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Explore Everything in Detail About a Career as a Mechanical Engineer

Career as a Mechanical Engineer

The industrial revolution brought development in the world and with it also introduced a new field in engineering called mechanical engineering. Machines and mechanical engineering are very close. If you want to work on mechanical processes, development of tools, equipment, etc. then you can seek a career as a mechanical engineer.

Mechanical engineering is the discipline of engineering that applies engineering, physics, and materials science principles to design, analyze, develop, test, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of engineering disciplines.

Why Become a Mechanical Engineer?

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will work to design, develop, test, construct, operate, maintain, and repair various machines, equipment, devices and systems using knowledge of engineering sciences, mechanics, physical science, materials science, engineering mathematics and other fields.

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will use core principle of engineering along with Computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and product life cycle management to design, analyze, and construct different kinds of manufacturing plants, industrial equipment, machinery, heating and cooling systems, aircraft, robotics, weapons, automobiles, etc.

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will also be involved in mechatronics and nanotechnology.

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Mechanical design engineers are specialist who works to review specifications and other kinds of data to develop mechanical layouts. Design engineers combine the knowledge of mechanical engineering and computer-aided design (CAD) software like AutoCAD. As a mechanical design engineer, you will work with project managers, clients and other engineers to understand the requirement for a new product or mechanical system. Once the material and specifications are confirmed, you will use CAD software to plan and develop the model.

What Does a Mechanical Engineer do?

As a Mechanical Engineer, depending on your field of specialization, you would have the be following roles and responsibilities:

  • You will read and interpret the blueprint, technical drawings, schematics, computer-based reports, etc.
  • You will work on researching, designing installing, operating and maintaining mechanical products, equipment and systems that can meet the requirement.
  • You will work with other engineers to implement operating procedures, solve system malfunctions, etc.
  • You will understand customer needs and turn them into engineering specifications, you will create designs that meet these specifications and document all results.
  • You will work to analyze problems to see how the problems occur.
  • You will find failures and difficulties in equipment and diagnose faulty operations and recommend actions.
  • You will design or even redesign mechanical devices and systems using computer-aided design.
  • You will develop a prototype and test them. You will then analyze the results and make changes in design as needed.
  • You will oversee the manifesting process.
  • You will initiate the process of designing concepts as per the organization’s standards, guidelines and procedures and meet all quality and cost objectives, schedules etc.
  • You will use solid modeling to design and create drawings of products.

How to Become a Mechanical Engineer – Eligibility Criteria

To become a Mechanical Engineer, you have to do a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering after your 10+2 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with any other subject as per the scheme of studies. You may also do a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering after your class 10 and then take a 2nd-year lateral entry into a 4-Year Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. You may get a job after your Diploma but doing a Bachelor’s degree can widen your opportunities.

If you want to go for higher education after Bachelor’s, you can do a Master’s degree in any of the following fields:

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechatronics Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Industrial & Production Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Thermal Engineering & Cryogenics
  • Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing
  • Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing
  • Foundry & Forge Technology
  • HVAC Technologies
  • Corrosion Science and Engineering
  • Industrial Tribology & Maintenance Engineering
  • Maintenance Engineering

Job Opportunities

  • If you are into the design side of the engineering career, then you may join as a design engineer/ design engineer trainee.
  • If you are into production, then you may join as a production engineer trainee.
  • As a fresher mechanical engineer, you will be joining different industries as a graduate mechanical engineer trainee.
  • If you are into teaching, then you may join a college or university at the profile of an assistant professor.
  • If you are into research, then you can join a research institute at the role of research associate.
  • If you are into scientific research, then you can join as a Scientist with a Grade “C”.

Different types of companies can offer you a job. Such as:

  • Government defense departments like DRDO in India.
  • Space departments like ISRO
  • Private space programs and departments
  • Nuclear stations and atomic research stations like BARC in India.
  • Institutes of scientific learning like IISc, IIA, RRI, TIFR, etc.
  • The mechanical Engineering department of all IITs and Engineering colleges.
  • Leading equipment, vehicles, etc. manufacturing industries like Tata, Hyundai, Larson & Turbo, etc.
  • Aeronautical manufacturing companies like Airbus, Boeing, etc.
  • Oil Exploration and refining industries like ONGC, Reliance, Indian Oil Refinery, etc.
  • Steel Plants like Tata Steel, Jindal Steel, etc.

Salary of a Mechanical Engineer

  • At the entry-level, as a Scientist (grade C) you would be earning around Rs. 80,000 to 100,000 per month. As an assistant professor, you would be earning anything between Rs. 65,000 to 70,000 per month. As a production engineer, automobile engineer, process engineer, mechanical engineer, production engineer, etc., you would be earning anything between Rs. 20,000 to 2,00,000 per month.
  • At the junior level with a work experience of 2-6 years, you would be earning anything between Rs. 50,000 to 2,50,000 per month.
  • At the middle level with an experience of 10-12 years, you would be earning anything between Rs. 1,40,000 to 1,90,000 per month as a scientist and Rs. 1,20,000 to 1,60,000 as a professor and as a production engineer, automobile engineer, process engineer, mechanical engineer, production engineer, etc. Rs. 1,00,000 to 4,00,000 per month.
  • At the senior level of over 15 years of work experience, you would be earning anything between Rs. 1,60,000 to 2,00,000 per month as a professor and Rs. 2,10,000 to 2,50,000 per month as a Scientist. As a production engineer, automobile engineer, process engineer, mechanical engineer, production engineer, etc., you would be earning anything between Rs. 1,20,000 to 10,00,000 per month.

Career Progression in Mechanical Engineer Profession

  • If you are into the design side of the engineering career and joined as a design engineer/ Design engineer trainee and then become a design engineer. Soon, you would either become a design engineering manager or design manager or project manager.
  • If you are into production and joined as a production engineer trainee. Soon, you would become a production engineer. You may be then promoted to production manager (Manufacturing) and then plant manager (manufacturing).
  • The career growth in university and college states from Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor, Professor and Professor Emeritus. Professors can also get administrative positions such as Director/Dean/Vice Chancellor, etc
  • Research laboratories will hire you as a scientist/scientist officer with the lowest grade and the grade changes from low to high. In India, grades are “Scientist “C” as the joining level and then D, E, F, G, H, etc. A senior-level scientist can also get into administrative positions like Principal Scientist, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Director, etc

Mechanical Engineers are in demand in several sectors. From automobiles to industrial machines they are required for their knowledge and skills. Thus, with an eye on manufacturing in the coming year, through Make in India, there is a growing future prospect for mechanical engineers. An increase in infrastructure and production has led to an immense increase in industrial engineering products. In 2017, the market size of capital goods manufactured in India was US 70 billion. In 2018 US 76 billion worth of engineering products were exported from India, a big increase from US 65 billion from the previous years.

Similarly, the domestic automobile industry increases by 7% per annum from 2013 to 2018. Apart from domestic demands, several manufacturers are setting up production factories in India for international demand, this includes Ashok Leyland, Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Honda and Mahindra establishing more manufacturing hubs in India.

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