Don't know what to major in?? 3

[EC]

Hey guys, I just found this board and have been reading up on the automotive, structural and mechanical sections. Since you guys are professional auto. engineers, I thought you could help. From what I've read about the different majors at my school, it seems ME is more theory and covers more fluids and thermo. than SE does, which would be good for head and block design, intakes, etc. I am currently a Structural Engineering major because it sounds more interesting to me than Mechanical, but can auto. manufacturers even use SE's, or is ME a lot better for automotive? I mean, SE's should be able to design (or at least analyze, as I have read on these forums that "design" jobs are nearly impossible to get) chassis and suspension components, etc., right? What I would really like to do is somehow help develop aftermarket parts, like suspension or engine components etc. I know this is a big jumble of what I'm confused about, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wroberts]

If you want to get a job designing any kind of auto parts, you need an ME degree. BA min, MA prefered. Ya ME is a broad major, but it's way more than Thermo and Fluids. You have your kinematics, Vibrations, Machine Design classes, Gears, Bearings, Clutches, Brakes, Springs, Stress Analysis, Material studies, Testing, ect... I don't know of any structual engineers that design auto parts, OEM, or Aftermarket (Not to say there aren't just none I've ever known any) Different schools stress different things, My School, Cleveland State, (Fenn College of Engineering) is very real world applications. Other schools, Case Western Reserve, for example are very theory oriented. Don't let that schools focus differ you from the ME degree.

Will

 

[ivymike]

in regard to "design" jobs being hard to get - I think that whoever said that was probably referring to the artsy side of design, where they draw the pretty pictures and make clay models of cars. Automotive design, in the engineering sense, where one decides how components should be shaped and constructed in order to function properly, is not nearly as difficult to get into. I've been at it for several years now (both body & engine design, but not at the same company), and if I can do it lots of people can... Many of the engineers I know at work (even the "structural analysis" guys) have BS degrees in general engineering (they didn't offer that at my school as far as I know) + MS in mechanical engineering. I'm a lowly BS-ME, but I can keep up.

 

[GregLocock]

Ivymike and wroberts are bang on the money, advanced degrees are probably no particular help, and mechanical engineering is probably a better bet then structural engineering (whatever that is) for a vehicle design job. If you don't know thermo, materials, and electronics then you are going to be on a steep learning curve if you ever move away from just designing blocks or heads.

Having said that the prime requirements (apart from being able to tie your own shoelaces) are to be interested in cars, and have an engineering frame of mind.

Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[EC]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for the great info. I recently switched from structural to mechanical engineering. To ivymike, your designing components is exactly what I'm talking about. To GregLocock, structural engineering is like designing bridges and buildings and stuff, and I was just thinking that that might transfer to maybe car chassis design etc., but evidently not. You don't think an MS or Ph.D would be of any benefit to an engineering company??

 

[ivymike]

In regard to the MS, they're fairly common at the company where I currently work (approx 70% of engr staff, from what I hear). At the last company, you were lucky if the guy next to you even had a BS. Many of the "engineers" were high school grads with a certificate in drafting from a community college. That was part of the reason I left - as you might imagine, most of the work there was not technically challenging. There were different "career paths" for degreed and non-degreed design folks, but there was a great deal of overlap in the salary ranges.

 

[GregLocock]

A /relevant/ masters is probably a good idea (in the States), but it might be worthwhile working a few years in industry before you do that, if you can (I'm not sure if that's the way the American universities work).

I wouldn't touch a PhD - it's too big an investment of time, when you don't really know if you want to be that specialised. Typically we have a few PhDs in aerodynamics, crash, and noise and vibration, but they tend to be locked away behind bars and only fed occasionally.

The sad truth is that the big 3 rely mostly on generalists, with fewer than 40% of the engineers concentrating for eight years or more in one area. Even if you do decide to concentrate on one of the more academic areas you'll find such a huge disparity between the academic work and the real work that you'll learn more that is relevant by doing the job.

As an example, I've worked in noise and vibration for 20 years, on and off. In that time I have /never/ had to analytically solve a partial differential equation. What did I send 1/3 of my final year at uni doing? solving PDEs for vibration problems.







Cheers

Greg Locock