Everything You’ll Learn in Mechanical Engineering
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- Here is my summary of pretty much everything you're going to learn in a mechanical engineering degree.
Link to my book - amzn.to/438Qlvy
0:00 intro
0:58 Math
2:35 Static systems
3:59 Materials
4:58 Dynamic systems
6:26 Robotics and programming
8:23 Data analysis
9:22 Manufacturing and design of mechanical systems
As a mechanical engineering student in my last semester, I have to say it's a very nice video, that truly summarizes the whole curriculum! A lot of memories were popping up as you were listing each field 😀 greetings from Germany
Hi there i'm going to move to move to germany for an engineering degree but i don't speak german 😅 is it a must should i get started in my german?
@@fusano56 you're going to need some at least for your everyday communication . Many Germans don't speak any English or very little. If your degree is in English then you don't have any reason to worry. If you have any specific questions I'll be glad to help.
Have fun with your upcoming studies🍀
If you don't know any German yet you better stay here. Go to RPI or Clarkson. @@fusano56
@@vasssilisshello
I hope you are doing well
Are university free in Germany?
@@gtogtom2748 the public universities and universities of applied sciences are free if you come from Europe. You just have to pay about 300 € per semester for the maintenance and some benefits.
If you don't come from Europe then you have to pay a studies fee of about 3.000 € per year.
It depends on which university and which state of Germany you're going to study. The incoming office of each uni will most likely have a webpage about it.
My brains exploded half way through.😢 great respect to all mechanical engineers.
I, as a math guru, and lifetime computer programmer, feel overwhelmed
Yeah 100% agree!! I’m 100% I can never go through all that specially with my dyslexia and ADHD 😭 probably gonna hire few mechanical engineers when I’m ready 😅
@@ali-sleimanchehade6129no one asked
@@husamh4585 i did
@@husamh4585I did
I retired from a Mechanical Engineering career a couple of years ago. Watching your video brought back so many memories. I kept thinking "Yes, I did take that class". What a nice review of all the things I had to enjoy and endure! Getting that degree was the toughest thing I have ever done and it was totally worth it. I've never had one moments regret about choosing that degree and career. I always felt like it was what I was meant to be. Thanks again for your great review. I just hope you didn't scare any young people away! LOL!
I’m in high school thinking about becoming an mechanical engineer but I’m getting Cs In math should I think again about my career
when you started to call yourself a mechanical engineer .when you completed BTech mechanical engineering education,or when you completed MTech mechanical engineering education or PhD in mechanical engineering education.
Doing well in Math requires putting in the time to master the concepts. It is like learning to play a musical instrument, it takes practice to become competent @@tzboy2603
When I completed the my Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and then passed the two state exams and received a Professional Engineering License from the state of Texas@@yasirarafat9279
Your journey seems motivational sir can we interact i want to learn new things i am in second year of my degree from Pakistan
Your video brought back my nightmare of a college experience in the 70s. I truly gave Mechanical Engineering the old college try for 4 years. I only completed about 2 to 3 years of the ME curriculum before finally giving it up and joining the Air Force (with no degree). In the USAF I got my Associates degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, and in the process discovered that I should have changed my major early on to Computer Science or Electrical Engineering which I found much more interesting and exciting. I think if the Univ. of Nebraska had had Mechatronics then I might have stuck with it, but I doubt it. ME really kicked my butt! Complete respect to all who have that degree!
Appreciate your service 🇺🇸
It's not for everyone.
@@chiphill4856 its not that difficult.its only huge.
If you can make it through the soul-crushingly-difficult first two years, and then branch into your specialty of choice in the latter two, it’s like the clouds part and the rays of the sun shine through. For me it was physical metallurgy ❤
What are the first two years ?
@@alexandre3388 the freshman and sophomore years. You take all the basic courses mentioned in this video, and then in the junior and senior years you can focus on specialties that you have the most interest in. Still hard, but more to your passion 😊
@@cynthiaarmstrong7972 ohhhh okay thank you very much ! :)
I’m not nervous about physics, chemistry, algebra any of that, but calculus is my one flaw where I’m just not the best at it yet (I’m going to be a freshman at mtu). Some of this concern has me even thinking I should switch to civil engineering, however you said the first two years are difficult no matter what specific major, should I decide after these first two years rather than before?
@@evandeimling412 hi Evan, don’t be afraid to not do well in any particular class - you’ll get through them. Use the first two years to explore intro classes in different engineering disciplines; talk to lots of people for insight and to make contacts. Try to get work experience while you’re in school so you can see what the field really is like. You’ll do great!!
I spent 15 years as a tool maker before becoming and engineer. Having an intimate knowledge of how parts are made has been the most important skill for me so far. The most difficult aspect so far has been learning the different software (NX,Zuken,Creo,MathLab etc and finding the patience to sit in a chair in front of a computer all day. Metallurgy also has been a big help. I would encourage anyone becoming a Mech Engineer to take it
You can’t teach experience! I have no problem with anyone wanting to further their education. But some of the stupidest people I ever met had more degrees than a thermometer! Common sense isn’t so common. I learned more from hiding in the corner and just watching some retired machinists that I hired to work in my shop than a degree would have taught me. What I see coming out of colleges now days leaves me scratching my head. This country is headed for serious trouble. If I were to take any classes metallurgy would be at the top of the list for me.
I am in the same position as you, but I've been a toolmaker for about 10 years, the math concerns me, was it hard to overcome?
NX is the worst. But all the other software at my job sucks too 😅
ASM (American Society of Metals) in Cleveland has some really excellent metallurgy courses that are compressed into 1 full week. Highly recommended.
metallurgy? noted
This was really interesting, thank you. I recently retired after working as a mech eng for many years. I am in Europe and here also, we studied much the same as you have described. My primary graduation was in the early 1980's and I subsequently did a Masters degree in Brunel University in London in the mid 1990's. Your very accurate description of the studies throughout the Mech Eng degree certainly raised fond memories for me. I smiled at your comment regarding your favourite subject was fluid mechanics. Mine was Thermodynamics. We actually took a 'combined' module of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics called 'thermofluids'. Here both disciplines were combined and studied together. This actually made sense as both are closely related and many processes are generally related to both disciplines. Memories of late night panics preparing for exams studying Bernouli's equation, the Carnot cycle, Newtons laws of thermodynamics & proofs of equations made me into a nervous wreck! I remember one night (in the winter of my discontent) wishing that Daniel Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician and physicist would have drowned in his bath before he could have inflicted such fright and worry into all future Mechanical Engineering students!! LOL.
Please keep up the good work and best wishes to you with your You Tube channel.
I just bought your book! I’m very excited to read it!
