Engineers... the horror stories I could tell... I wish I had a dollar for every time I sat in a job meeting and carefully explained to an engineer why what he designed either wouldn't fit or wouldn't work, sometimes both. You'd get an arrogant one once in a while who would insist he knows more than any 'tradesman', which almost always resulted in doing it at least twice; once his way, and again to make it actually work/fit. The lawsuits came later... LOL. The ones with common sense (notice I didn't say smarter) would listen. Best one I ever worked with was a English guy working for a Dutch company. A local firm purchased a 'process system' from the Dutch which at the time was 'euro-spec' but didn't meet all NEC or UL requirements, so they sent this guy along to help work out the differences. He was a pleasure to work with, and I complimented him on it. Told him he was quite unlike our home-grown versions, he seemed to understand the practical aspects much better. He laughed, and said 'It's because we're trained differently. If you want to enter into construction engineering at home, you have to enter and successfully complete an abbreviated apprenticeship in that discipline before you're allowed to proceed to higher learning. You need to know how to build it before you're allowed to design it. Helps clear out the 'book smart only' people'. When I first started in the trade, there were still 'old school' engineers who would furnish a fully-developed design; you could pretty much build what they drew (although these guys disappeared quickly, mostly by retirement). By the time I retired, this had devolved to 'design-build' bid packages with only partial engineering done at best, the remainder dumped on the bidder. The bidder would 'finish' the design, usually by using low-paid draftsmen, then have an engineer 'approve' it. If you were lucky the engineer would actually look over the design and correct the worst mistakes, but many simply put their stamp on them and sent them out the door. A good engineer is worth his weight in gold IMO (and there are still some good ones out there), but the faster/cheaper mentality that prevails these days seldom allows them to show their stuff...
I got 2 degrees in Agricultural Mechanization and spent 38 years selling and designing hydraulic systems. My son is an ME. Do I count?
Mechanical engineer. Practicing field air conditioning ,heating and ventilation for commercial buildings. Retired and opened a hot rod fabrication shop.
That's what makes a good designer, general, CEO, leader, Forman etc An abbreviated apprenticeship is at least something.
I’ve got two degrees, earned them in the early Seventies. Used them for a couple of years, but then earned my living from what my Dad taught me growing up on the ranch. 33 years as a Fire Dept Mechanic.Worked for me. Bones
Working as an Ironworker for 46 years I have encountered a plethora of engineers. I myself am not. However I am a very good practical engineer and can solve most of the problems I encounter with my vintage vehicle endeavors. The problems I can not comfortably solve I rely on the engineers at the Nuclear plant where I work. Smart cookies they are. I also worked with a group of Dutch Engineers who were as someone stated here, very good at practical solutions. I have had many engineers come to myself and other tradesmen to ask our opinion about certain aspects of a project related issue. I felt complimented that they would seek us out to confer with. I have also flat refused to follow some direction or process that I knew would lead to a mishap or worse.
I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. It has suited me well over my career and has fit me both on and off the job. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
At GM's Electro-Motive division I ran the sintered metal operation for 20 years and worked closely with an engineer that had both Metallurgical and Mechanical degrees and he always made sure I received credit when I solved an issue we were having. I had the practical experience and he had the degrees making us a great team. As a student I pretty much took up space in high school, hence my signature line seen below- My school colors are black and blue, I attended the School of Hard Knocks where I received a Masters Degree in Chronic Mopery.
BE in Mechanical Engineering. MS in Avionics Engineering. But I earn a living making PowerPoint slides & arguing for budget $$.
We had an estimator at one shop who believed (erroneously) that blueprints were the Holy Grail. I told him I considered them as a guide only, and wouldn't let them stifle my imagination. He nearly had a coronary... and was gone long before I was... LOLOL!
Good one. Reminds me of a process I used to go thru with the design team, called, tell me how youre gonna weld that. What part goes first, second, etc, how will you fixture it, oops, we just lost our datums. We stopped one day when the design engr told me the welder will just have to crawl inside... NoGo, lets meet again next week.
Got a BEd with a major in psychology. Severe me well in education for 37 years. My son is a Mechtronics and Robotics tech. I was always interested in bikes and cars. When I was a kid I was THE neighbourhood bike mechanic. Today I do almost everything around the house and cars but I am smart enough to know when to ask for advice or help. People ask me where I learned this stuff and I always reply that I learned it by watching and asking questions. When my son was going through BCIT for some of the courses he already knew a lot of the material and sometimes helped the instructor. I asked him where he learned all that stuff and he replied, "YouTube University!". But aren't we all engineers of some degree? Humans crave so loving puzzles and working out solutions. Back to regular programming.
I have a son in law that went to MIT on a scholarship "smart guy" one summer him and is beautiful bride were home and we were all on the river taking turns on the PWCs, he was going to the dam and back, a total of 14 miles. He finally shows up wet I asked him what had happened because the year before this young man had tipped over a sea doo three times in one day, he said he had jumped a wake and when it hit the water the sea doo just ripped from his hands and out from under him. I laughed so hard that I had tears as he tried to explain in a totally logical way.
Mechanical engineer here. I spent years designing bus body structure and various Air Force military ground support equipment and aircraft repair tooling. I'm presently Chief Body Engineer for a school bus company. One of my neatest projects was reverse engineering and updated technical drawing package development of the 40mm Bofors cannon for the Air Force. They use it on the AC-130 gunships.These auto cannons were originally used as pom-pom guns on WWII Navy ships. We started from a vintage disassembled cannon and the original, musty '40s blueprints. I still remember the smell of the prints and old cosmoline.
Are those the Quad 40s that they had on aircraft carriers? That was my Dads gun on the U.S.S. Enterprise CV6, during WWII. Bones
I'm an electrical engineer and have worked with countless mechanical engineers that have never changed the oil in their car.... go figure Can't spell gEEk without an EE Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I think they were usually ran in pairs. Many a Japanese Zero was downed with 'em. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Professor Of Hammers, HA !, I'm retired,but for 40+ years designed,built,an drove racecars,winning around 400 races. Built a good number of hot rods an customs as well.
I'm a senior mechanical engineer, over 45 years, same job. There is a reason dinosaurs went extinct. I love my job, with a big company, and I work half time; gives a better work-life balance. Always have a few projects in the garage, do volunteer work one day a week, love to TIG weld, and attend all swap meets in the Denver area. Almost all my mechanical design work, I do on the computer first, do the analysis, then re-do till I get it right. Life is good. It's a great vocation.
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