GE 2101- PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING

UNIT I- IMPORTANCE OF ENGINEERING

Engineering Profession:
What is Engineering?

Engineering is the application of science and mathematics to solve problems

Who is an Engineer?
• A person who has scientific training and who designs and builds complicated products, machines,
systems, or structures
• Engineers are problem solvers
• They have good grasp of fundamental physical, chemical and mathematical laws.
• They consider factors like sustainability, efficiency, cost, reliability and safety.
• They are dedicated to lifelong learning and service to others.
Engineering Work is all around you:

• Heating, Air-conditioning and ventilating systems in home- Mechanical Engineers

• Power plants and power stations- Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
• Towel Used for morning shower- Agricultural, Manufacturing,
Chemical, Petroleum, Civil and Mechanical Engineers
• Other examples: Milk kept in refrigerator, the car you are about to drive
Engineers Deal with an Increasing World population and Sustainability concerns:

• In addition to basic needs, we need various modes of transportation.

• Because of socio-economic , population trends, environmental concerns, future engineers
are expected to provide goods and services that increase the standard of living.
• The world’s current economic development in not sustainable- the world population
already uses approximately 20% more of earth’s resources that the planet can sustain.
• Prepare well to become a good engineer.
• As per Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S Department of labour, fastest growing occupations
are- Engineers, Computer specialists and system analysts.
Frequent Questions:

• What is Engineering and what do Engineers do?

• What are some of the areas of specialization in Engineering?
• What are some of the areas of specialization in Engineering?
• Do I really want to study Engineering?
• How will I know that I have picked the best field for me?
 • Will the demand for my area of specialization be high when I graduate and beyond
that?
What do Engineers do?

• Engineering Products: Cars, Computers, aircraft, clothing, toys, home appliances,

surgical equipment, heating and cooling equipment, health care devices, tools and
machines etc..
• They supervise construction of buildings, dams, highways and mass transit systems and
construction of power plants
• They play major role in the design and maintenance of a nation’s infrastructure including
communication systems, public utilities and transportations.
• They continuously develop new, advanced materials to make lighter and stronger
products.
• They bring ways of increasing crop, fruit and vegetable yields along with improving the
safety of food products.
• Engineers work as sales representatives of products, sales and customer support,
maintenance of various products and machines.
• They work in the departments of agriculture, defense, energy and transportations.
• Some Engineers work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Common Traits of Good Engineers:

.• Engineers are problem solvers.

• Good engineers have a firm grasp of the fundamental principles of engineering, which they
can use to solve many different problems.

• Good engineers are analytical, detailed oriented, and creative.

• Good engineers have a desire to be lifelong learners. For example, they take continuing
education classes, seminars, and workshops to stay abreast of innovations and new
technologies. This is particularly important in today’s world because the rapid changes in
technology will require you as an engineer to keep pace with new technologies. Moreover, you
will risk being laid off or denied promotion if you are not continually improving your
engineering education.

• Good engineers, regardless of their area of specialization, have a core knowledge that can be
applied to many areas. Therefore, well-trained engineers are able to work outside their area of
specialization in other related fields. For example, a good mechanical engineer with a well
rounded knowledge base can work as an automotive engineer, an aerospace engineer, or as a
chemical engineer.
• Good engineers have written and oral communication skills that equip them to work well
with their colleagues and to convey their expertise to a wide range of clients.

• Good engineers have time-management skills that enable them to work productively and
efficiently.

• Good engineers have good “people skills” that allow them to interact and communicate
effectively with various people in their organization. For example, they are able to communicate
equally well with the sales and marketing experts and their own colleagues.
• Engineers are required to write reports. These reports might be lengthy, detailed technical
reports containing graphs, charts, and engineering drawings, or they may take the form of brief
memoranda or executive summaries.

• Engineers are adept at using computers in many different ways to model and analyze various
practical problems.