That’s great! Thank you! And if you find it helpful, don’t forget to leave a review 👍 much appreciated
Nice video. We had a fun little rivalry with CEs in college. Used to joke that MEs build rockets and CEs build targets.
That’s hilarious
Mechanical engineer for 12 years now. Depending on the industry, I think there is a lot of value in getting a masters or certificate in a related field such as embedded systems, robotics, optics, etc. It supplements the broad undergraduate coursework with deeper knowledge in a specific field.
I 100% agree
What about automation and manufacturing. I think that’s the trend
And then there's my Master's degree, of which my thesis was only worth the tuition waive and money I got from working as an RA. The subject of my project not at all relevant to the field I was engorged by but at least that piece of paper gives me another 10k annually with no real extra added experience, so that's nice.
yup in my 2nd year right now and ill think that im going to getting a master in aerospace engineering to specialize.
I want to learn about micro electical-mechanical systems
Very well put together, thanks for sharing.
Hey thanks! I’m glad you liked it
Love this. Finishing up my accounting degree, starting a cnc business, then plan on pursuing mechanical engineering. Thank you for the preview!!
You’re very welcome!
The course list is spot on in this video. As a mechanical engineer with also a master’s degree on the field, I had the following extra courses during my bachelor’s:
- Internal combustion engines
- Advanced driver assistance systems
- Automotive chassis & structural design
- Turbomachinery
- Machine design (theory combined with technical drawing but nothing practical)
-Technical drawing (Autocad & Solidworks)
-Nanotechnology
- Systems engineering & automatic control
Master’s degree wasn’t as hard as my bachelors where my focus was on robotics.
Carleton ?
What college were you able to take these courses?
Algebra is more about vector spaces, linear transformations and linear systems. Sure, you use it to find unknowns, but the most useful part of it is about how to approximate anything to a linear system or transformation. Also, how to use vectors, which is a mathematical object used everywhere in physics and engineering. You can go very far if algebra is the only math you understand.
Your channel is great man, keep it up
Hey thanks!! I plan to 👍
Thank you so much man, this has been super helpful in helping me finalize my decision on which engineering path to pursue. Keep up the amazing work, I know many people will appreciate it as much as I do. Also considering buying the book now...
hey thanks! glad you liked it. and let me know how you like the book!
I’m a retired mechanical engineer and one of my sons has followed me into the job. The difference between us was that he went to university coming out with master’s degree and I went to technical college earning a higher national certificate. He went into consultancy and I went into plant maintenance management. Grand result, he has always earned 2 or 3 times my salary. My advice to him from the beginning was get a degree from a full time course, don’t do any day release courses. Judging by the described curriculum there have been many additions but the basics remain. Engineering is an honest profession solidly based unlike banking or stock market. I’d still recommend it to anyone. Regards
Hey Peter, Can you please elaborate on the advice to get a degree from a full-time course vs "day release courses"? I don't really understand what you're saying but I'm also not an ENG student but considering going back to school for Mech Eng. Any clarity would be useful to me. Thanks so much!
Finance is not fiction nor is it dishonorable. It is required in complex economics beyond village bartering.
@@jocobcohen1835I thought he majored in electrical engineering
Edit: nevermind
I enjoyed your comment especially the later parts when you said Engineering is an honest degree. Absolutely! I regret going to a scam called a business degree. It is a waste of one's life.
I joined the marines as a airfield operations engineer. I learned all of that in a expedited manner just focusing on the basics of every subject. I got my certification and with over 3 years of experience in the field I quickly found a job as an engineer. Don’t quit and give up if you’re not successful in college. Join a military branch and specialize in that subject. Military was a way around college. It’s unfortunate that it’s not talked about enough. The whole stigma is that you have to go to college to be successful. Which couldn’t be further from the truth. There are other ways. Just need to know where to look.
If you're doing mech E, do everything you can to take classes that mimic industry experience. Most classes do not, they just do a lot of vaguely applicable math.
Exactly my experience. Every class was a variation on using maths to solve ridiculously over simplified vaguely practical problems like compute the temperature on a flat plate assuming constant temperature or work out the velocity of a block let go on a 10 degree slope assuming no friction etc. I had very high grades but came out of the degree feeling like I didn't know anything about anything. I had never even seen an engine in my degree let alone a steam turbine or jet inlet or anything real. It put me off the career entirely and I ended up going in a completely different direction in life.
@@killercd7682 well that's a bummer. Not using your degree. In my case I joined extra curriculars to fill out the kissing experience.
But I can definitely understand if you're a mech E and in an interview they ask "how would you select a regulator to get the required gas flow" or "design a working fuel system" and having absolutely no clue, that putting you off.
I'm a mech E and I've used the math from my degree only a few times, and it's been the like, week 1 and 2 stuff from the subject.
@@killercd7682 Those classes are important, but are not enough. You can't just go to classes, but need to complement with extra curricular activities, like internships and competition projects. I'm a mechatronics engineer student and I'm part of a rocketry team. We build rockets from scratch, from motor to avionics. No one knows everything about everything, but we have to deal with termodynamics, fluid dynamics, electronics, programming, testing, project validation, quality control, project management, team work, administration, marketing and most of all, how to make good and strong coffee.
Amazing video, thank you.
I'm on my first semester studying mechanical engineering and I'm so hyped!!!! As you listed the courses i kept getting more and more exited for the future
Recent graduate mechanical engineer here, I remember I had this excitement in first year, don’t worry, it fades away rapidly 😂
@@daniel-mg8wg killjoy
@@giu3077 well not entirely. I’ve spent 6 months working as an aerospace engineer working on design & maintenance for aircraft components & overhaul services. The work you do as a mechanical engineer is very rewarding. It’s hard work and often long hours but when you see the finished product of your work it’s really rewarding. By all means try and do your best in college, but the important thing is to understand that in your degree you will study theoretical concepts that you will never ever encounter in real life practice. The key in studying is to learn to research and understand the application of these theoretical concepts. While you might never have to differentiate partial differential equations in your career, they apply to virtually every mechanical concept that exists. If you make an effort to appreciate what you learn, your degree will become a whole lot easier. Good luck !
Computer Scientist here. Been developing games for 15 years. I could have been a mechanical engineer in another life. I excelled in physics, chemistry and statistics, and a lot of my free time is spent in mechanical-related projects.
Thanks for the video!
Interesting, what’s the most famous game you worked on?
@@andrewciambella9367 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 1 and 2, Fit the Fat 2, 3 on iOS.
@Ricardo Chavarria do you regret joining CS? Why didn't you you go with engineering? Do you think it would have been better if you joined engineering?
@@skumancerstar wars the force unleashed was a favorite of mine as a kid😯. Did computer science pay well?
