Should I Study Mechanical or Electrical Engineering to Design Magnetic Systems?

[Dmenam21]

Hello,

I want to do what a mechanical engineer does but with the electromagnetic force. What should I study mechanical or electrical engineering? An ideal job for me would be designing the magnetic system for motion in a maglev train, for example.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Electro-Mechanical Engineering would be my choice. Check it out and find what universities offer it.

 

[Dmenam21]

Electro-Mechanical Engineering would be my choice. Check it out and find what universities offer it.

I would like that option but the university I’m already enrolled doesn’t have that option. Which of the two would you advice me?

 

[PhanthomJay]

I would like that option but the university I’m already enrolled doesn’t have that option. Which of the two would you advice me?

Well are you more interested in electromagnetic and electrical systems, computers, controls, etc.; or is structural design, motors, mechanisms, dynamics, and moving parts, etc. more your thing?

 

[Dmenam21]

Well are you more interested in electromagnetic and electrical systems, computers, controls, etc.; or is structural design, motors, mechanisms, dynamics, and moving parts, etc. more your thing?

The second ones you said but with the electromagnetic force

 

[PhanthomJay]

The second ones you said but with the electromagnetic force

I guess you should lean toward mechanical then, although I have found that electricals seem to pick up the basics of mechanics more easily than mechanicals pick up the basics of electricity. Be sure to get a good understanding of electric and magnetic fields in your introductory Physics 2 course. It’s the basics that are the most important, then the more difficult stuff falls in place. Be sure to check with your advisor also, as this is just my opinion. I am neither a electrical nor mechanical engineer, I am a structural engineer, but I know that electric fields increase with voltage but not current, and magnetic fields increase with current but not voltage, and that both fields get exponentially smaller the further you are away from the source. This basic knowledge is helpful when I interact with the electrical group. Best of luck in your endeavors.

 

[DaveE]

In the real world, this kind of work will be done by an EE plus an ME.
You will want to get introductory courses in both, then follow your interest. Ultimately it is most likely that you will be a ME with some EE knowledge or vice-versa. You will not be an expert in both, but it is extremely valuable to be able to talk with the experts in the other fields.
EE is composed of many widely varied sub specialties. For Maglev stuff you will want to focus on physics EM (and maybe materials science?) and power electronics. Many EE disciplines virtually ignore magnetics.

 

[Dr.D]

I have many interests similar to the OP. I'm an ME, but with strong interest in electromagetic devices such as motors, generators, solenoids, etc. I found a lot of help in one particular book, now long out of print but still available used. The book is Dynamics of Mechanical and Electromechanical Systems, by Crandall, Karnopp, Kurtz, and Pridmore-Brown, McGraw-Hill, 1968. This book takes an energy approach to almost all system modeling via application of Hamilton's Principle. For someone serious about this field, I would strongly recommend this book as a place to start.

 

[berkeman]

The second ones you said but with the electromagnetic force

You are getting very good advice in this thread, IMO.

If you cannot double-major (which is a lot of extra work), and you will need to declare your major before you can gain much work experience, then I would also recommend that you pursue the ME degree. You do not need many parts of the EE degree (like semiconductor physics, programming, radiated E&M, etc.), and you will need most of the advanced ME classes that will be part of your degree.

I'd still encourage you to take some EE classes as electives, and get work experience or school project experience to help you to refine your goals and interests.

Enjoy the ride!