• Good engineers actively participate in local and national discipline-specific organizations by

attending seminars, workshops, and meetings. Many even make presentations at professional
meetings.
• Engineers generally work in a team environment where they consult each other to solve
complex problems. They divide up the task into smaller, manageable problems among
themselves; consequently, productive engineers must be good team players. Good interpersonal
and communication skills are increasingly important now because of the global market. For
example, various parts of a car could be made by different companies located in different
countries. In order to ensure that all components fit and work well together, cooperation and
coordination are essential, which demands strong communication skills.
Other facts about engineering

• For almost all entry-level engineering jobs, a bachelor’s degree in engineering is required.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
• The starting salaries of engineers are significantly higher than those of bachelor’s-degree
graduates in other fields. The outlook for engineering is very good.

. In a typical engineering program, you will spend the first two years studying mathematics,
English, physics, chemistry, introductory engineering, computer science, humanities, and social
sciences. These first two years are often referred to as pre-engineering. In the last two years,
most courses are in engineering, usually with a concentration in one branch.

Expected Quality of Engineering Graduates:

1. Teamwork
Teamwork drives the successful completion of a project. No one can complete a project on their
own; they need others to contribute. There are functions that can be performed individually, but
more often than not, an engineer will be part of a bigger team, and must be able to work well
therein. An engineer must understand everybody’s position and should not feel attacked, keep
team members informed, and always present facts accurately.
2. Continuous learning
• Technology and methodologies are constantly changing, and nowhere is this truer than in
engineering. A successful engineer is able to keep abreast of the latest technological
updates and capable of delivering the best value and quality work.
• Engineers are curious by nature. They are interested in understanding how things
work. In modern times technology changes quickly, so it is critical to constantly learn
and stay up to date. Successful engineers never assume they know everything.
3. Creativity
Successful engineers have an innate ability to 'think outside the box'. The engineering
industry runs on the ability to creatively solve problems. Engineers able to bring passion,
creative solutions and big ideas to the table are more valuable as businesses depend on creativity
to efficiently resolve problems or improve the efficiency of existing systems and processes.
Simultaneously, a successful engineer needs to be attentive to practicality when proposing a
creative solution - which entails being creative in itself.
4. Problem solving
An engineer must be able to effectively address problems they arise in any project. They
must meticulously study the problem, fully understand the impact it has on the project, and
then apply their analytical skills in a methodical and efficient way in order to identify the root
cause.
To effectively solve problems an engineer must also have the ability to truly listen to the
problem 'owner'.
5. Analytical ability
Engineers are required to think analytically in order to create solutions. Analysing a project
scope or product specification ensures that an engineer fully understands the relevant
requirements and efficiently applies resources to achieve the optimal outcome. Various
methodologies may have to be tested before committing resources to guarantee a successful
solution.
6. Communication skills
Communication is more than reading, writing, speaking or listening. Engineers communicate
with people at many different levels, from unskilled workers to directors. The ability to
communicate in a respectful, clear and concise manner is critical to ensure that the core
message is effectively relayed.
7. Logical thinking
To fully comprehend complex systems an engineer must understand all aspects of the
system. An engineer must know how the system works, what can go wrong and how to fix it.
Successful engineers have the ability toanalyse an existing system to understand how the
different pieces work individually and as a unit.
8. Attention to detail
• Successful engineers pay meticulous attention to the smallest of details. They
understand that the slightest error may cause a structure to fail, a system to
malfunction or software to glitch. The smallest error can cost a significant amount of
money or, in some cases, be fatal.
• Complex projects may have a large number of steps to complete and having one tiny
thing out of place may delay an entire project. Being detail orientated during the planning
and development phases is pivotal for overall success. Successful engineers know that
their success depends on their ability to control the details. Never assume something
is too small or insignificant to care about.
9. Mathematical ability
Software has replaced almost all of the complex derivative equations engineers used to do
manually. Excellent. Engineers must be excellent in mathematical skills also well-versed in
trigonometry and calculus in order to use software packages and be able to interpret the results
derived from them. They must be able to understand the type of calculations required to
ensure the correct type of simulation is performed, and that models are correctly defined when
performing simulations.
10. Leadership
Being a leader also requires excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to inspire and
motivate others to drive a team to achieve success.