I'm entering the university for engineering and was deciding the branch for choosing engineering and thanks to this video I have a good idea for mechanical engineering and it seems more interesting now to me.
That was a great video, thanks. I graduated in mech eng in 1976, spent a few years as a design engineer (power generation) then got more involved in computer programming, and moved into the IT industry and then sales and finally general management. But that foundation of technical knowledge gave me the confidence to look other engineers in the eye and challenge advice and proposals, whereas managers from a humanities background would never dream of doing so. But looking back, it was a really tough course and required full concentration and staying power.
Anyone willing to study Mechanial Engineering must watch this!!
Thanks for doing it 🙌🙌
Hey thanks! I thought it could be helpful 👍
“Willing to” haha, I might b switching to industrial engineering
@@lilchef2930 So, how's it going?
@@Danilio.dropped out I got too philosophical
@@lilchef2930 What are you up to now?
Funny thing is that I'm doing Mechanical & Electrical Engineering right now but I'm considering temporarily pausing my education so that I can join the Air Force. The military covers 100% of the costs of public schools, because fuck no I'm not getting student loans, they're a trap 🪤
Exactly, your first sentence is so true. I started off with electronics, while studying it I learned and experienced software programming , design, secs. It was modestly hard. Then I went and learn the mechatronics , and statics dynamics, machines. There I was interested in mechanical engineering far more then the electronics and IT. And mech engineering is the top. Even if I include AI in the game, still the Mechanical is the king of the engineering.
BSME over 30 years ago and still working in the field. The first 2 years are brutal and are IMHO intended to screen the profession. The next 2-4 years (if co-ops are included) are the real skill builders. While challenging, a Mechanical Engineer is well equipped to deal with a broad variety of opportunities. The pay is really good and you have great flexibility in selecting new career paths anywhere in the world. A ton of businesses have been started by ME's. What I would recommend to ME's is tacking on hands-on manufacturing skills + business skills.
Awesome video! Really good information!
Thanks!
I went into ME after a stint in the Navy as an IT specialist. Got out with strong skills in computers AND my ME degree. What a great ticket THAT was. This was in the early 80s. I retired as the IT director for Engineering, R&D and EHS at a fortune 100 company. My ME degree and my Navy training gave me a very affluent life and rewarding career.
Go Navy!
I would like to thank you for this video,I'm currently doing second year Mechanical engineering,it was refreshing watching as it made me aware of just how fun getting this degree will be,and it made me embrace the fact that this is truly a beautiful course,keep up the good work
You’re very welcome! I’m really glad you liked it.
Most of the Lecturers , Professors etc are not real Practicing people; they just use theories to teach you. Real Engineers teaching/Teachers are not in the classrooms; they are making good money at other places/homes or for themselves. You are lucky to pick up just .5% of what they teach you. BJ
Teachers teach
Self education is the key.
@@joehudson440 totally agree
Excellent summary
Nice Video, honestly super appreciated.
Thanks! Glad you liked it
Well listed.
I as one who studied Mechanical Engineering, I studied all these courses. And this video acts as a reminder of those moments in class room
How did you find these courses?😅
@@ks02056 in schy
@@ks02056 fr
As a retired professional mechanical engineer, I think you've done a fine job is summarizing a mechanical engineering education. It's something I could have used out of high school to indicate what I would be confronting at Cal way back when. Keep up the good work!
Falcor never ending story like life...
Cool pictures and stuff...
Cool runnings
I went for an electrical engineer's degree back in the early 80's so a lot of the programming I saw in your video hadn't been invented yet but we did learn Fortan. I've learned plenty of computer languages since my college days. I personally enjoyed all of the maths and most of the sciences I took. I enjoyed physics and chemistry but not biology so much. You really took me down memory lane. I would only say that learning engineering and actually working as an engineer are two completely different creatures.
You mean Fortran. I remember using punch cards.
@@garyr4211 Yep, I left accidentally left the "r" out. I actually did it both ways, on a terminal and by punch cards. It is strange but I took it in Jr. College where it was done on an actual computer but when I transferred to the University, they would not accept the class and I had to take it there again, but this time standing in line to get to a card punch machine, the get up and go stand in another line to run the cards through a main frame and if it was successful, hit print and hope that it printed on the printer in that building vs. one across campus. It was literally the same class but far more inconvenient at the University.
@@scottguitar8168 I hear you. Today nobody knows what a punch card is.
I got my ME in 1983. This was a trip down memory lane and a little bittersweet as I'm retiring next week. I've had a 40-year career in the power utility industry, not by design but because they offed me a job when I graduated. It's been a great ride, learned a ton and had fun along the way. The coursework you covered was pretty much what I took except for some of the new fields like robotics. I've had the privilege of working with the faculty of some local universities and always recommended studies data analysis and presentation/public speaking.
One course you didn't mention was engineering economics. I've referred to my engineering econ book more than any other over the years. If you stay with a company long enough you'll probably end up in management at some point and have to make capital plan recommendations and defend your budget.
For heat transfer, the numerical method is finite difference.
Now my head hurts !!! Love how things work and the design of such items. But there's a lot to know !!!
Thank you for sharing your perspective in such a concise and informative way.
You’re very welcome!
A lot of times the Mech. E. degree is roughly split in 3-3-2 semesters. First 3 semesters are fundamentals: math, physics, chemistry, programming, core classes, etc. Next 3 semesters are the "actual" engineering basics: fluids, heat, CAD, control theory, thermodynamics, statics, dynamics, kinematics, etc. Last 2 semesters are mostly Senior Design and electives.
This is accurate
Seeing people like Colin Furze, Hacksmith Industries, JLaservideo has really ignited a passion for learning how to build stuff inside me. Researched a bit and found out that I should learn mechanical engineering if I wanna be like them.
I am starting at 19 so I won't be pursuing a degree but I will be getting as much knowledge as I can from the stuff they teach itself and start building things I love.
Thank you for making this video. I can't express how grateful I am!!!
youre very welcome!
Excellent Video, all around, Subbed
Hey thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the sub!
Trying to pursue mechanical engineering in a community college right now. I was lost and not sure what I will be using those knowledge for, but this video gives a in-depth overview about everything. And I’m just excited to those project-base classes once I transferred to a four-year university. Thank you!
you're welcome! yes, the project based courses are the best... i wish there were more
I attended community college for 1 year on a full scholarship to get most of the basic coursework out of the way. The big university is where it comes together to a point. Industry is where you really make your skills into something valuable and you can specialize as needed. Eventually, you’ll see the big picture. Education does not necessarily provide that big picture. I would highly recommend getting an internship or a co-op to get you there faster.
Be ready for a huge drop in quality of instruction after you transfer.
