What is Mechanical design: Definition and 53 Discussions

Mechanical engineering is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering branches.Mechanical engineering combines creativity, knowledge and analytical tools to complete the difficult task of shaping an idea into reality.
The mechanical engineering field requires an understanding of core areas including mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, materials science, structural analysis, and electricity. In addition to these core principles, mechanical engineers use tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling systems, transport systems, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, medical devices, weapons, and others. It is the branch of engineering that involves the design, production, and operation of machinery.Mechanical engineering emerged as a field during the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 18th century; however, its development can be traced back several thousand years around the world. In the 19th century, developments in physics led to the development of mechanical engineering science. The field has continually evolved to incorporate advancements; today mechanical engineers are pursuing developments in such areas as composites, mechatronics, and nanotechnology. It also overlaps with aerospace engineering, metallurgical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and other engineering disciplines to varying amounts. Mechanical engineers may also work in the field of biomedical engineering, specifically with biomechanics, transport phenomena, biomechatronics, bionanotechnology, and modelling of biological systems.

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  1. E

    Suggestions for a good Enhanced Electric Kettle?

    Hi, I forgot to fill up my electric kettle with water before turning it on and the bottom melted (see last picture). See the following, the top or cover is also wide and I don't want it to accidentally tip over and the hot water spilled on table. Can you suggest other electric kettle with good...
  2. M

    Solar panel with circuit inside a PC box -Not working

    Hi, I am trying to build a product where i am placing a solar panel along with a driver board inside a Polycarbonate housing and closing it with a ABS cover at the back. The driver board is soldered at the back of the solar panel and placed inside the PC box. Then a RTV(silicone sealant for leds...
  3. tetris

    Engineering Static Vs Dynamic Force Analysis in Mechanism

    My understanding is that : Static Force Analysis carried out on objects in static or dynamic equilibrium, that is rigid bodies that are not moving or moving with zero acceleration therefore, does not take into account the inertia of the object Dynamic Force Analysis carried out on objects in...
  4. The tin man

    Automotive Using Elliptical trammel for opposed cylinder engine

    Question I'm sure theirs a reason this hasn't been done but why couldn't you use an elliptical trammel as a design for an opposed combustion engine where 2 cylinders are vertical and 2 horizontal and have the cylinders combust in separate loops wouldn't that technically do the same thing in...
  5. Al-Layth

    Mechanism Ideas for: Rotary Action-input Pump?

    I'm trying to come up with a design for a handheld pump that will be used to suck diesel from a car's fuel tank. There's definitely going to be a pipe dipping into the fuel tank, and there's definitely going to be a human manually operating the pump. I'm trying to think of a mechanism that...
  6. AJSayad

    Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering Undergrad Senior Design Project

    Hi everyone, This semester I'm enrolled in a senior design course where the students must fully design and fabricate a project from scratch that solves a problem. I've been struggling to think of ideas, so far I have some ideas on a windmill/turbine and a few electricity generation device ideas...
  7. V

    Construction Gas Strut - ideal mounting position & Force Calculation

    I have a construction made from 4040 aluminum extrusion. The top frame is opening at 90deg with external hinge. the weight of the top is 6Kg The dimensions are 50X75cm externally and 42X67 internally (as the frame width is 4cm) If pictures with dimensions would help please let me know.
  8. T

    Automotive Factors affecting compression spring oscillations

    Hi all, I'm studying the compression spring design issue that occurred in a machine design application. As illustrated below, spring is bouncing or oscillating after impact to a stopping surface (1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4) and eventually stop after few bounces. Ideal case for this application is to...
  9. T

    Calculate resultant force of a linear mechanism

    Hi all, I'm currently designing a linear to linear transform mechanism (wedge cam design). Would like to check how much force required to push/ slide the roller down. To ease calculation, i have include some assumption: F2 = 1kg @ maximum compressed angle = 20degree F1 required = ? and how...
  10. T

    Calculate the required torque for a cam design

    Hi all, I'm currently designing a cam mechanism. Would like to check how much motor rated torque required for the following design of snail cam ? To ease calculation, i have include some assumed factor as below. Two extreme condition (rotation degree) to compare. What is the motor rated...
  11. dejan95

    Help with designing a tool to hold a work piece (work piece jig)

    I have just started my first job (mechanical engineering design) after graduation. As my first "big" project I need to design a work station. On this station i need to create a tool which will hold my work piece (a motor) in place. I would love to hear your insight. Because the bottom part of...
  12. ramadhankd

    Decoding the Equations: Understanding the Gripping Mechanism of Soft Robots

    Hello everyone, So I'm trying to design a gripping system using a soft robot. I try to read a journal that explains about the gripping mechanism of the soft robot to measure the forces exerted by the soft robot to the object. The thing is, I got lost to several equations because I didn't find...
  13. A

    Maintain a constant velocity for a rotating wheel

    I want to make a small mechanical calculator with no electric parts, nothing too advanced but a few binary gates capable of some basic functions. All the examples I were able to find were amazing but were still dependent on electricity to drive the mechanism. One possibility is a spring but I...
  14. S

    Automatic Lid Opener for a Lifting Box

    Please find the attached drawing showing detail of my requirement. I need to lift a box on a wood table, which opens its lid while its lifted. I am able to make the box lifts upwards. Now my requirement is to get a proper solution to smoothly open the lid whole the box is lifted. The lifting...
  15. A

    Tennis Ball Launcher: Build a Mechanical Launcher

    I have a project which consists in making a tennis ball launcher for training kids (6-12 years), but there is a catch, the mechanism can't have any elastic parts (springs, bands, rubber). It has to be purely mechanical. I need help
  16. s4thishkmr

    How to manufacture this nozzle?