Expected Educational Outcomes from an engineering graduate:

• an ability to conduct, analyze and interpret experiments and apply experimental results to
improve processes;
• an ability to apply creativity in the design of systems, components or processes appropriate to
program objectives;

• an ability to function effectively on teams;

• an ability to identity, analyze and solve technical problems;

• an ability to communicate effectively;

• a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in lifelong learning;

• an ability to understand professional, ethical, and social responsibilities;

• a respect for diversity and a knowledge of contemporary professional, societal, and global
issues; and
• a commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement. Therefore, these are the
educational outcomes that are expected of you when you graduate form an engineering
technology program.

Brief about various Engineering Disciplines

There are more than 20 engineering disciplines recognized by the professional societies.

1. Civil Engineering:
• Civil engineering is perhaps the oldest engineering discipline. As the name implies,
civil engineering is concerned with providing public infrastructure and services.
• Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of buildings, roads and
highways, bridges, dams, tunnels, mass transit systems, and airports.
• They are also involved in the design and supervision of municipal water supplies
and sewage systems.
• The major branches within the civil engineering discipline include structural,
environmental, transportation, water resources, and geotechnical.
• Civil engineers work as consultants, construction supervisors, city engineers, and
public utility and transportation engineers.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for graduates of civil
engineering is good because as population grows, more civil engineers are needed to
design and supervise the construction of new buildings, roads, and water supply and
sewage systems. They are also needed to oversee the maintenance and renovation
of existing public structures, roads, bridges, and airports.

2. Electrical and Electronic Engineering:

 • Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of
electrical equipment, including lighting and wiring for buildings, cars, buses,
trains, ships, and aircrafts; power generation and transmission equipment for
utility companies; electric motors found in various products; control devices;
and radar equipment.
• The major branches of electrical engineering include power generation, power
transmission and distribution, and controls.
3. Electronic engineers
• design, develop, test, and supervise the production of electronic equipment,
including computer hardware; computer network hardware; communication
devices such as cellular phones, television, and audio and video equipment; as
well as measuring instruments. Growing branches of electronic engineering include
computer and communication electronics. The job outlook for electrical and
electronic engineers is good because businesses and government need faster
computers and better communication systems.
4. Mechanical Engineering
• Mechanical engineers are involved in the design, development, testing, and
manufacturing of machines, robots, tools, power generating equipment such as
steam and gas turbines, heating, cooling, and refrigerating equipment, and internal
combustion engines.
• The major branches of mechanical engineering include thermal /fluid systems and
structural /solid systems. As more efficient machines and power generating equipment
and alternative energy-producing devices are needed, mechanical engineers working for
the federal government, consulting firms, various manufacturing sectors, the
automotive industry, and other transportation companies.
5. Aerospace Engineering :
• Aerospace engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of
commercial and military aircraft, helicopters, spacecraft, and missiles. They may
work on projects dealing with research and development of guidance, navigation,
and control systems. Most aerospace engineers work for aircraft and missile
manufacturers, the Department of Defense, and NASA.
• However, because of population growth and the need to meet the demand for more
passenger air traffic, commercial airplane manufacturers are expected to do well.