I worked in the Railways for 26 years. Wagon Maintenance. My Trade or Certificate of Competency is Engineering Tradesperson (Mechanical). Fitter, Turner, Boilermaker, but because the Shop that I worked in also worked on Wagons that used Electricity we all had to do the Electrical Trade Course & we worked on Wooden Wagons so we had to do a Carpentry Trade as well. On top of that we all held 25T Forklift licences, Rigger Licences & 25T Overhead Crane Licences & a few other licences necessary to run a Workshop.
We had an Engineer who would come up with all sorts of weird & wonderful ideas. There was also a paddock down the back we called Engineers Folly. That Paddock was full of all sorts of failed ideas. Not that there was anything wrong with the design that couldn't be fixed with a little tweak here & there. Unfortunately, he would never listen to any of the Tradesmen suggestions & off another idea went to the Folly. Millions of Dollars involved there.
I was also a member of the Breakdown Gang. We put Wagon & Engines back on the Rails. Sometimes it was very involved. There was a one Breakdown the Gang attended with derailed Wagons everywhere. Two of those Wagons were at right angles to one another. One Coupler had been pulled almost out & had a sizeable bend to it. Those Couplers were under tremendous strain. We were all discussing the best way to handle the situation when the Engineer & an Engineering Student from a prodigious University, on work experience, arrived on the scene. We explained what the problem was to them.
The Engineering Student said that we should just cut the Coupler with the Oxy. The Engineer backed him up. After some argumentative discussion over Safety the Student Engineer said that he would cut the Coupler. The Ganger handed him the Torch, but he couldn't light it. The Ganger did & handed it to him. We all retreated some distance away. The Student started to cut but couldn't get the cut started. He & the Engineer looked around to see us all some distance away hiding behind trees. They both then, though better of that they were about to do, got in their car & left.
This isn't the only example I could site. I could fill a book about smug Engineers Follies.
Therefore, my recommendation is that. Engineering Students must have some knowledge of working on a Shop Floor & have an Engineering Trade before they start their University Course in Engineering. That way they will have some knowledge of the Real world as well of the theoretical World & we'll all be safe.
Other than that, a great Video.
Agree 100% . Critical for ME's to have real hands-on experience before graduation. BSME for over 30 years in automotive & aerospace. I was fixing my own cars since 16 (minibikes & go karts before that), then worked in multiple machine shops & several factories until graduation. I learned to run lathes, Bridgeports, welding, powdercoat, mechanical assembly, polymer compounding, sheet metal brakes, stamping, tube bending, etc, etc. The hands-on experience really enhances all the education and you develop a good instinct for practical vs impractical ideas.
Cutting that coupler under that much restrained energy was flat out stupid. Good way to get people killed when that energy is released. Like cutting a jackstand with a sawzall while you're under the car. The only safe solution would be to relieve the tension somehow by moving the wagons if possible or partially disconnecting the coupling mounts to relieve the strain. I'm not a railway engineer so no idea if this would be practical. If nothing else using enough thermite could cut through the coupling without anyone close (it'll still kick) or setting up enough oxy acetylene torches around it to get it red hot & soft without anyone close. Still way better to figure out how to ease the strain first.
totally agree. and this is the problem with doing the math classes first - solving for unitless variables the way Calculus is typically taught adds a level of abstraction that isnt necessary, and a lot of students struggle/cheat. Students should be solving for properties of realistic systems. If you have experience with engineering type problems, then its easier to map the math to realistic systems, but most kids have never handled much more than legos and sports balls; they dont know much about optimizing internal combustion, problems with heavy equipment, etc.
Very cool video. My school required us to take 3-4 technical electives. I took solar thermal systems, air-conditioning, thermal systems design and mechanical vibrations. We also had a full course FEA. I think machine design was missing from this list too, unless I missed it.
I remember collaborating with senior mechanical and electrical/electronic engineering students on a project once during my sophomore year of CS, and was so excited to see cool things like servos, arduinos and gyroscopes. I only created a program that monitored the system but seeing everything come together from the start was so much fun and cool (also mechanical students are quite 'assertive' and 'forceful' (lol) but in a ''Tony Stark'' way), still awesome though.
I think you shouls mention Elements of Machines too, that covers such things like linkages, Cam and its follower, bearing, gears, etc.
I had to learn Advanced Engineering Mathematics. Never used anything like that in my career.
And I wished I paid more attention in Engineering Finance. That class will help you in everyday life, too.
I got an Aeronautical Engineering degree, but as I worked in my career, wished I had the more general Mechanical Engineering degree.
What is Advanced engineering math? It looks like a course I'm doing. Is it about things like Complex numbers and functions, Fourier and Laplace transform, partial differential equations, etc?
@@arturo4362 I believe those are the same topics I had in the course---it was 40 years ago! But I do recall using Fourier transforms while working in radar, so that had some real-world applications.
Great video!
Thanks!
interesting and helpful. Thanks !!
I am a Mechanical Engineer, and I can approve!!
I majored in ME and added a CS degree towards the end. You revealed something subtle in this video that is the reason why I added a CS degree and ultimately pursued that field - there are not a lot of design courses in a ME degree outside of mechatronics and senior design. ME coursework is mostly analytical. Near the end of my ME degree, I did not feel empowered to take on much design and implementation work, because that was not a central part of the curriculum. Students want to design and implement things when they pursue engineering, not just learn how to analyze existing systems. CS attracts engineering students from other disciplines because a CS curriculum empowers students to create things by continually incorporating design and implementation challenges. It also doesn’t hurt that it pays better, is an easier degree (trust me CS majors, ME is significantly harder), and you very rarely need a masters.
Graduating senior in a few days. Perfectly sums up my thoughts on the curriculum. Currently debating doing a masters in comp sci after a short school break.
I’d say absolutely go for it. I graduated with my double major back in 2013 and have no regrets in pursuing CS. I now work for a software company making products for mechanical engineers. Just one example of a career path in ME / CS.
Is CS computer science?
@@oajedmiah7141 yes
Nailed it. The biggest confusion I faced when getting my degree 39 years ago (when my curriculum was EXACTLY as enumerated) was that I didn’t know I was mostly going to be grinding out calculus for four years, and not designing or building anything. (That said, I had a blast doing that in many different ways in extracurricular activities.) Of course, this is very probably how it has to be, and it’s also true that there’s only so much you can learn in a reasonable amount of time before you need to be kicked out of the nest and start just doing stuff.
It’s also true that most engineers specialize in only a few areas, but you can’t know what they’re going to be ahead of time, and being aware of all these areas is valuable even if you don’t explicitly use them.
A couple other things everyone should learn are economics, time value of money, statistics, and computer graphics. I combined all of these into a long career doing all different kinds of computer simulation, and now I write about, mentor, and teach about management and problem solving in groups (business analysis, project management, Agile, data analysis, and all that).
