Any Engineers on Here

[KurtR]

With all these engineers in one place seems a good time to ask. Is there a class taught on how to design stuff to make it the biggest pain in the ass possible to work on?

 

[ThorM465]

With all these engineers in one place seems a good time to ask. Is there a class taught on how to design stuff to make it the biggest pain in the ass possible to work on?

That's Engineering 101. Every engineer takes it first semester.

 

[hobbes]

With all these engineers in one place seems a good time to ask. Is there a class taught on how to design stuff to make it the biggest pain in the ass possible to work on?

Mechanical and Electrical engineers are the only discipline that are allowed to take that class and occasionally a structural engineer. Architects, on the other hand, take classes on how to plan crazy stuff and leave it up to the engineer how to make it work.

 

[2muchhp]

A lot of good points here. I have a back ground in ME and electrical. And now in neither field. However the background set the foundation.
As what has been said , math math math for that EE. And from my experience when it's all said and done a small percentage of it is even used.

 

[ThorM465]

If money is what you're after you'll make the most money with an EE degree. ME will pay nearly as much and make you more versatile, but there's a lot more of us competing. Supply and demand. If I had it to do over again I would have gotten a mechatronics degree, it's a hybrid between ME and EE. It was a degree that some universities started offering at 10 years ago.

I'm an ME by degree, but I've spent my entire career as a System Safety Engineer. I've worked mostly manned space flight programs. I spent nearly a decade working on the NASA SLS rocket as a contractor. I miss working with my hands, but getting to see that rocket fly made it all worth it.

There's a noticeable difference in engineer's who have a background working with their hands as a general rule. Unfortunately, companies don't pay more for it, but I can tell you when I'm interviewing perspective engineers a background working with your hands is a major pro in their favor. I don't know how many times I've told engineers to change their design because normal people couldn't access that and we weren't allowed to hire 7 year olds who could. My background was farm kid to USMC Infantry to bartending to engineering.

Getting an engineer degree will be a grind there's no doubt about it. My advice is find a group on the same general path you are and form a study group. Leverage each other's strengths. I wouldn't have graduated period without my group of friends and I graduated with a 3.3. I'm not exaggerating. I've been told I probably have a long list of "learning disabilities" that a lot of kids are being diagnosed and accommodated for now. I simply learned to out work my problems and a few other tricks along the way. The game changer was finding an empty room with blackboards to study. I frequently get lost in the small text on paper. The ability to take a step back and see what was going on in larger font was nothing short of a game changer for me. It wasn't uncommon for me to walk into a final where I couldn't mathematically pass the class and ultimately end up with a B and sometimes an A in the class. Most finals are cumulative and some professors will adjust your grade accordingly if you ace their final.

If I had it to truly to it all over again I would have gone the trade route and started my own company, probably home builder. I love engineering but I hate the corporate world. I work for a corporation now that has revised the sexual harassment training to include misgendering as a form of sexual harassment. I can tell you I know for a fact that at least one major engineering corporation scores their managers annually on the diversity of their staff. Theirs nothing wrong with diversity until it becomes a merit.

 

[ThorM465]

I'm an EE, better be good in math.

Honestly, way more opportunities with BS computer science....if you like programming

We can't hire enough

If you are having trouble finding work come to Huntsville, AL. You can write your own ticket here if you're a competent EE. We can't find enough.

 

[ThorM465]

My opinion is computer science is going the way of the dodo with AI. People aren't going to be writing code in 15 years.

I would encourage anyone with young kids now to focus on developing their leadership and other soft skills (humor, care, empathy, persuasion)--the things machines have a harder time replicating.

To some degree that's true. However, certain skill sets such as Software System Safety won't be replaced by AI and if it is all engineering will be. Matter of fact in space and defense if you have experience in SwSS you can write your own ticket.

 

[IdahoBeav]

With all these engineers in one place seems a good time to ask. Is there a class taught on how to design stuff to make it the biggest pain in the ass possible to work on?

No, it comes from going straight from HS to university and being taught math and science as it applies to engineering and nothing on engineering as it applies to construction. Strangely and unfortunately, college professors' industry experience is usually far less than you would expect. It is the contractor's job to instruct the engineer on constructability. If you do this humbly and in a friendly manner, you can develop quite the working relationship. You can have engineers calling you and asking for input prior to design. You can also get it to where the engineers are recommending your company to their clients.

 

[KurtR]

No, it comes from going straight from HS to university and being taught math and science as it applies to engineering and nothing on engineering as it applies to construction. Strangely and unfortunately, college professors' industry experience is usually far less than you would expect. It is the contractor's job to instruct the engineer on constructability. If you do this humbly and in a friendly manner, you can develop quite the working relationship. You can have engineers calling you and asking for input prior to design. You can also get it to where the engineers are recommending your company to their clients.

I’m talking about the wiper motor you have to disassemble the top half of the engine to change. It was a joke .

 

[Trackerbacker]

It is the contractor's job to instruct the engineer on constructability..

Then......what are you engineering, or was I sorta kinda right

, i can say without a doubt, the plurality of engineers are glorified calculators, and i want to be very specific about that statement; they are glorified data entry technicians. (

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[Trackerbacker]

I’m talking about the wiper motor you have to disassemble the top half of the engine to change. It was a joke .

I'll apologize for him, them types don't really understand jokes..