6. Biomedical Engineering:
• Biomedical engineering is a new discipline that combines biology, chemistry,
medicine, and engineering to solve a wide range of medical and health-related
problems. They apply the laws and the principles of chemistry, biology, medicine,
and engineering to design artificial limbs, organs, imaging systems, and devices used
 in medical procedures. They also perform research alongside of medical doctors,
chemists, and biologists to better understand various aspects of biological systems
and the human body.
• In addition to their training in biology and chemistry, biomedical engineers have a strong
background in either mechanical or electrical engineering. There are a number of
specializations within biomedical engineering, including: biomechanics, biomaterials,
tissue engineering, medical imaging, and rehabilitation. Computer-assisted surgery and
tissue engineering are among the fastest growing areas of research in biomedical
engineering.
7. Chemical Engineering
• Chemical engineers use the principles of chemistry and basic engineering sciences to
solve a variety of problems related to the production of chemicals and their use in
various industries, including the pharmaceutical, electronic, and photographic
industries.
• Most chemical engineers are employed by chemical, petroleum refining, film, paper,
plastic, paint, and other related industries. Chemical engineers also work in
metallurgical, food processing, biotechnology and fermentation industries.
• They usually specialize in certain areas such as polymers, oxidation, fertilizers, or
pollution control.
8. Environmental Engineering :
• Environmental engineering is concerned with solving problems related to the
environment. They apply the laws and the principles of chemistry, biology, and
engineering to address issues related to water and air pollution control, hazardous
waste, waste disposal, and recycling. These issues, if not addressed properly, will affect
public health.
• Many environmental engineers get involved with the development of local, national,
and international environmental policies and regulations.
• They study the effects of industrial emissions and the automobile emissions that lead
to acid rain and ozone depletion.
• They also work on problems dealing with cleaning up existing hazardous waste.
• Environmental engineers work as consultants or work for local, State, or Federal
agencies.
9. Manufacturing Engineering:
• Manufacturing engineers develop, coordinate, and supervise the process of
manufacturing all types of products. They are concerned with making products
efficiently and at minimum cost.
• Manufacturing engineers are involved in all aspects of production, including
scheduling and materials handling and the design, development, supervision, and
control of assembly lines.
• Manufacturing engineers employ robots and machine-vision technologies for
production purposes.
• To demonstrate concepts for new products, and to save time and money, manufacturing
engineers create prototypes of products before proceeding to manufacture actual
products. This approach is called prototyping.
• Manufacturing engineers are employed by all types of industries, including
automotive, aerospace, and food processing and packaging.

10. Petroleum Engineering:

• Petroleum engineers specialize in the discovery and production of oil and natural gas.
• In collaboration with geologists, petroleum engineers search the world for
underground oil or natural gas reservoirs. Geologists have a good understanding of
the properties of the rocks that make up the earth’s crust.
• After geologists evaluate the properties of the rock formations around oil and gas
reservoirs, they work with petroleum engineers to determine the best drilling methods
to use.
• Petroleum engineers are also involved in monitoring and supervising drilling and oil
extraction operations to achieve the maximum profitable recovery of oil and gas.
• They use computer models to simulate reservoir performance as they experiment with
different recovery techniques.
• According to the U.S. Department of Labor, large numbers of petroleum engineers are
employed in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado, and California, including offshore
sites. Many American petroleum engineers also work overseas in oil-producing regions
of the world such as Russia, the Middle East, South America, or Africa
• The job outlook for petroleum engineers depends on oil and gas prices.

11. Nuclear Engineering:

• Nuclear engineers design, develop, monitor, and operate nuclear power equipment
that derives its power from nuclear energy to generate electricity or to power Navy
ships and submarines.
• They may also work in such areas as the production and handling of nuclear fuel and
the safe disposal of its waste products.
• Some nuclear engineers are involved in the design and development of industrial and
diagnostic medical equipment.
• Nuclear engineers work for the U.S. Navy, nuclear power utility companies, and the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the Department of Energy. A
• Because of the high cost and numerous safety concerns on the part of the public, there are
only a few nuclear power plants under construction.
 • Other job opportunities exist for nuclear engineers in the departments of Defense and
Energy, nuclear medical technology, and nuclear waste management.
12. Mining Engineering:
• Mining engineers, in collaboration with geologists and metallurgical engineers, find,
extract, and prepare coal for use by utility companies; they also look for metals and
minerals to extract from the earth for use by various manufacturing industries.
• Mining engineers design and supervise the construction of aboveground and
underground mines.
• Mining engineers could also be involved in the development of new mining equipment
for extraction and separation of minerals from other materials mixed in with the
desired minerals.
• Most mining engineers work in the mining industry, some work for government
agencies, and some work for manufacturing industries. The job outlook for mining
engineers is not as good as for other disciplines.
• The mining industry is somewhat similar to the oil industry in that the job opportunities
are closely tied to the price of metals and minerals.