The main thing is, don’t be a horrible, drunken , massively undisciplined, ADHD head case of a student like I was. Do the damn work, of which there will be plenty. You’ll make your life a LOT easier. 😂
It's interesting seeing the differences between your education and what I'm studying right now! For example, our Physics 2 doesn't cover anything you listed, we take a whole other ECE course called Electricity and Magnetism
They had to simplifly everything because of the public school failure.
So interesting !!! I loved it
Thanks!
A good program would have students also taking a semester of Linear Algebra. It is touch upon when taking classes on ODE/PDEs and numerical methods as these can be represented in matrix form, but getting a deeper insight by taking a course to dedicated to such a topic is more ideal. I would also argue for the third course of lower division physics, typically an introduction to modern physics.
You make me feel a bit old, but I guess I did get my BSME 29 years ago. You point out some topics of study that were specialized and not in a general ME degree program back then, because they were the cutting edge. What I most appreciate overall about an engineering degree is that it teaches you to problem solve, optimize solutions, and summarize complex problems in an easily understood manner (key to getting into management.) Engineers are extremely versatile. The skills you learn spill into just about any discipline and will help you thrive. You may not be able to be a doctor, lawyer, CPA, etc, with your degree but the skills are applicable just about anywhere in the business world. I left engineering after 23 years because I was working and traveling so much. I now work as a Financial Advisor and use my problem solving skills there. Engineering has uniquely prepared me for this new world.
Very well said. I'd argue that this helps with project management, specifically. The human interaction element adds multiple factors of change and needs growth as well.
Amazing video!
Hey thanks!
Good summary, although it's slightly different from my region but you have almost everything said. Thank you 🙏
Hmmmm My BSME included a lot of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, system dynamics, thermodynamics, chemistry (including combustion science), and hydraulics etc. The dynamics and statics were the minor bits and no one taught robotics (though we did learn some computer science like FORTRAN). In my work, fluid and system dynamics were quite useful. Of course, I graduated in 1981.
Termodynamics and Fluid dynamics will never go out of fashion, and that is one thing that ME are really good at. Together with optimized structures (light weight, cheap, high resistance) , I think those are the areas justify hiring a ME. That being said, the market looks a bit saturated. It is a good thing that it looks more like a mechatronics degree nowadays. My guess is that in the years to come, ME is going to be a specialization of mechatronics/automation engineering, not the other way around.
@@Alkis05 At its heart, good engineers are problem solvers. I like ME since it gave me a variety of problem solving tools including some electronic ones. ME is still a core discipline that has spawned other specialties.
I’m doing my prerequisites in college right now, aiming for a degree in electrical engineering while trying to self-study computer science on the side. Eventually I want to go for a PhD in biotechnology and work in a lab designing inventions based on biological systems.
I went to an engineering high school where, due to my lack of study skills and major imposter syndrome, I was absolutely slaughtered in all the classes and clubs! I get really discouraged sometimes but I’ve dreamed of being a scientist since I was six, so I push on.
this is the exact same situation of mine
i love it! good luck!
It seems that you have no idea what you really want and so you are trying everything.
@@carldrogo9492 *it seems* that certain people are always so condescending and presumptuous whenever they try to give their unsolicited two cents on a stranger’s life. I won’t pretend like I have every detail figured out right now, but I’ve known pretty consistently what I’ve wanted to do since middle school.
I hope I'm not the cause of disillusion in your plan. However, you should probably be aware that theres a pretty significant chanse your boss will possess a general bachelor of science undergraduate with a masters in business at the graduate level. I know this surprised me quite a lot when I first encountered this corporate structure. Also, if you have a chance to squeeze in a semester of matrix theory it will serve you well. Especially true for post graduate research studies. Good luck and well wishes.
So beautifully explained..
Hey thanks! Glad you liked it
My son is entering Jr year in mechanical engineering.. I can now understand how hard it is. Thanks for this video.
After graduation, you are going to use only 0.01% of what your learned in engineering during your professional life. You are going to spend almost all your time at management, conflict solving, networking and political intrigue.
I think it’s very highly dependent on which direction you take it. You’re correct for some careers. But others are very technical.
From my experience, the only place where I can apply my knowledge of engineering is in my personal home projects and hobbies.
What are you currently working as?
So true... I've been a mechanical engineer since 2014 and have held several ME positions for different companies. I have yet to see a differential equation.. I use the Pythagorean theorem every now and then. I'm in design so I'm in CAD and FEA all the time... A lot of project management.. and looking at the clock waiting for lunch and to go home lol
In school they give you the unknowns. After graduation you spend 90% of your work time trying to figure out or applying probabilities to guesstimate the unknowns.
As an ME of 20 years this was a very impressive summary. I'm glad you mentioned that the specific curriculum's will vary because in some schools things like programming or mechatronics might be electives, minors, or entirely separate majors. I was just recommended this video by the algorithm today so I haven't read your book or watched your other stuff so I don't know if you covered this topic but I think it would be incredibly useful to see a video talking about the difference between engineering school and actually working as an engineer. In my experience the education bears little resemblance to the career. As an ME you're still just one cog in the machine (regardless the size of the company) and decent interpersonal skills along with understanding others' roles in a business are important to success. Then of course there's the old chestnut that good practicing engineers tend to be lazy in a couple ways - we maximize productivity by never reinventing the wheel unless absolutely necessary and always overestimate schedule and cost so we look like superstars when everything inevitably gets squeezed.
Great comment! And thanks for the recommendation. There is quite the learning curve from school into industry. So I do plan to make several videos along this vein. 👍
Very useful, thank you!
youre very welcome!
Your right on! That's a good rewarding profession over all to obtain in engineering. Thanks for the information BIG time Jake! Cool 😎 too.
Recent Mech.E graduate here.
1. Before you choose this, make sure you really want to do it. Engineering can be strenuous and demanding. If you aren't here for the passion of Engineering, this isn't for you. More than half of the people I started with dropped out, deffered or had to repeat units.
edit: You are not going to become Tony Stark after you graduate, lol. You will spend most of your time in college doing theoritical work which you need to understand to be anything close to Tony Stark. Ps. the more you f*ck around with your knowledge, the more you get to know & do, who knows!
2. Dont do it for the money. The money aint worth it if you cursing every weekday for the rest of your life. (Assuming you find good money).
3. Make sure you truly understand Calculus intuitively when taught at the beginning. A lot of Engineering will be about predicting systems behaviour using a set of input. As mentioned in the video, vibrations, heat transfer, fluid flow, Aerodynamics, failures such as yields buckling, fatigues, tension etc, you will use a lot of calculus.
