineering • Designs, builds, analyzes, and troubleshoots aircraft, spacecraft, and space planes • Includes aeronautics and astronautics • Uses transportation concepts • Fluid dynamics • Aerodynamics • Principles of flight • Aircraft and spacecraft design

22. Manufacturing Engineering • Focuses on design and coordination of production of products • Organizes material handling processes • Supervises quality control • Requires understanding of manufacturing • Material processes • Plant and process layout • Principles of quality control • Material handling techniques

23. Chemical Engineering • Concerned with production of chemicals • Employed in many industries • Designs production techniques and facilities • Improves safety of manufacturing facilities • Solves many problems • Chemical problems • Material problems • Large-scale production problems

24. Going Green Environmental Engineering • Designs environmentally friendly products • Works to improve air and soil quality • Works to enhance human health • Tries to find new ways to reduce pollution • Works to protect environment and make it safer • Employed in many areas

25. Other Engineering Disciplines • Nuclear engineering – designs ways to safely use nuclear materials • Petroleum and mining engineering – finds new ways to extract raw materials from earth

26. History of Engineering • Humans have been involved with engineering for thousands of years • As a defined profession, only several hundred years old • Each field of engineering has its own history

27. Engineering through History Goodheart-Willcox Publisher

28. Early Civilizations • Development of engineering follows human and societal needs • Use of trial-and-error method rather than use of mathematics and science as foundation

29. Early Civilizations • Temples and pyramids • Irrigation systems, dams, and aqueducts • Metal tools and weapons • Systems of roadways • Waterwheels • Vehicles

30. Industrial Revolution • Formalization of many forms of engineering • Watt’s improvements to steam engine • Discovery of magnetic induction • First battery • Incandescent lightbulb • Electric induction motor • Discovery of 70 chemical elements • Cotton gin, reaper, and steel plow

31. Twentieth Century Advances • New heights for buildings and structures • Production facilities developed • Development of radio, TV, computer, electronics, and satellites • New fields of computer engineering, software engineering, electronic engineering, and aerospace engineering • Advances in medicine and medical imaging

32. Engineering in the Twenty-First Century • More powerful, faster, and more capable computers • Vehicles that will make space travel more feasible and economical • More efficient machines • Nanotechnology