13. Materials Engineering:

• Materials engineers research, develop, and test new materials for various products
and engineering applications. These new materials could be in the form of metal alloys,
ceramics, plastics, or composites.
• Materials engineers study the nature, atomic structure, and thermo-physical
properties of materials.
• They manipulate the atomic and molecular structure of materials in order to create
materials that are lighter, stronger, and more durable.
• They create materials with specific mechanical, electrical, magnetic, chemical, and heat-
transfer properties for use in specific applications; for example, graphite tennis racquets
that are much lighter and stronger than the old wooden racquets; the composite
materials used in stealth military planes with specific electromagnetic properties; and
the ceramic tiles on the space shuttle that protect the shuttle during reentry into the
atmosphere (ceramics are nonmetallic materials that can withstand high temperatures).
• Materials engineering may be further divided into metallurgical, ceramics, plastics, and
other specialties.
• Materials engineers work in aircraft manufacturing; various research and testing
labs; and electrical, stone, and glass products manufacturers.

CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE
1. Be on time
2. No cell phones in the class unless the course instructor says it is OKAY
3. Raise your hands if you want to speak
4. Respect your
• Teachers
• Classmates
• School and its staff
• Yourself

5. Always listen to the teacher

6. Bring the essentials for the particular class
7. Communicate in Medium of instruction.
8. Have fun
• learn how to ask questions to find out how things are made, how things work, how to improve
things, how to design

something from scratch, and how to take an idea from paper to reality and actually build
something.
• You must take the responsibility for learning; nobody can make you learn

PREPARING FOR AN ENGINEERING CAREER

Making the transition from high school to college requires extra effort. In order to have a
rewarding education you should realize that you must start studying and preparing from the first
day of class, attend class regularly, get help right away, take good notes, select a good study
place, and form study groups. You should also consider the time management ideas discussed in
this chapter to arrive at a reasonable weekly schedule.

1. Budgeting Your Time

Each of us has the same 24 hours in a day, and there is only so much that a person can do on an average
dailybasis to accomplish certain things. Many of us need approximately 8 hours of sleep every
night. In addition, we all need to have some time for work, friends and family, studying,
relaxation and recreation, and just goofing around.

With 24 hours in a given day, we have, for a one-week period, 168 hours available. Let’s
allocate liberal time periods to some activities common to most students. You may prefer to
spend an hour a day relaxing during the week and use the additional social hours on weekends.
With generous relaxation and social time, this sample allows 68 hours a week to devote to your
education. A good rule of thumb is to spend at least 2 to 3 hours of studying for each hour of
class time, which amounts to at least 32 hours and at most 48 hours a week of studying. You still
have from 4 to 20 hours a week in your budget to allocate at your own discretion

With the exception of a few courses, most classes that you will take are scheduled for 50-
minute periods, with a 10-minute break between classes to allow students to attend several
classes in a row. The other important reason for having a 10-minute break is to allow time to
clear your head. Most of us have a limited attention span and cannot concentrate on a certain
topic for a long period of time without a break. Taking a break is healthy; it keeps your mind and
body working well.

2. Daily Studying and Preparation:

1. You start studying and preparing from the very first day of class!

It is always a good idea to read the material that your professor is planning to cover in
class ahead of time. This practice will improve both your understanding and retention of the
lecture materials. It is also important to go over the material that was discussed in class again
later the same day after the lecture was given. Remember to read before the class and study the
material after the class on the same day!

2. Attend Your Classes Regularly

Yes, even if your professor is a bore, you can still learn a great deal from attending the
class. Your professor may offer additional explanations and discussion of some material that may
not be well presented in your textbook. Moreover, you can ask questions in class. If you have
read the material before class and have made some notes about the concepts that you do not fully
understand, during the lecture you can ask questions to clarify any misunderstanding. If you need
more help, then go to your professor’s office and ask for additional assistance.