4. As you have fun in college, dedicate enough time for your studies. Dont let your 4/5 years in college be just a memory. Come out with actual Engineering content. Dont cheat in exams. Dont read just for the exams.
5. Everything you learn compounds onto one another, nothing goes to waste.
6. Dont fear, you get to learn most industrial specific skills within industries you will work in. Ps. a lot of things have been simplified in Industries but beneath it is all the concepts & mathematics you learnt in college.
I agree the Dean of our Faculty came in on the first day and said to all of us said that 60% of you will not complete the course (There were approximately 600 of us in the beginning). He was right, I saw a lot of people leave over the time I was there. I stuck it at got my degree, I failed a few subjects but repeated them. In the end it has allowed me to working both mining and mineral processing as well as building services. If people want to go to get a degree go to a school that does a lot practical experiments to assist with learning. Theory is good, but until you see what you have learned in a practical sense it is hard to understand.
If one is not already doing science and math stuff in high school, they should find something else other than engineering. I will say that if you were not able to hack the higher math courses, do consider switching to Industrial Technology which is more hands on, but less math heavy. Nothing wrong if you do; we all have an aptitude for something, but you have to find it. Also, with almost any engineering, you will in the end specializing in some area of that profession. Some engineering work like at consultants means sitting at desk with little hands on. Make sure to find some free online personality or aptitude test to take and do some introspection so after graduation, you know whether you like hands on or mostly desk work down the line.
You can say "make sure you really want to do it", "you need to have a passion", "its demanding" virtually about any profession.
@@BarkhatnieTyagi Absolutely not. You can cruise through for example humanities but not this. I ain't joking.
I use Blender to make game assets and it is fascinating to realize how much real world mechanical engineering goes into it. Thank you for this great video!
You’re welcome!
Nice info, thanks
You’re very welcome!
i study at berklee right now but haven’t been learning the way i thought i would, and want a sustainable future. this video really is helping me get ready to take that leap to transfer, thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
I graduated with an associates in engineering, started my career as an electronics technician, first at a repair shop, then becoming a robotics technician at a startup, continuing at Amazon Robotics, then led a team of techs, became a hardware support engineer, and finally am an engineer at an automotive company. I did this with only the associates. It’s been a lot of hard work and learning on the job but thankfully I have very little student debt. 6 years later, I’m finally queued up to become an ME through my combined education and work experience. A little unorthodox but possible - thought I’d share in case it helps anyone!
Are ypu going tp take the FE or PE?
@@rainbosprinkles6548 it depends on how far I want to go. FE would be first but I’d have to get a full bachelor’s first to qualify. Right now I work in the industrial sector so a PE is not required, but that may change.
@@noumenon3020 are you in the US? My point is I don't see how you can use work experience and an associates to become an ME. Ypu may work in the role, but not be an ME. That's not to say you or ypur role is any less valuable but I have a similar background but with almost 2 decades of experience in relative fields, but that doesn't make me an ME. As silly as it sounds, going to school, getting the degrees, taking my FE, thats technically made me an ME.
@@noumenon3020 technically, without taking a PE, any of us are apprentices. It's like a physicians assistant calling themselves an MD. They're not. They may work in a similar role, they may be on the path to being an MD, but they're not. Most ME never take a PE though.
@@rainbosprinkles6548 it’s not quite as black and white as that, and while mostly accurate your statement is in many ways a matter of interpretation. That is fine but not 100% accurate. Not all industries or fields require a PE to be an engineer. It can be very helpful - don’t get me wrong - especially in civil engineering. I do intend to take it as my career advances, using my early career to pay for additional education as needed.
However, for all practical purposes, I am an engineer in my position including by title and salary. My daily workload consists of engineering tasks, primarily design of hardware components and platforms. My peers including our VP of hardware refer to me as an engineer amongst our team. I have not falsified my credentials, and I’m not advertising to the public that I am an expert or PE. But when people ask what I do I give them my title honestly, and describe what it means if they’re curious.
If I said I was a PE without being one, I would of course agree with your assessment. There are otherwise many legal exceptions where one can be employed as an engineer without it.
feels like I'm studying most of the Math, Static systems and dynamic systems in high school.
You must not be in the US public school system haha. Good for you.
Simply Excellent!
thanks!
This is beautiful. And i so much love the video, stayed glued to my screen till the very end, thanks alot. Engineering is really not very easy to go by with especially for some of us with poor mathematical background from elementary schools, Now in the university we are doing the extra job to pretty stabilize the spree and learn what we were never thought or couldn't comprehend back then. Well I am a very versatile person, I love investing, I am a CPA affiliate marketing expert with some of the world leading brokers, I am also a Forex trader and i sell Computer 🖥️💻 systems at the central City. I hope everyone makes fortune and live a happy, fulfilled and blessed life in the end.
Love it. Good for you. Thanks for the comment
Iam proud to study Mechatronics cause we study the main core branches in engineering altogether 🎉
(Knowledge is wealth) that means a lot for mechatronics engineers
It's extremely broad and unfocused.
@@carldrogo9492 yea i accept its broad
But the only earge that made me to took this course is
The question "HOW"
HOW a EV car is functioning ,HOW is robot working,HOW my home appliances working and on HOW
AT THE END I WILLL BE SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWER CONCLUDE USING THE KNOWLEDGE OF MY COURSE .
#Mechatronics
@@mohankanth1910Do you get to learn the exact quantity as much as the individual core branches or mechantronics just takes important parts from the mech ee and cs?? Please reply .
This is great. Now after graduation, each student needs to spend 4 years as an apprentice working under machinists and fabricators getting practical experience with machines and structures and what NOT to do. As a machinist with over 25 years in industry, I have had to take dozens of college trained engineers back to school.
I feel this in my soul as a machinist
I feel this in my soul as a Mechanical Engineer
the paper only good to show for thousands$ in debt but 0 useful knowledge to fix repair, build anythg such a product to consumer. if they want have real job, must go back to basic to a vocational place to learn from real wrld mechanics. Dont know if they can make their broken car on side road to run or call for other for help ?? geez
those prof teaching them earn 6 figs working few hour day, repeating same material
year after year with no practical exp trying to impress the clueless getting in debt to pay their bills. geez
wonder if any these prof can prove with real evidence how the earth spins around its axis at thousands mile hour but plane going from east to west takes same time as the other direction .
Is it viewed as a negative to apply for an apprenticeship when you have a degree? I have to imagine the employer thinks "why would I hire you if Im not going to keep you after providing training"
@@samo6401 That is the attitude of most employers I have dealt with. And then they complain there are not enough trained employees in the market to hire. Lose-lose situation for them. And yes, that includes degreed "engineers".
