• Question: what equipment do you use when you're a mechanical engineer

    Asked by Cian ó maonaigh to Caoimhe, Colin, David, Katie, Lisa on 14 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: David Taylor

      David Taylor answered on 14 Nov 2014:

      Mechanical Engineers use all kinds of different equipment. I use big machines that can pull things apart or vibrate them until they break. I also use electron microscopes to look at things at very high magnification, and machines which can tell me what a material is made of (chemical analysis).

    • Photo: Katie Mahon

      Katie Mahon answered on 14 Nov 2014:

      It really depends on the job . I’m a design engineer and almost all of my work is on the computer. Some design engineers have to make up trial models of their designs (called prototypes). I just draw it up in 3D and print off drawings for the workshop. The software we use is called Autodesk Inventor.

    • Photo: Colin Keogh

      Colin Keogh answered on 18 Nov 2014:

      I use all types of equipment depending on the project or job. I can use small things like measuring tapes, vernier calipers, calculators, microscopes to work on projects.
      Medium size things like desktop experimental rigs, strain gauges, furnaces, engines, solar panels etc.
      Right up to large things like full cars testing machines, chemical production facilities data collection systems, full power plant crews and even power systems for full towns and cities.

      Every tool a scientist will ever use, and engineer will probably use too.

    • Photo: Caoimhe O'Neill

      Caoimhe O'Neill answered on 21 Nov 2014:

      Mechanical Engineers use loads of different pieces of equipment – Colin’s answer gives a good idea of the range of equipment used.

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