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  #1  
Old 02-17-2011, 08:46 PM
BCobe BCobe is offline
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Default Mechanical Engineers

Anyone on here one? Been looking into getting a degree but the thing is I have to do online corses with work and what not. Just looking into good colleges that offer online classes. Also I hear some of the math classes are hard. Are they something that you have to ask alot of questions about? I really dont know what questions to ask so any info would be awesome!
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Old 02-17-2011, 09:20 PM
Major376 Major376 is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

i studied being one, i did a lot of research and my friends are engineers. in my opinion and theirs the online classes for anything other than getting a G.E.D. or trade school aren't worth it
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Old 02-17-2011, 09:22 PM
dixie_boysles dixie_boysles is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

I have a Mechanical Drafting degree and teach mechanical drafti g at the local college at night. Funny thing is though I my full time job is I'm architectural stone. I'm not too familiar with main differences between the engineering degree and the drafting degree. I love drafting though. Pay is alright starting out as a draftsman. I'm not too familiar with wchools in your area but find a good technical college with a good degree program.

The math classes I took were not the easiest. Challenging so I liked them! I had Statics, Fluid mechanics, strength of materials and one more hard math class. Its putting everythi g you learn in algebra, trig, geometry etc to real wold applications
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Old 02-17-2011, 09:46 PM
rangercrazy07 rangercrazy07 is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

I'm a mechanical engineering student at Southern Polytechnic State University. I also work for an engineering firm. I'm traveling currently so any q's just pm me, i'd be glad to answer anything you have a question or concern about.
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Old 02-17-2011, 09:51 PM
BCobe BCobe is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Major376 View Post
i studied being one, i did a lot of research and my friends are engineers. in my opinion and theirs the online classes for anything other than getting a G.E.D. or trade school aren't worth it
With my job going to an actual class is basicly impossible

----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by rangercrazy07 View Post
I'm a mechanical engineering student at Southern Polytechnic State University. I also work for an engineering firm. I'm traveling currently so any q's just pm me, i'd be glad to answer anything you have a question or concern about.
Thanks man! Im still looking for a school so if anything comes up Ill be sure to hut you up!
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  #6  
Old 02-17-2011, 09:53 PM
rangercrazy07 rangercrazy07 is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

Quote:
Originally Posted by BCobe View Post
Thanks man! Im still looking for a school so if anything comes up Ill be sure to hut you up!
no prob just let me know
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  #7  
Old 02-17-2011, 10:20 PM
danl danl is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

I am an ME and recommend it as a profession as it has been good for me.

Also an engineering degree can open doors to other professions. One of the guys I graduated with went to work on Wall Street as an investment something.

Three semesters of calculus and one semester of differential equations provides the math foundation required.

...Dan
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Old 02-17-2011, 10:57 PM
Mikerider Mikerider is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

I am a Materials Engineer with a Mechanical minor. Its a great program and I have been able to do some exciting work. Like you said be prepared for some Math, most places require at least a basic course in differential equations. Be prepared for some long nights, lol.
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  #9  
Old 02-17-2011, 11:31 PM
Major376 Major376 is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

Quote:
Originally Posted by dixie_boysles View Post
I have a Mechanical Drafting degree and teach mechanical drafti g at the local college at night. Funny thing is though I my full time job is I'm architectural stone. I'm not too familiar with main differences between the engineering degree and the drafting degree. I love drafting though. Pay is alright starting out as a draftsman. I'm not too familiar with wchools in your area but find a good technical college with a good degree program.

The math classes I took were not the easiest. Challenging so I liked them! I had Statics, Fluid mechanics, strength of materials and one more hard math class. Its putting everythi g you learn in algebra, trig, geometry etc to real wold applications
thats cool man! what exactly do you do in that subject?
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  #10  
Old 02-17-2011, 11:50 PM
asdef5o asdef5o is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

i'm going into college soon to major in Mechanical engineering too
from what i've seen its seems like the profession for me but from you guys who have your degrees in it
How is it as a career?
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  #11  
Old 02-18-2011, 03:03 AM
BCobe BCobe is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

Have you guys heard of anyone doing online courses? Hey Scott was does Mechanical Drafting all cover? The thing I really want to do is like draft and make parts for cars.
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  #12  
Old 02-18-2011, 05:42 AM
dixie_boysles dixie_boysles is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Major376 View Post
thats cool man! what exactly do you do in that subject?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCobe View Post
Have you guys heard of anyone doing online courses? Hey Scott was does Mechanical Drafting all cover? The thing I really want to do is like draft and make parts for cars.
Mechanical Drafting is the fun part of it lol. The engineer is usually the head honcho that does all the calculations and stuff like that. Then he has "draftsmen" (what I am) under him that draw the stuff. I love my job(s)!