    Hi guys , Need help and suggestion in finding best way to manufacturing this nozzle. Thanks
  17. N

    Mechanism with a linear actuator

    Designing a machine. For it to work properly there would need to be a mechanism that connects the linear actuator to the stand that would allow for the actuator to move horizontally relatively freely with applied forces at the bottom, when there is simultaneously a downward applied force by the...
  18. S

    How to determine the force on the linkage

    hi Wondering if someone could help. I need to know how to work out the the force at point 'A' ( see sketch attached). Its a door opening and closing mechanism and it consists of a hydraulic cylinder 32mm dia bore operating at 140 bar. The door is opened and closed via couple of linkages as the...
  19. J

    A Sample Test | Component Lifetime

    Hi, I'm currently working on a project for which I have to determine the Life-Time of a certain mechanical component within a certain confidence interval. By sampling a small number (let's say n = 10) of these components and measuring the number of hours until failure, I want to determine this...
  20. claraberner

    Mohr's Circle does y-axis = max strain or max strain/2?

    This isn't a problem assignment per-say, but for a lab calculation. In my mechanics of material's class, we learned that the radius of Mohr's circle is the maximum strain, but now in my application lab-based class, the video is saying the radius is equal to the maximum strain divided by 2. So...
  21. V

    Who is Vijay Singh and What are His Mechanical Engineering Accomplishments?

    Hi, my name is vijay singh , i am mechanical engineer and have approx. 6 year experience .
  22. L

    Optimizing Bearing Design: Solving a Common Engineering Homework Problem

    Homework Statement Homework Equations I made the calculation and i got an unrealistic solutions, I hope that someone could help me with it. ;)
  23. C

    Mechanical design -- What is the part shown in the drawing?

    Hello guys. In the picture below can u help me with the problems! I cannot understand what exactly should I comment about the strengths. I t would be easier if it was asking about the types of welding :) . Please give some help! Thanks in advance!
  24. E

    Automatic Window Lift: Get Help Setting Up Low-Cost, Efficient System

    Hello all! I'm an electrical/controls engineer by day and farmer by night. I need some insight on an issue I'm having at the farm. We have a greenhouse where I've setup automatic temperature controls. A small PLC reads temperature in the greenhouse. If the temperature gets too high, we open...
  25. Al_Pa_Cone

    Mechanical Principles -- Assignment question

    Can anyone help me? I have a question with 3 part answers on my Mechanical Principles assignment. I believe I have answered question part 'a' and 'b' but I have been stuck on question part 'c' for days! So the question is: Q5. The simply supported beam shown in FIG 4 is 5meters long with a...
  26. T

    How to tell if a spring is fatigue, creep or degrade?

    I'm doing some spring endurance test. If the spring is exceeding its cycles limit and causes fatigue failure, how normally the spring constant changes? For example, after the expected limit cycles (lets say 2million load-unload cycles), will the spring constant gradually decreases? or...
  27. mjj9435

    How Can I Reduce Sag in My Aluminum Tubing System Using Newtonian Physics?

    Hello All, I have a question for which I'd like an authoritative answer, if some physics genius would be so kind. I'll try to provide as much background as I can but follow up questions for clarity are more than welcome! So I'm working on the design for a patent application and it involves a...
  28. D

    Design of a Lightweight Waterproof (IP 67/68) Winch

    Hello, I am currently designing a lightweight waterproof winch system using off the shelf electrical or hand winches. My problem is that most electric winches that are waterproof are too heavy (design weight limit ~10lbs) and have a much higher force rating than needed (design max force ~500...
  29. D

    Courses to be taken for becoming a drilling engineer

    Hello, I have completed my bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and will be joining for my masters degree in mechanical engineering shortly. I am planning to become a drilling engineer in the petroleum industry. So in order to achieve my goal, what are the recommended courses that i...
  30. K

    Looking for some help on a mechanical design

    I'm a junior at my university in electrical engineering and we're tasked with created an original project for my electricity and magnetism theory class. I've come up with something I want to do, however a fair amount of the design for this project is pretty far out of what I know how to do...
  31. M

    Learning strategy for mechanical design (machine elements)

    Hi, I would like to establish a advancing/learning way to learn and understand machine elements. Today I tried to search for hydrodynamic radial sliding bearings on search engines but I have find only two results. Is something wrong for it? it should have another names...
  32. R

