Looking for ideas for a Mechanical Engineering problem 21

[Lisa_247]

We are looking to take on an Aerospace Mechanical Engineering apprentice and I would like to give the candidates a problem to solve during the interview. I dont want anything too technical, just something that will give us an insight into how they approach problem solving, we are looking for someone who thinks logically but also thinks outside the box. Does anyone have anything I can use, or does anyone have any ideas please? Many thanks

 

[FACS]

Lisa_247's (Aerospace) Member Profile
After joining Eng-Tips Forums on January 24, 2020, I've logged in 2 times. My last login was on Saturday, January 25, 2020. I've started 1 threads, posted 0 replies, and written 0 FAQs.

We fell for it again. Sixty replies and the OP is not even caring.

Mike drop

 

[IRstuff]

She's getting the emails, though

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[Sparweb]

FACS,
That doesn't mean the fun should stop, does it?
It's just starting to get exciting!

http://www.sparweb.ca

 

[dvd]

Can't say that I blame the OP for not coming back.

Pet peeve - allowing someone(s) to join Eng-Tips and post immediately. Institute a thirty day observer period.

 

[SuperSalad]

What should Lisa_247's response be? There is nothing in here that warrants a response from the OP. This thread went immediately off the rails (my own input included) for the most part with jokes and silliness and most recently into arguments about pump operations about question semantics.

Andrew H.

http://www.mototribology.com

 

[CWB1]

But it's funny that you mention "sound engineering judgment". Engineers sometimes have to make decisions based on limited information. Based on ONLY the information provided...

Sound engineering judgement ethically implies that the engineer understands the design well enough to guarantee both the safety and success of their design. Based on ONLY the information provided there is no way to guarantee either, so an engineer is required to investigate further BEFORE providing an answer to this. Congrats on missing the point once again.

 

[STrctPono]

Reading through this amusing thread, I couldn't help feel like I was watching a stereotypical classic high school nerd movie scene play out where the pretty girl (Lisa_247) approaches the protagonist group of nerds (future engineers) to ask them a question regarding classwork. All the of the nerds are awkwardly bashful and have no ability to converse with the pretty girl on a normal social platform. 2 of the nerds, eager to impress the girl, offer their profound knowledge regarding her dilemma only to realize that they have opposing views and begin to see each other as adversaries. The 2 heated nerds slowly begin to ignore the pretty girl as they turn their focus on each other and engage in a tit-for-tat argument over engineering theory and semantics while their nerd friends chime in every so often with unhelpful and typically sarcastic comments which only fuels the fire. After a short time, the group that has been lost in their own debate, realizes that the pretty girl has merely walked away without even a salutation. The stark realization that they "did it again" further solidifies their place in the world of women and provides them with a moment of humility and humbleness.

I applaud you Engineers!

 

[IRstuff]

talk about stereotyping...

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[RolMec]

well, this is a forum, an OP rolls a dice in some way and let's roll it to the benefit of ... all.
there's nothing more far off from engineering like an opinion about an opinion, perhaps its better to stay with the basic facts.
i appreciate the question of the OP, to know how to ask a question well is to arise an interest, which is pretty difficult to do with freshmen.. without scaring them..
which no one wants, this (any) person might be a future Tesla..
from here.. i have a box in my desk with some damaged parts from malfunctions or incidents or plain wear and tear.. i ask the person about her/his interests, then we choose a fitting object and sit down and discuss it
description of the state, analysis, possible core reasons, probability, possible actions for further analysis, background in materials and manufacturing, ...

Roland Heilmann

 

[FACS]

FACS,
That doesn't mean the fun should stop, does it?

Well no, so if you want to still have some more fun, here is a puzzle for you:

There are four dots, like the four dots on a die.
You cannot move the dots.
You have to connect the dots with straight lines.
The lines must connect to each other.
How few lines do you need?

 

[ProEpro]

Here is something very fundamental. Find a part with left hand threads like a turnbuckle, rod end ect. Hand it to them and see what they do with it.

first they should figure out something is different
second they should figure out what that is
finally they should ask why and offer some hypothesis

 

[Sparweb]

ProEpro,
That's a great example!

OK, along those lines, I can come up with another one. This would be a test for an electrical engineer - no reason for a Mechie or a Civvy to get it:

I show them a pocket LED flashlight. Inside, it is powered by a stack of 4 coin cells. I take the cells out, replace one of the cells with a Neodymium magnet of roughly the same thickness, and put the stack of 3 cells + 1 magnet back inside, close it up. When I click the switch, it turns on. Explain why it works. Explain why it is just as bright as it was before.

FACS,
I get 3 lines for your problem, providing the ENDS of the lines must touch. If the lines may connect at any point along their length, then 2 lines will do.

http://www.sparweb.ca

 

[FACS]

I get 3 lines for your problem, providing the ENDS of the lines must touch. If the lines may connect at any point along their length, then 2 lines will do.

Aw

http://www man,

you got the two lines right. Usually people go for the three lines.


As for that left hand thread question: They use left hand threads to mount power line poles on the concrete pads... Do you know why?

 

[IRstuff]

Must be the Coriolis force

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[zeusfaber]

They use left hand threads to mount power line poles on the concrete pads... Do you know why?

Is it just to stop it being worth people's time nicking the nuts?

 

[3DDave]

I recall reading that, years ago, the NY Subway had special left-hand base light bulbs made to eliminate theft.

Maybe it's true; it sounds good.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Here are a couple of message boards which appears to confirm that this was a real thing, or at least people talked like there was:

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilear...l_that_the_nyc_subway_uses_lefthand_threaded/

https://www.lighting-gallery.net/index.php?topic=2549.0

Now here's another explanation for the existence of left-hand threaded light bulbs, but the rational wasn't to prevent theft:

https://www.lightbulbs.com/blog/left-handed-incandescent-light-bulbs

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[FACS]

I heard about the left hand threads shortly after 9-11.
I had to design residential water well protective devices, and they bolted over studs placed in concrete.
When someone told me to make the threads left handed, like on high tension lines, I asked why and they told me it was to prevent vandals from unscrewing them.
I never knew if it was true or not.
Later, someone told me that the studs for mounting tension lines were of a extra strong material, and contractors would not be able to buy standard studs to save money. I don't know if that is true or not either but it makes a little sense.

There has to be someone in that industry that knows why for real. Some idiot kid has a big wrench and he decides to create mayhem, he would not be smart enough to turn the nut in the opposite direction.

I never used left hand threads on the protective well design. I put the bolting inside the protective device so no one could even see them. I don't think anyone ever bought one, they were damn expensive and the hysteria wore down.

 

[geesamand]

The drafting questions are fun puzzles and completely irrelevant to modern Engineering skills.

I suggest showing the candidates a couple of basic calculations that are unique to your industry or company. Draw a system and plug some easy, round numbers into it to give a ROM of the actual values. Then ask the candidate how to optimize/change the system for a given outcome based on the equation you gave them. If they paid any attention in school it should be easy to increase the numerator, reduce the denominator, etc. But the better side is to get their ideas how to achieve these things in the real world.

There are new grads who forced their way through the math and rely on a calculation program to spit out results without much understanding of what's going on. There are also candidates who only know math and can't translate much to the real world. Finally, you'll encounter candidates who get the math, offer practical ideas, but also have a conversation / ask questions to explore these ideas. That's best of all.

David

 

[GregLocock]

Visualisation of 3d from 2d is one of the few measurable traits that seems to correlate with mechanical engineering ability, according to one interviewer. That may be a tautology.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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