Thank you for this video. I don't really want to go to university to study but I want to learn it for my self to be able to build better and more interesting projects. I bought you book as soon as you mentioned it. I hope it will give me a lot of knowledge!
Thank you!
Hey thanks! glad you liked the video and i hope you enjoy the book.
I finished a motor mechanic apprenticeship in my early 20s, then went on to do fabrication engineering and have several years experience as a first class welder. Now I feel it's within reach for me to successfully complete a ME degree but I was never very studious, much more practical.
I'm hoping now I'm older I can apply myself to learn the theory so I can be taken more seriously professionally and make better use of my talent as an engineer. Hopefully my industry experience will make some of the work easy so I can focus on what I dont know - calc and advanced math 😅. Wish me luck! Thanks for the video
Careers after Mechanical Engineering
1) Aerospace Engineer ⚙️🚀✈️🛩️
2) Automobile Engineer 🚗🚎🏎️
3) BIO-MEDICAL Engineer 🧬🧑🔬
4) Industrial Engineer 🏭🧑🏭 👷
5) Design Engineer ⚙️⚡
6) Software Engineer 👨💻📈📊
7) Product Manager 🧑💼👨💻
8) Management consultant 🧑💼🧑💻
9) Analyst 📊📉📈
10) Data science 📈📉📊💹
11) Finance and banking 🏦💸💵💶💴
12) Researcher and Scientist 🔬🧑🔬🕵️
13) Pilot 🛩️🧑✈️
14) Oil and natural Gas ⛽🛢️👷
15) Start-up and Entrepreneurship 👨💼📇👩💼📈📊💹💸🏦
Please elaborate on Bio-Med One, Is it even possible to be a biomed engineer with ME degree
HVAC RAHHHHH
I think what a lot of people fail to realize is the amount of job opportunities you’ll get in the Defense department. Not only do many of these jobs require a ME degree, but they will also require a Secret or Top Secret clearance (easy to get) which will increase your pay by a lot. A bachelor’s ME degree will probably make you around $110,000/yr starting in the defense section
So I’m going into college later this year to study Economics, but after this school year I’ve begun to realize I don’t like it as much as I thought I would. I’ve always really loved STEM and have a lot of experience with Arduinos and CAD. Unfortunately I did not take high school physics in high school due to the program being awful. If I wanted to become a mechanical/electrical engineer, what should I do in college to get myself on the right track? Is there a place where I can take a physics course over the summer?
As someone who just graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I'll be completely honest with you. In my experience, high school physics is exactly the same as the introductory physics 1 course you'll take as a STEM major. I'd recommend just going for it, and if you need help, there are an infinite amount of resources on UA-cam that covers basic physics courses. OrganicChemistryTutor will become your best friend throughout your 4 years of engineering. Best of luck to you!
@@VanillaBourbon Thank you so much. I love Organic Chemistry Teacher! He was super helpful in Calculus. I’m glad me not being able to take High School Physics isn’t going to bring me down. I know some Calc now too so at least I’ve got some of the fundamentals that I may be able to apply to that. . . Is there anything I should do over the summer? Even if it’s not through a school program?
New subscriber here mate. Really nice vid, I been a Mechanic for 5 yrs and I think is time to start taking some classes and earn that degree. 5yrs of experience not degree.
As an ME, that was as close to perfect as can get. Only tweaks might be: direct mention of ‘stress and strain’, in beams bending and tension etc, even trusses. And kinematics (as distinct from dynamics).
They teach most of those topics in high school but not everyone will need them because they are not future engineers.
they don't teach them as in depth as they do in uni
Thank you !!!
What a great discussion and demonstrating positive enthusiasm. I graduated with a BSME in 1979 --- and I studied everything you mentioned.
You mentioned in a previous video that the key to becoming a great engineer is having an insatiable curiosity backed by dogged and rigorous perseverance.
My 40+ years in industry demonstrate those key traits are vital and the future is very bright for those willing to find answers to the toughest questions.
Good Luck and Godspeed future engineers and technologists !!!
I dropped out of Engineering school after 2nd year ... and worked a decade in construction and factory jobs. In many countries, you need a trade before a profession ... and this is why. I learned SO much about manufacturing by studying buildings and machines while working. NOW ... I have a clear reason to finish learning the math ... but also a clear discernment about how much "analysis" is really necessary to git 'r done, and done well. I'll forever be a renegade, and forever in love with Engineering.
I couldn’t agree with you more about taking a break. I started college right out of high school got my BSME, learned a boatload of math and physics recipes with no idea why, then I had 3 years of engineering work (defense stuff) which cleared my head, and then went back to school to get a masters, which I needed to become a tech lead. I found that after having worked 3 years, I was able to start at the next level of academics I had left and I found I actually understood most of the undergrad stuff now because I had applied it. So I could learn properly at the next level - and enjoy it, too. Well, usually. It was still hard as hell for me though.
Thanks for the video I loved it
You’re very welcome!
the most important topic for a mechanical engineer is the strength of material
yeah, no,...aerodynamicist wouldn't care about strength that much...
@@louisuchihatm2556 aerodynamics is a completely different field of engineering in mechanical engineering there are only two subjects related to it that is fluid mechanics and the other is heat and mass transfer, aerodynamics is only one part of mechanical engineering most of the jobs are related to strength of materials and metallurgy
@@pangapunga3693 Fluid Mech, Fluid flow, Heat & Mass Transfer, Thermodynamics and all, are core parts in Mechanical Engineering. They are key in aerodynamics, HVAC, building sector (reticulation of plumbing, drainage, hot water lines etc) etc. There are a lot of MechE jobs out there that care less about strength...
@@louisuchihatm2556 thats true though i forgot about hvac
I want to be a vehicle engineer, like. “Engineer explained” would that be just a basic mechanical engineer or would it be something else?
What you might be talking about is Automotive Engineering, which is basically Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Automobiles. Technically speaking, Automotive Engineering is a branch of Mechanical Engineering, and the same can be said about something like Aerospace Engineering. You could work on vehicles with a degree in either Mechanical or Automotive Engineering, the main difference being that you learn even more of the technicalities that are orientated towards vehicles with Automotive Engineering.
I'm personally majoring in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering because I find them to be extremely intriguing and because they're pretty broad in the sense that I have a lot of industries to choose from such as Automotive, Aerospace, Biomedical, Industrial, etc....
and...to my fellow engineers, getting a degree in mechanical engineering because of the discipline and complexity involved, will forever give you an underlying confidence in your ability and understanding of the physical world.
Watching this review was like a walk down memory lane.
Thanks to the presenter and shout out to my engineering alumni.
Oh, and many engineers were building things from a young age and continue to build the most complex things throughout their life...because they can.
I’m studying Software Engineering presently. Great overview.