Besides you're looking for a cost engineer..the types that saved $0.01 x 1,000,000 units,

 

[IdahoBeav]

Then......what are you engineering, or was I sorta kinda right


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Functionality and safety of life and property. What looks good on paper and in equations isn't always as constructible as it should be, and what is easiest to construct or looks good in the field isn't always functional or safe.

 

[roadrunner]

I've got family and friends in finance and when I look at their lives I'm VERY glad I don't do what they do. The hours and suits don't interest me in the least.

Wealth is measured in assets minus liabilities. Cash IS wealth.... the more you have the more wealth you have. Assets only help you build wealth if they make you money. Having a boat doesn't make me wealthy if I have a loan on it and it's costing me cash every month.

Engineering will teach you to be risk adverse and allow you to turn your paycheck into an asset generating machine that will help you build wealth. You'll be able to take advantage of opportunities that may not have been available to you on your current trajectory.

First of all, if they're wearing suits, then they're putting on a show or working for somebody else.

Second, cash is not king and is not a measure of wealth. Cash is subject to losing value quicker than assets. The hyper inflation event in Germany in the 19-teens demonstrates that.

If you think a boat you have a loan on that's not making you money is an asset, you don't know what an asset is and likely a poor investor.

And guess what, engineers learn about risk and turning paychecks into assets from the economics and finance guys. Where do you think ROR/ROI, IRR, and NPV comes from when evaluating projects?

 

[BigCountry49]

As others have mentioned math is going to be tough to get through but if your algebra is strong you can do it. If you go engineering you should get an ABET accredited degree, otherwise many companies will look you over. In actual practice you use 30-40% of what you learn in engineering. Make no mistake an engineering degree is a gauntlet of math and physics to the point it’s not even fun anymore. If you can make it past first two years of those classes you will be fine. I can’t imagine going through that again while also working but it’s possible. Good luck in whatever you choose

 

[roadrunner]

With all these engineers in one place seems a good time to ask. Is there a class taught on how to design stuff to make it the biggest pain in the ass possible to work on?

Yes. It takes math and science to build stuff, but to really screw things up, you need an engineer.

 

[hobbes]

I think it's my job as an engineer to get off my butt and understand how things are constructed so I can assist in improving specifications, detailed drawings, special provisions, plans, etc. I've always had more interest in the construction part of a project than the design part, but have been somewhat involved in both at some point during my time as an engineer. However, not all engineers are interested.

As far as glorified data entry technicians, that absolutely is not true for all. There's a whole lot of stuff that you can't just wing it on because it looks like it'll work or because the contractor assures me it'll be okay. Are you okay with driving over a structure day after day that someone didn't run a few numbers on before it was built? I've seen some false work and temporary structure plans submitted by contractors that looked like a kid with a crayon sketches. I've also seen some really good ones but an engineer was employed for each of them.

 

[Trackerbacker]

Functionality and safety of life and property. What looks good on paper and in equations isn't always as constructible as it should be, and what is easiest to construct or looks good in the field isn't always functional or safe.

In the context of my post, if I'm the contractor, and have to instruct the engineer, I made the mistake and hired the wrong firm.

In the context of your rebuttal, however, that's the failings. if the engineer has no field experience, he's accreditation along with all his cohorts has dropped in value.

But let's first go all hippie. Let's agree on one thing to start.

"Those who can't do, teach, and those who can't teach, inspect."

Any electrician, almost, thst I've hired (for my electric company), part of their probation period was to read my ac/dc theory book (electron flow theory). They didn't have to understand all or most of it, but it was a gauge into their psyche and whether they were looking for today's job or tomorrow's career.

 

[Trackerbacker]

As far as glorified data entry technicians, that absolutely is not true for all.

no, hence why the specifics provided was plurality.

There's a whole lot of stuff that you can't just wing it on because it looks like it'll work or because the contractor assures me it'll be okay. Are you okay with driving over a structure day after day that someone didn't run a few numbers on before it was built?

...oof bad example, isnt the nations infrastructure crumbling? How much of it was....engineered?

I've seen some false work and temporary structure plans submitted by contractors that looked like a kid with a crayon sketches. I've also seen some really good ones but an engineer was employed for each of them.

I would agree. But I'd take a good doer (good contractor) before I'd take a good thinker (good engineer). We can think and meet all day, but eventually, we need to get to gettin.

Effective experience trumps effective education, at least, it used to (across the board).

 

[IdahoBeav]

In the context of my post, if I'm the contractor, and have to instruct the engineer, I made the mistake and hired the wrong firm.

In the context of your rebuttal, however, that's the failings. if the engineer has no field experience, he's accreditation along with all his cohorts has dropped in value.

But let's first go all hippie. Let's agree on one thing to start.

"Those who can't do, teach, and those who can't teach, inspect."

Any electrician, almost, thst I've hired (for my electric company), part of their probation period was to read my ac/dc theory book (electron flow theory). They didn't have to understand all or most of it, but it was a gauge into their psyche and whether they were looking for today's job or tomorrow's career.

I'm sure it varies by field, and I don't work in the same one you do, but there are often different, competent contractors that disagree with each other's tactics. Both do great work, but there is usually more than one solution to a problem. No one knows everything, and we all can learn. In my world the contractor is also a professional and a specialist. He is hired for what he knows just as much as for what he does.

There is a reason why design-build is so popular and successful.

 

[Azone]

With all these engineers in one place seems a good time to ask. Is there a class taught on how to design stuff to make it the biggest pain in the ass possible to work on?

And John Deere hired everyone that took that class.