3. Get Help Right Away

When you need some help, don’t wait till the last minute to ask! Almost all professors
are glad to sit down with you and help you out if you make an appointment with them. After you
have made an appointment, be on time and have your questions written down so that you
remember what to ask. Once again, remember that most professors do not want you to wait until
the last minute to get help!
4. Take Good Notes

Everyone knows that it is a good idea to take notes during lecture, but some students may
not realize that they should also take notes when reading the textbook. Try to listen carefully
during the lectures so you can identify and record the important ideas and concepts. If you have
read ahead of time the text materials that your professor is planning to cover in class, then you
are prepared to write down notes that complement what is already in your textbook. You don’t
need to write down everything that your professor says, writes, or projects onto a screen. The
point is to listen very carefully and write down only notes regarding the important concepts that
you did not understand when you read the book.
Use wirebound notebooks for your notes. Don’t use loose papers, because it is too easy to
lose some of your notes that way. As an engineer you will need to keep records of meetings,
calculations, measurements, etc. with time and date recorded so you can refer back to them if the
need arises. Keep all your engineering books; don’t sell them back to the bookstore—some day
you may need them.

5. Select a Good Study Place

You may already know that you should study in a comfortable place with good lighting.
You do not want any distractions while you are studying. For example, you do not want to study
in front of a TV while watching your favorite situation comedy. A library is certainly a good
place for studying, but you can make your dorm room or your apartment room into a good place
for studying. You don’t want to daydream as you are studying

6. Form Study Groups

Your professor will be the first person to tell you that the best way to learn something is
to teach it. In order to teach something, though, you have to first understand the basic concepts.
You need to study on your own first and then get together with your classmates. to discuss and
explain key ideas and concepts to each other. Everyone in your study group should agree that
they need to come prepared to discuss appropriate materials and that they all need to contribute
to the discussions. It should be understood that the study groups serve a different purpose than
that of a tutoring session. However, if another student in your class asks for assistance, help if
you can by explaining new concepts you have learned. If you have difficulty explaining the
material to someone else, that could be an indication you don’t fully understand the concept
yourself and you need to study the material in more detail
7. Prepare for Examinations
There is absolutely no substitution or daily studying.
• Don’t wait until the night before the exam to study!
• Just before an exam, spend a few hours reviewing your notes and sample problems.
• Make sure that you get a good night’s rest so you can be fresh and think clearly when you take
the exam.
• It may be a good idea to ask your instructor ahead of time what type of exam it will be, how many
questions there will be, or what suggestions she or he has to help you prepare better for the exam.
• Read the questions carefully before you proceed with answering them.
• After you have looked over the exam, you may want to answer
• the easy questions first and then come back to the more complicated questions.
• To reduce the anxiety, prepare well and consider timing

Other Considerations
• Doing Volunteer Work
• Vote in Local and National Elections
• Get to Know Your Classmates
• Get to Know an Upper-Division Engineering Student

TEAMWORK

A design team may be defined as a group of individuals with complementary expertise,

problem solving skills, and talent who are working together to solve a problem or achieve a
common goal. The goal might be providing a service; designing, developing, and manufacturing
a product; or improving an existing service or product. A good team is one that gets the best out
of each other. The individuals making up a good team know when to compromise for the good of
the team and its common goal. Communication is an essential part of successful teamwork. The
individuals making up the team need also to clearly understand the role of each team member
and how each task fits together.

Common Traits of Good Teams

More and more, employers are looking for individuals who not only have a good grasp of
engineering fundamentals but who can also work well with others in a team environment.
Successful teams have the following components:
1. The project that is assigned to a team must have clear and realistic goals. These goals must
be understood and accepted by all members of the team.
2. The team should be made up of individuals with complementary expertise, problem solving
skills, background, and talent.
3. The team must have a good leader.
4. The team leadership and the environment in which discussions take place should promote
openness, respect, and honesty.
5. Team needs and goals should come before individual needs and goals.

Team with members who represent the following secondary roles tends to be very
successful:

1. The organizer: is someone who is experienced and confident. This person is trusted by
members of the team and serves as a coordinator for the entire project. The organizer does not
have to be the smartest or most creative member of the team; however, he or she needs to
be good at clarifying goals and advancing decision making.