I took petroleum engineering and have been working as a petroleum engineer for 13 years now. I did take a lot of these courses in my degree but wish I learned more mech engineering courses as I use it way more than any of my petroleum engineering courses in my career. Very interesting, thank you.
Bottom line: The End Result to make good life and great money My own course I developed: Modulating Roulette Systems and Judo Throw Techniques to get 10-30K per day. TOP SECRETS only known by me using Mechanical Engineering and Brainy Engineering; your own bank wherever you go/travel ( not in the Moon or Mars yet as has not been used up there. ) BJ
Wdym by mechanical engineering courses? Isn't petroleum engineering a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering?
What subject matter, specifically?
@@konekjukel3340 mainly it depends how the program is designed and the importance of extraction vs transportation vs distillation has in your country.
Countries more focused on extraction and transportation could get more benefits if the background is on mechanical engineering. In the ones were the distillation is more important, chemical engineering would be more useful.
@Sergio Sanchez do you know any specific countries that requires each category that you just mentioned?
I’m heading into my final year of classes, and this video sums up everything perfectly. This is exactly what you should expect with a ME degree.
I am a mechanical engineer and he summed it up perfectly.
Nicely Explained 😸
Thanks 🙏
Most welcome 😊
Im a 1st year student in me and im reallt bad at math i barely pass differential calculus last sem and i plan to give up on me 😢😢 and just shift to automotive 😊
Do you enjoy engineering? Don’t quit if you enjoy engineering. I had to retake several courses, dont get discouraged man. Learn from your failures, improve your approach, and try again. Over and over and over.
great video! you missed linear algebra ;)
Ah! I guess you’re right. I took linear combined with odes, so i felt liken they were one in the same … but alas, they are not haha.
Pretty impressive for a non actor, like myself, looking,sort of,outside in;top mark man!
Very useful information
My father was an engineer, and a hell of a craftsman. He served as a great example, and taught me by allowing me to hang around while he made and repaired things.
In the 1960's, I used his tools to hand build slot cars. He didn't show me how to do it, but by watching him work, I learned how to cut metal, solder. My builds came from magazines. I duplicated, and further modified them. i won races.
Granted, my skills were amateurish, but functional. I'd beat my dad. He couldn't understand how my poorly cobbled together creations worked better than his immaculate builds. I'll guess my intuitive engineering skills were blossoming.
I was very ADHD. I did poorly in school. When I went off to college to study design engineering, I also did poorly, because the instructors were very regimented, stiff, boring. My ADHD brain would wander... I was exposed to a lot of the subjects mentioned, but teaching styles were... well... textbook. All I heard was blah, blah, blah.... oh look.... a squirrel! I'd forget I was in school, while in school. Welcome to ADHD world.
The instructor for my physics class taught the way I learned. I couldn't wait to get home and do my homework. I aced physics I & 2. It was easy because of the instructor's teaching style... I wish my other instructors taught like him....
I went on to work in industry. I got hired as a draftsman, which was tedious, regimented, hierarchical, with militaristic discipline. I got fired... often.
So, I went blue collar, got my hands dirty, ran production of parts and assemblies.
While doing this tedious work, in my head I'd design new, more efficient ways of making things work. I'd present my ideas, and get dismissed, immediately, every time... because I was just a worker bee.... "get out of here and get back to work."
Later, I did get some illustration work using my drafting skills. A free hand artist needed my drawing skills, because he could only sketch free hand. Our combined skills ended up in a published book, How to Build Your Harvest Kitchen, Rodale Press.
Once finished with this, I applied for, and got the gig as draftsman for this publisher. This lasted a few months, but I got dismissed, my lettering sucked, still does. But I was thrust into a blue collar position in the workshops. No problem. I preferred the work anyway. The guy hired to replace me became a best friend.... all good.
The department at the publisher was shut down. Me and my friend lost our jobs.
I got absorbed into a magazine put out by the publisher, where my basic knowledge and skills became useful, Bicycling magazine.
I eneded up riding 200 to 300 miles of bicycle per week, for fun, and for business.
While there, a guy stopped by with a bicycle with a cobbled together attachment that allowed the bike to be ridden on railroad tracks. I was enamored... saw that his design was crap.... but it worked, but not very well.
This magazine job went by the wayside, but I had this guy's railbike guide wheels. I had a rudimentary workshop, an oxy-acetylin torch, brazing skills, got to work. It took several attempts, but I finally made a railbike that worked well. I kept improving it, and made it very reliable. I took it to the rarely-used, but intact, Adirondack Railway, did an 80 mile ride in pure wilderness. Delightful.
Years later, I got hired by a rich guy who fancied himself a brilliant sculptor. He hired artists, to make his art. Go figure.
I was one of them. He'd come up with ideas, buy mass qualtities of material, and set us to work. It was tedious, he paid crap wages, but hell, I was making art. I still had to come up with ways to do what he wanted done, which required engineering.
I'd work nights, alone in the shop. I was a night owl and a musician... I'd work until 2 AM at times. He'd come in and bust on me with hurtful sarcasm.... at one time, I'd had enough, I grabbed my welding helmet, walked.
A friend hooked me up as a maintenance technician, providing upkeep of production machinery in a plastics machine shop. I got to make all kind of things to keep the workforce more prodctive and happy. The machine repair was challenging. I wished I knew robotics...
I made enough money there to buy a house, and then retired. I'm 73.... and still curious, and love engineering...
Peace
Great story!
My mind in school would often wander as well.
Lots of successful self taught people out there.
I have learned a lot more from UA-cam than I ever did in school and college.
I’m a cyclist as well
Hi, I'm a Suicidal Schizoaffective Disorder Clinically Depressed by C-PTSD person here… And let me tell you… This part of your comment:
"The instructor for my physics class taught the way I learned. I couldn't wait to get home and do my homework. I aced physics I & 2. It was easy because of the instructor's teaching style... I wish my other instructors taught like him..."
...That same experience happened to me... Really... when I was 15 years old in school. And that fact ignited a spark of love and curiosity in me, to learn more and more about it... Which to date, I can say with certainty, has kept me alive.
Now at 37 years old, after multiple stages of long stagnation and various types of therapy, I am about to graduate, this year, as an electromechanical maintenance technician in heavy machinery... And all thanks to that professor who made me love physics in my adolescence for his unique teaching style.
I don't know what else to say about it, but... I really understand the magnitude of what you're talking about there.
By the way, my father has been a professor of architecture for 40 years, and I'm still better than him at drawing, and I'm also a night owl... That's life, I guess.
Well... Thank you for sharing your memories and experiences.
It really put a smile on my face while reading every part of your interesting life story, which I kind of identify with.
Nice to meet you sir.
Thank you.