DesigniDesigning in the mechanical engineering field has gone through many phases. In the ‘80s, a designer was different from an engineer, who was different from a design engineer. Nowadays, a single mechanical design engineer is responsible for all three job descriptions. You might be tempted to ask, what exactly is a mechanical design engineer? Instead of simply giving you a definition, we chose to define this profession according to the latest job postings from some leading companies in mechanics technology. These are the five most important skills that every mechanical design engineer should have:
1) Project Management
A mechanical design engineer should be able to develop a project from concept definition to production detail design. He/she will ensure design solutions meet the mechanical system’s requirements as well as applicable regulations and best industry practices. He should also be familiar with the associated manufacturing processes, assembly techniques and drafting conventions. Finally, he must be able to support the development and execution of project plans which could include schedule and budget planning, conceptual de
sign, prototyping, design for reliability and manufacturability, interfacing with vendors, qualification testing and documentation.
2) CAD Software Skills
A mechanical design engineer should master at least one of the popular CAD software programs (Pro-Engineer, CATIA, Solidworks, NX, etc.) at an advanced level, and be able to create virtual mock-ups and PoCs of required ideas. He should also be able to draft 2D detailed plans and modify existing CAD files if required. Knowing common drafting standards such as ANSI/ASME Y14 is a plus. In addition, a mechanical design engineer is expected to be able to provide CTF (Critical To Function) dimensions and a fully detailed 3D model that can be used for manufacturing. Finally, he must be able to create the complete BoM (Bill of Materials) of his mechanical system within any given software.