2. The creator: is someone who is good at coming up with new ideas, sharing them with other
team members, and letting the team develop the ideas further. The creator is also good at solving
difficult problems, but may have problems with following certain protocols.

3. The gatherer: is someone who is enthusiastic and good at obtaining things, looking for
possibilities, and developing contacts. The motivator is someone who is energetic, confident, and
outgoing. The motivator is good at finding ways around obstacles. Because the motivator is
logical and doesn’t like vagueness, he or she is good at making objective decisions.

4. The evaluator: is someone who is intelligent and capable of understanding the complete
scope of the project. The evaluator is also good at judging outcomes correctly. The team worker
is someone who tries to get everyone to come together, because he or she does not like friction or
problems among team members. The solver is someone who is reliable and decisive and can turn
concepts into practical solutions. The finisher is someone who can be counted on to finish his or
her assigned task on time. The finisher is detail orientated and may worry about the team’s
progress toward finishing the assignment.
Factors that influence team performance including:
• the way a company is organized;
• how projects are assigned;
• what resources are available to a team to perform their tasks, and
• the corporate culture: whether openness, honesty, and respect are promoted.
• Communication, the decision making process
• The level of collaboration

ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

• Engineers apply physical laws, chemical laws and principles, and mathematics to design millions
of products and services that we use in our everyday lives.
• These products include cars, computers, aircrafts, clothing, toys, home appliances, surgical
equipment, heating and cooling equipment, health care devices, tools and machines that make
various products, and so on.
• Engineers consider important factors such as cost, efficiency, reliability, sustainability, and safety
when designing the products, and they perform tests to make certain that the products they design
withstand various loads and conditions.

8 basic basic steps in Engineering Design Process:

Step 1: Recognizing the Need for a Product or a Service

All you have to do is look around to realize the large number of products and services—
designed by engineers—that you use every day. Most often, we take these products and services
for granted until, for some reason, there is an interruption in the services they provide. Some of
these existing products are constantly being modified to take advantage of new technologies. For
example, cars and home appliances are constantly being redesigned to incorporate new
technologies. In addition to the products and the services already in use, new products are being
developed every day for the purpose of making our lives more comfortable, more pleasurable,
and less laborious. There is also that old saying that “every time someone complains about a
situation, or about a task, or curses a product, right there, there is an opportunity for a
product or a service.” As you can tell, the need for products and services exists; what one has to
do is to identify them. The need may be identified by you, the company that you may eventually
work for, or by a third-party client who needs a solution to a problem or a new product to make
what it does easier and more efficient.

Step 2: Problem Definition and Understanding

 One of the first things you need to do as a design engineer is to fully understand the
problem.This is the most important step in any design process. If you do not have a good grasp
of what the problem is or of what the client wants, you will not come up with a solution that is
relevant to the need of the client. The best way to fully understand a problem is by asking many
questions. You may ask the client questions such as:
• How much money are you willing to spend on this project?
• Are there restrictions on the size or the type of materials that can be used?
• When do you need the product or the service? How many of these products do you need?

Questions often lead to more questions that will better define the problem. Moreover,
keep in mind that engineers generally work in a team environment where they consult each other
to solve complex problems. They divide up the task into smaller, manageable problems among
themselves; consequently, productive engineers must be good team players. Good interpersonal
and communication skills are increasingly important now because of the global market. You
need to make sure you clearly understand your portion of the problem and how it fits with the
other problems.
For example, various parts of a product could be made by different companies located in
different states or countries. In order to ensure that all components fit and work well together,
cooperation and coordination are essential, which demands good teamwork and strong
communication skills. Make sure you understand the problem, and make sure that the problem is
well defined before you move on to the next step. This point cannot be emphasized enough.
Good problems solvers are those who first fully understand what the problem is.

