Engineering texts-basic knowledge?

[dooron]

Knowlege of Aerospace structures Engineering Texts?
I would appreciate comments from the forum. Do engineers believe that to call one's self an aerospace structural engineer you should know the following basic references?
Bruhn
Roark.
If you have never heard of these texts can you still call yourself an aersopace structural engineer?
Comments appreciated.

 

[hyeh]

Add Michael Nui's more recent "Airframe Structural Design" and "Airframe Stress Analysis and Sizing" to that list. These two references are now on the top 10 lists of many in the industry.

 

[KSshopper]

First off, I don't like Michael Niu's books at all. And I think there are others out there that agree. Michael Niu plagerizes from other companies and puts it in his book. A couple of weeks ago, a new stress engineer brought his Niu book over whilst reviewing a problem with me. I enjoyed flipping through his book and showing this engineer where Niu's figures corresponded to old figures out of company design manuals.

Second, in reading these forums, I get the impression that engineers are trying to accumulate knowledge through textbooks. Although I applaud this thirst for knowledge, I don't think textbooks spawn good stress engineers. Good stress engineers are those who work challenging, real world problems under the mentorship of a senior engineer. Books are available, of course. (I keep a copy of Bruhn for reference above my desk)

Any comments?

 

[knobhead]

Ah, but Phil, some of us don't have that luxury. I'm not a stress guy, but I AM a 'senior' engineer and (fraud that I am) I don't feel I know anywhere near enough, but I have no-one to ask. ('cept your good selves here of course )

Which leaves me often desperatly reinventing the wheel over and over, as I have no-one to ask.

Are you really Phil Condit?





Excessive accuaracy is a sign of poor breeding. -Socrates.

 

[dooron]

same here, I keep Bruhn, Roark on my desk and have yet to buy Nui ( I agree that it is worth while cross checking these books against ESDU etc. ,(check Bruhn and Nui design of lugs under ultimate load, interesting results compared with under limit loads). Good stress engineers develop a one on one relationship with materials and loads (a happy threesome)where they can start picture what is happening to the structure. Unfortunately these engineers are as rare as hens teeth and most are probably tending to their gardens in retirement. The others, usually open the book, use the formua based on the example, and reference it in the report.

 

[hyeh]

Phil, if I may be so bold, not everyone is capable of retaining every single formula in his head. Because of that it is vital to maintain close at hand, texts which cover a wide range of frequently used methodologies. What is wrong with Nui presenting graphs, formulas, etc. from company design manuals if he has been given permission. It makes life easier when you have more data at hand in less resources.

One other thing, not all senior engineers are created equal. In my 24 years as direct, industry assist and/or contract at 8 different companies, I've worked with brilliant engineers and your basic dead wood (I'm in between the 2 extremes, like most senior engineers). The brilliant ones have everything stored in their heads, but are usually incapable of mentoring, because they don't have the patience to deal with someone of lesser brilliance. Obviously, the dead wood should be avoided. And those of us in the middle ground will usually resort to pulling out Bruhn, Roark, Nui, ESDU or one those binders filled with yellowed and worn photo-copied pages from company stress manuals, published papers, previous analyses, etc. and presenting whatever method might fit the situation best to some poor naive newbie, who's just arrived in industry believing that engineering is an exact science.

Good stress engineers are those who work challenging, real world problems under the mentorship of a senior engineer. Therefore, if you're stuck doing stress on real world, but unchallenging problems on your own, you are a lousy engineer. Gee I wish someone had told me that 24 years ago. I might actually be doing something more lucrative and satisfying now.