    Areas Of Reasearch in Fluid Mechanics & Mechanical Design

    Hello! My friend and i are interested in doing a project.My area of interest in Fluid mechanics and my friend's is mechanical design can you guys help us out by providing some topics of research which encircles both these areas.
  33. F

    Mechanical design and thermal barrier/isolation

    I have just joined the forum so please be nice as I'm not an engineer. lol Thank you for any and all help. I wanted to tap the knowledge here because my brain hurts... I'd like a better understand of how to get the answer not just the answer if possible. I am designing a mechanical...
  34. P

    Mechanical design - cam timing chain versus gear-driven

    mechanical design -- cam timing chain versus gear-driven hey all, I am a mech-e student, but I am still in the infancy of my degree, so I haven't really had any courses pertaining to this sort of thing, but having work with cars for a number of years, and having what I consider a strong...
  35. J

    Solar Mounting (Mechanical Design)

    I am planning to install a Solar system of 6KW of electricity output enough for a water pump (submersible) and a small home. I need help in designing a mounting which can hold upto 24 solar-panels (20kg each) at a height of 6 meters from the ground, and I also need to make an adjustment...
  36. R

    Help an EE student get into mechanical design

    Hi, I'd like to learn some mechanical design. My knowledge in mechanics is mainly from general physics and a basic course in engineering mechanics. Is this enough to take on intermediate level mechanical design? Should I take a few ME classes? If so, what would you recommend? What is a good free...
  37. S

    EML3005 Mechanical Design Project Shaft Analysis

    I need some help Desperately for this class. this project is 10% of my grade and I'm doing really bad in this class >_<. I have read the book but is all talking about is bunch of formulas that i have no idea how to relate them to this. I uploaded the diagram as well that was part of the...
  38. T

    Mechanical Design vs Energy: Which Path Should You Choose?

    I am nearing the end of college, and have to start picking my electives to get approved. You can mix or match or do an emphasis in either mechanical design or energy. Ever since I started school, I was sure I wanted to do energy because the classes sounded interesting. But now, I have really...
  39. C

    Mechanical design engineering hanbook site

    Hello all, Maybe it will be a silly idea, but I fink about design engineering database-handbook site creation. In this site will be published something like: material standards, fitting element standards, short guides about some elements design key elements creation, or advantages -...
  40. B

    Bezier Curves in Mechanical Design

    Hi Folks, Sorry if this has been asked before but I have searched the forums and can't anything to do with this. Also please correct me if I am posting in the wrong forum. I am making an application with functionality similar to a revolution of a sketch within any CAD program. I...
  41. M

    Combining thermo and mechanical design

    Hey everybody! I'm in my Junior year of undergraduate Mechanical Engineering and am trying to figure out what direction to focus my studies (mainly what industry to focus my pursuit for next job/internship)... Does anyone know of any fields/industries where an engineer can utilize...
  42. N

    Question about turbines, mechanical design

    Hi guys, I'm working on a machine which has a turbine which will spin through a container filled with water. I have to justify the design of the turbine and the blades surface. I looked up in some books referring to mixers designs such as (Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering by Warren L...
  43. S

    Electronic components consideration in mechanical design

    Hi all, I am fresh mechanical design engineer. I have some questions regarding the electrical components and wiring issues in mechanical design: (1) For an electromechanical system, how serious will motor influence the electronic components and wiring in terms of creating electromagnetic...
  44. S

    Exploring a Career in Mechanical Design with Math Aversion

    I'm in a weird place in life, and I thought I'd throw my dilemma out on the table to see if anyone has any advice. I have been considering re-educating myself and getting into some branch of mechanical design, because I have a very high aptitude for and love for all things mechanical. I'm...
  45. M

    Engineering Mechanical Design Engineer vs. Technical Support Engineer

    This is my first post. My name is John. I'm an undergraduate Physics and Mechanical Engineering student and I'm still unsure of the types of jobs that could be available for me once I graduate. Particularly jobs prior to grad school. After graduating I'll have a Bachelor's degree in Physics from...
  46. S

    Mechanical Design Considerations

    Please can someone give some of the Mechanical Design considerations in the Design of a Remote Handling Machine to Deploy Tooling in a Hazardous Environment?
  47. J

    Simple Mechanical Design Program? (free?)

    Hi, I'm designing a product using very very simple springs and gears and was wondering if there was a good software that can help test designs, preferably an inexpensive program. The design itself is very simple, and I don't need full blown CAD or anything that stout just yet.
  48. B

    What does setting a high baseline mean for design generation and selection?

    My group is currently working on design generation and selection. We have a just about all of it done and ready to go but we are unsure what the professor means by baseline. Here is what he wrote about it: Baseline refers to a set of design variables or expectations that you judge/compare...
  49. K

    Mechanical design of an elevator

    Hi there, i am making an elevator design driven by a microcontroller. i am an electronics student and hence i am not able to get the mechanical design aspect of the elevator. can anyone explain to me how to design the mechanical aspect of the elevator? what are the components for braking...
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