Step 3: Research and Preparation

Once you fully understand the problem, as a next step you need to collect useful
information. Generally speaking, a good place to start is by searching to determine if a product
already exists that closely meets the need of your client. Perhaps a product, or components of a
product, already has been developed by your company that you could modify to meet the need.
You do not want to “reinvent the wheel!” As mentioned earlier, depending on the scope, some
projects require collaboration with other companies, so you need to find out what is available
through these other companies as well. Try to collect as much information as you can. This is
where you spend lots of time not only with the client but also with other engineers and
technicians. Internet search engines are becoming increasingly important tools to gather such
information. Once you have collected all pertinent information, you must then review it and
organize it in a suitable manner.

Step 4: Conceptualization
During this phase of design, you need to generate some ideas or concepts that could offer
reasonable solutions to your problem. In other words, without performing any detailed analysis,
you need to come up with some possible ways of solving the problem. You need to be creative
and perhaps develop several alternative solutions. At this stage of design, you do not need to rule
out any reasonable working concept. If the problem consists of a complex system, you need to
identify the components of the system. You do not need to look at details of each possible
solution yet, but you need to perform enough analysis to see whether the concepts that you are
proposing have merit.
Throughout the design process, you must also learn to budget your time. Good engineers
have time-management skills that enable them to work productively and efficiently. You must
learn to create a milestone chart detailing your time plan for completing the project. You need to
show the time periods and the corresponding tasks that are to be performed during these time
periods.
Step 5: Synthesis
Good engineers have a firm grasp of the fundamental principles of engineering, which
they can use to solve many different problems. Good engineers are analytical, detailed oriented,
and creative. During this stage of design, you begin to consider details.
You need to perform calculations, run computer models, narrow down the type of
materials to be used, size the components of the system, and answer questions about how the
product is going to be fabricated. You will consult pertinent codes and standards and make sure
that your design will be in compliance with these codes and standards.
Step 6: Evaluation
Analyze the problem in more detail. You may have to identify critical design parameters
and consider their influence in your final design. At this stage, you need to make sure that all
calculations are performed correctly. If there are some uncertainties in your analysis, you must
perform experimental investigation. When possible, working models must be created and tested.
At this stage of the design procedure, the best solution must be identified from alternatives.
Details of how the product is to be fabricated must be worked out fully.

Step 7: Optimization
• Optimization means minimization or maximization.
• There are two broad types of design:
1. a functional design
2. an optimized design.
A functional design: is one that meets all of the pre-established design requirements but allows
for improvement to be made in certain areas.
To better understand the concept of a functional design, we will consider an example. Let
us assume that we are to design a 3-meter-tall (10 ft) ladder to support a person who weighs 1335
newtons (300 pounds) with a certain factor of safety. We will come up with a design that consists
of a steel ladder that is 3 meter tall (10 ft) and can safely support the load of 1335 N (300 lb) at
each step. The ladder would cost a certain amount of money. This design would satisfy all of the
requirements, including those of strength and size, and thus constitutes a functional design.
Before we can consider improving our design, we need to ask ourselves what criterion we should
use to optimize the design.

Design optimization:
• is always based on some particular criterion, such as cost, strength, size, weight, reliability, noise,
or performance. If we use the weight as an optimization criterion, then the problem becomes one
of minimizing the weight of the ladder without jeopardizing its strength.
• Another important fact to keep in mind is that optimizing individual components of an

engineering system does not necessarily lead to an optimized system. For example, consider a
thermal-fluid system such as a refrigerator. Optimizing the individual components
independently— such as the compressor, the evaporator, or the condenser—with respect to some
criterion does not lead to an optimized overall system (refrigerator).
• Traditionally, improvements in a design come from the process of starting with an initial
design, performing an analysis, looking at results, and deciding whether or not we can
improve the initial design.

Step 8: Presentation
• If you have a final solution, you need to communicate your solution to the client, who
may be your boss, another group within your company, or an outside customer. You may have
to prepare not only an oral presentation but also a written report.
• Engineers are required to write reports. Depending on the size of the project, these reports
might be lengthy, detailed technical reports containing graphs, charts, and engineering
drawings, or they may take the form of a brief memorandum or executive summaries.
• Quite often engineers are required to give oral and written progress reports on a regular
timebasis to various groups. Consequently, presentation could well be an integral part of
many other design steps.