Its basically the same thing, you are still in the field, you are usually just under an engineer.

You would use CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) to draw parts/assemblies, etc... Many manufacturing places use CAD draftsmen to draw their parts. Most of the time it is 3D modeling like the pic below. Companies use programs such as ProEngineer (most popular), SolidWorks, Solidedge, AutoCAD, etc to draw their parts.

.



The great thing about a drafting degree of any type is that you can go into other fields as long as you know the Program(s). Take me for example. I have an Associates Degree in Mechanical Drafting Technology. I KNEW going to college I did not want to be a Mechanical draftsmen, but instead an Architectural draftsmen (program was not offered at my school). SO here I am, work in architectural stone (I work at a granite quarry). But as you can see, my degree is in mechanical lol. I could have went and worked at a local electrical engineering firm, a surveying firm, a gas and pipeline firm, and a few others.

Now the pay wont be that of a Mechanical Engineer, but you dont have to go to school for 4+ years or work under another engineer for like 4 more years (from what i was told). You can get the degree from a local community college (just check your area for drafting degrees). Most Community colleges offer online classes. But I will tell you like stated above, there is nothing like hands on. Online just doesnt cut it. I would personally think about night classes. I actually teach night classes at the local community college in the Program I graduated from.

Sorry this was so long
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  #13  
Old 02-18-2011, 06:02 AM
dixie_boysles dixie_boysles is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

Ok, i used your location (Fairfield, CA) to look up a community/technical college close to you. I came up with Solano Community College (sound familiar?) They offer a Two-Year Associates Degree as a Drafting Technician:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14942986/Dr...Technician.pdf

That program sounds better than what I took, because if you look at the Class list on the first page, it has at least one class for all the different areas of drafting whether it be in civil, architectural, or mechanical. SO if you got a degree in this program, you could become a draftsman in really any area.

Now earlier I stated that you are usually under an engineer. At my job, my two bossmen have the same degree as me and make 50k to 75k a year. But like I said, I am in architectural. Depending on where you work it could be different. As a draftsman, you can still become a bossman or have a better position than just a draftsman You can become senior project managers, etc...BUT with this you must have experience. My direct boss man has 12 years of experience on and his has 25+ years.

If I were in your shoes, I would personally try that program out or another one at another are school. I love drafting man. You MUST be good at Geometry, and trig. I use them almost every week in my job. Another IMPORTANT skill as a draftsman you must have is visualization skills. Alot of times you are drawing something that you may have no idea of what it looks like until you read into the drawings more.

here is some of my drafting work:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14942986/001.pdf

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14942986/Sh...%20%281%29.pdf

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14942986/Sh...%20%281%29.pdf

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/14942986/st...%20%281%29.pdf
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  #14  
Old 02-18-2011, 06:08 AM
zymmer4 zymmer4 is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

An ME , to me is not about the school, but the experience after work..It is a mindset..If you are one, before school, then school will not be a problem, but a positive experience that will ask and answer questions that you have concerning yourself. The math, science and all of the rest of the core studies are a prelim to teach you to think like an ME..The technology used today is a tool to enable you to preform your work.
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  #15  
Old 02-18-2011, 06:13 AM
dixie_boysles dixie_boysles is offline
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Default Re: Mechanical Engineers

I couldnt agree more. Since I was like 8 playing with Legos, I knew what I wanted to do. So when I got to high school, I prepared myself for it. I took all the math and science and physics classes I could. Then I took all the drafting/construction/technical/drafting classes I could. Then when I got to college, I was prepared! I love drafting if you can tell
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