Mechanical Engineering History Essay

At the start of the Industrial Revolution, in the 18th century the steam engine was first produced. From this production it gave an enormous start to all machinery of any type and every type. As a result, a new major classification of engineering was formed due to the intuition of machines and tools being developed. Soon after this, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers was founded in Birmingham, England in 1847. â€Å"Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been.† (â€Å"Mechanical Engineering†) In this quote, Albert Einstein explains that engineering is essential to societal advancement and what is will never be without engineering. Henry Petroski helps informs the public that, Engineers do not have supernatural abilities. They are not perfect. It is not natural for them to not make mistakes. One can forgive their mistakes, but it is essential for one to catch and correct them. Therefore it is the nature of modern engineering for engineers to check over one’s own work and calculations along with the work of their collogues. Being an engineer is a serious profession, â€Å"You are looking at a â€Å"professional degree† rather than an arts degree or a science degree. Many people would say that the engineering degree is consistent with a law degree. I am not sure I agree but it is different than a physical education degree. And, by the way, the earning potential is greater, too† (Blackmon) says Professor Blackmon, one of UNC Charlotte’s professors’ and advisor for Mechanical Engineering. According to Blackmon, a freshman mechanical engineer needs to expect â€Å"to know that they will be spending a lot of time learning over the next four years.† They will also need to know that they will be placed in â€Å"Calculus1, ENGR1201 and CHEM1251†. In the engineering program at UNC Charlotte, there are two pathways, Engineering and Engineering-Tech. Blackmon states that the main difference between the two is that, â€Å"engineering is calculus based with a physics based curriculum, and technology is algebra based and algebra based physics based† (Blackmon). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011 there was a national total of 238,260 mechanical engineers in the USA. Fifty percent of these mechanical engineers made at least $38.09 an hour on the job. At this hourly rate, these ME’s made $79,230 annually. (â€Å"17-2141 Mechanical Engineers†). Professor Blackmon tells me that here at UNC Charlotte, â€Å"we have mechanical engineering going into most any industry and most any specialty. They are in energy, motorsports, medicine, robotics, space exploration, etc. I am not sure of any real project that cannot benefit from the support of a mechanical engineer.† Also at UNC Charlotte, graduates who have at least a 3.4 GPA tend to find a job even before they graduate. Graduation to about sixty percent of UNC Charlotte’s graduates happens in about six years; only twenty-two percent of freshman graduate in four years. According to Blackmon, â€Å"Our results are about the same for all engineering schools† (Blackmon). A mechanical engineer requires many traits and qualities that most individuals may not know. These characteristics include and follow what is stated in the quote below: Mechanical engineers are characterized by personal creativity, breadth of knowledge, and versatility. They are also valuable and reliable multidisciplinary team members. The technical subject areas that form the main basis for their work include mechanics, energy transfer and conversion, design and manufacturing, and the engineering sciences. A good understanding of English and mathematics is also crucial to this kind of profession. (â€Å"Mechanical Engineering Major†) There wouldn’t be new inventions or products made without engineering. Becoming an ME is not easy it takes many years of experience, knowledge in the field, much dedication and perseverance. Works Cited â€Å"An Excellent Collection of Engineering Quotes.† Articlesbase.com. Articlesbase.com, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Mechanical Engineering.† Britannica.com. 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Mechanical Engineering Major.† MyMajors. My Majors, 2012. Web. 30 Sep 2012. . â€Å"17-2141 Mechanical Engineers.† Bls.gov. 27 Mar. 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. . Blackmon, Don. Personal Interview. 11 Oct. 2012.