Reverse Engineering Definition & Explanation
Reverse engineering, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is ‘the activity of studying the parts of something to see how it was made and how
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AISI 316 Stainless Steel: Specification and Datasheet
The SAE / ANSI / AISI 316 is the second most commonly available/widely used type of stainless steel after the SAE/ANSI/AISI 304. Considered the generic
Yield Strength For Boneheads
Imagine pulling a rubber band with both hands, in opposite directions. The rubber band is elastic and expands. Beyond a certain point, however, when the
The Key Principles of Inventory Management
When The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt came in 1984, readers weren’t sure how to treat it: was it a management help book, a drama with
How to get a mechanical engineering job at NASA
If you were one of those kids that spent their whole childhood fantasising about working at NASA, then this article is for you. So, without
A guide to common hydraulic symbols
A hydraulic circuit represents all the hydraulic components in a system. This includes the arrangement of the components and the behavior of the system as a
How To Go Global In Mechanical Design
We previously spoke about why mechanical design engineers should seriously consider adding international experience in their resume. But how can this be achieved? It is
Material Database – Top 10 Engineering Materials Resources on the Web
A material database is a great way to store material data according to their type, physical characteristics, mechanical properties, and standard classifications. This makes material
IP Ratings – A Guide to IEC 60529 / EN 60529 Ingress Protection Ratings
Any mechanical design engineer who designs enclosures MUST have a firm grasp of IP ratings. IP stands for “Ingress Protection” and is a standard protection
MMPDS – A Guide to “Metallic Materials Properties Development Standardization”
Farmers have The Old Farmer’s Almanac and parents have the famous book Baby and Childcare. Have you ever wondered what the ‘Bible’ of aircraft engineering
Top 10 Great Engineering Feats
The world of engineering has created some amazing feats over the years some of which are fairly recent while others go back hundreds of years.
Yield Strength of Plastics – basic principles, the tensile test and material property table
Yield strength is one of the most important material properties to be aware of. It’s something that every mechanical engineer should know about. Why do
How YOU could be holding back your mechanical engineering career
Whatever career you choose, the chances are you will initially struggle with many common issues that every job seeker faces. The market, wages and the
How to Design a Tornado Shelter and how they’re tested
Many of us lucky enough not to live in areas which are frequently susceptible to tornadoes can only look on as we see images on
Shot Tower – How Lead Shot is Made
History is littered with innovative ideas and processes which we often take for granted today but were groundbreaking in their day. Something as simple as
How To Avoid Hindering Your Career in Mechanical Design Engineering
As a dashing and aspiring mechanical design engineer, there are several things that can go wrong. This may be during you initial job hunt or
A Basic, Idiot’s Guide to Fluid Mechanics …and its role in our lives
Fluid collectively represents liquid and gas, and the study of the movement (flow) of fluid is known as “Fluid Mechanics”. This is one of the
Underwater Welding 101: Read this and be an expert in 5 minutes!
The idea of welding underwater seems bizarre in the extreme. From a very early age we are taught never to mix electricity and water. However,
Women in Robotics – Tackling Inequality
If we look at science and engineering the presence of women in robotics is relatively low. However it is improving and if the issue is
Top 5 CAD Forums on the Web
CAD, or Computer-Aided Design systems have come a long way since they first became popular sometime in the 1970s. Initially, they were used to obtain
5 Engineering Bodges that Ended in Disaster
Seriously, you won’t believe some of these mechanical engineering bodges. You’ll be intrigued, flabbergasted and horrified in equal measures at these bodges that ended in
How to design a new mechanical part in 3D CAD
In many situations mechanical designers will rely on their library of parts and case studies to work on a new mechanical part – this saves
Robotics For Humanitarian Purposes
One can easily be in awe when witnessing the performance of robotics in outer space. It is proof of the progress and long way we,
The mechanical engineer’s guide to industrial design
What does the future of industrial design look like? How has the role of designers changed in the last half century? Many mechanical engineering professionals
Biomaterials: Read this and be an expert in 10 minutes!
While biomaterials have made enormous progress in recent times, the concept of biomaterials has been around for centuries. In its most basic form it goes
How does a Harmonic Drive work? Why are they used?
The harmonic drive is a type of gear arrangement often referred to as a strain wave gear because of the way it works. It is
How does a Centrifugal Clutch work? What are the pros and cons?
The centrifugal clutch is a clutch that bases its operation on the principle of centrifugal force generation. It is generally considered one of the smoothest
Lift Equation – fully explained and simplified for beginners
It has been observed that most aircraft accidents occur during the take-off or landing phase of the flight. Lift is a major part of takeoff.
55 types of hammers – the ultimate guide
This post was originally published in October 2016, and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness. When we use the term “hammer” we all
3D Printed Biomaterials, and the first 3D printed organ
One of the new trends within the additive manufacturing sector is bioprinting (otherwise known as 3D printed biomaterials) which has shown promising results when looking
Cooling Towers Explained: How does a cooling tower work?
Even though cooling towers are not as common today as they were in years gone by, you will almost certainly come across at least one
Die Casting – design guide, materials, advantages and disadvantages
Die casting is a permanent mould casting process in which molten metal is poured into a mould and removed after solidification. There are two main
