Main Trends in Mechanical Engineering - Coursework Example

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Author’s Name Course Instructor Institution City Date of Submission Mechanical Engineering SECTION 1 Introduction Mechanical engineering career deals with construction, designing and working with machines. The career is hence diverse and is continually becoming sophisticated with the advanced technology. The job involves the use of devices ranging from microscale sensors to space crafts. There are trends which revolve around mechanical engineering and requirements which are required for a person who is interested in the career. Main Trends in Mechanical Engineering Globalization is a key trend in mechanical engineering. The firm requires achieving the economies of scale; therefore, the need of leveraging the investments of products development arises. Economies of scale, in this case, are achieved through the delivery of commodities in all the available markets. Globalization is hence of great importance, especially where the goods made by the mechanical engineers are merchandised locally and internationally (Selcuk 2016, p. 60). Mass customization is another trending issue in the mechanical engineering career. The trend attributes to globalization to a great extent. The commodities produced must meet the set standards so that they can be sold across the border. Customization of goods ranges from the culture, the price, climate, language of the local as well as the international market. The degree at which the product is configurable is a determining factor of whether the product has met the standards hence if it is scalable. Digitalization in the field of mechanical engineering has had a significant influence on the quality of the outputs, and is, therefore, is inevitable with the technological advancement. The correct presentation of a product done digitally is what the companies rely mostly. The bill of the materials, as well as the geometry, is important factors to consider during the representation of materials digitally. There is also need to include all the materials contained in all the components being represented. Furthermore, the approved vendors and regulatory approvals must be involved in the approvals are necessary for the digital representation. The process of manufacturing and the required services should also be included in the digital image to make the commodity more appealing hence captivating the attention of the consumers. Regulation of the commodity is also another key trend in the field of mechanical engineering. Regulation is influenced mostly by the local market. Every country has a diversified way of regulating the commodities. For instance, in some countries, products are regulated regarding some materials they are composed of or the source of the material which has been used in the production of the goods. A PLM system which is active is required in the countries where various commodities are merchandised. The system is expected to track the assets to ensure that quality is met and the local standards are adhered to by the suppliers. The trackers should report the products which are unlawful so as to be removed from the supply chain. Connectivity is also trending in the mechanical engineering field. Connectivity is enabled by the internet which is currently used in numerous parts of the world for different purposes. The capacity to service and diagnose services in the market is a great opportunity which is created by the internet connectivity. The serviceability and the remote monitoring establish a business model in which the ownership is not transferred (Selcuk 2016, p. 60). Serviceability is sometimes referred to as interoperability. The trend has been going on in the mechanical engineering and is perceived to have more implications in future. The serviceability entails manipulation of designs of products to influence the end user to purchase the merchandise. Serviceability is hence not focused on the physical manifestation as it is to the benefit of the product to the consumer. For instance, a developer requires a sustainable service lifecycle where the designs of the products are incorporated in the initial stages of production. The designers need to become more innovative in the application of the PLM technology to develop products which attract both local and international customers. Mechanical products are continually becoming smart products due to the integration of electronic and software devices in the production process. The computing capacity of the appliances created by mechanical engineers leads to the smartness of these products. The trend attracts collaboration and interaction of various professionals in the establishment of a product. For instance, for the manufacturers who are in the PLM technology, there is a need to include the software, EDA, and MCDA into the production of goods (Abu-Mulaweh 2014, p.205). Skills Required in Mechanical Engineering Skills of the mechanical engineers for the career are derived from the understanding of their duties so that they can apply the skills. The functions of a mechanical engineer include evaluation of mechanical component performance, as well as devices and engines. Another duty includes liaising with the product suppliers, examining project requirements and carrying out research which is relevant to the field of mechanical engineering. Provision of technical advice and writing reports are also activities which are performed by mechanical engineers among others. Therefore, the required skills for mechanical engineers includes; effectiveness in technical expertise, capacity to solve problems critically, innovation and creativity, the capacity to work even when under pressures, and team working capacity. Also, the interpersonal skills are required for a mechanical engineer, including the written as well as verbal communication skills. More so, the candidate looking for as mechanical engineering opportunity should be enlightened on the financial issues, hence the awareness is valued in the field (Mago 2016, p. 50). A mechanical engineer can work in a wide range of industries which involve design, construction as well as the use of machines. The industries which include innovation are the most suitable workplaces for the mechanical engineers. For instance the aerospace companies, pharmaceuticals industries as well as in electric producing companies such as mobile phone industries. Examples of these companies include; Boeing Company, which gives a great platform for mechanical engineering exploration and skill application in aerospace. The second company Novartis Pharmaceutical Company, a suitable field for mechanical engineers, especially as a process engineer. The third company Sony Company, which produces electronic devices, hence an appropriate industry to work as a mechanical engineer.Therefore, there are vast opportunities for the mechanical engineers to execute and practice the skills they learn from their studies. General Skills in Mechanical Engineering The most general skills in mechanical engineering include solving problems. Nearly all the areas in the mechanical engineering require creative thinking and creativity to resolving the issues that arise. Creativity is hence an important skill which every mechanical engineer should be equipped with while carrying out his or her duties. Communication skills both written and verbal have great significance in the field. The communication skills lead to cooperation and collaboration hence production of quality products. The mechanical engineer should be in a position to express ideas precisely and clearly. He or she should also acquire the listening skills that aid in solving problems more efficiently without complicating the issues even more. Additionally, mechanical engineering is a field that requires integration and cross sharing of ideas and skills. There is a need to work as a team while carrying out various activities. The abilities to work together harmoniously to the success of the firm and production of smart commodities increases the competitiveness of the entity in the market (Vijay 2015, p. 25). Skill Gap There are several skill deficiencies in the mechanical engineering. For instance, there is a skill gap in system and computer operations, as well as in the processing phase of mechanical engineering. There is a benefit which is associated with the identification of skill gaps for a mechanical engineer. For instance, the skill gap allows the mechanical engineer to expound the general skills so as to become more creative and innovative. Increasing performance leads to increased productivity hence profitability to the firm. The mechanical engineer, on the other hand, earns many skills, hence becomes much efficient. SECTION 2 NAME, ADDRESS, Date. SONY ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, 165 WALKER ST, NORTH SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. Dear sir/ Madam RE: APPLICATION FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING VACANCY I am a mechanical engineering student with IELTS 6 and wish to apply for a job vacancy that was advertised in the Australian Times Newspaper on 17th June 2017 on page 15. Your organization is suitable for me in terms of your operation and in relation to my area of study. I am self-motivated and have a great capacity in team work. When I was in my second year I was a member of the innovation club in schools. Most of the times, we were divided into groups of five members where we were assigned a task and given the time frame to complete it. My group members always chose me as the chairperson and I took the lead on the task assigned to our group. I called the four group members at a meeting and we assigned everybody a duty towards the success of the assignment that the overall club leader assigned my group. After completing the task we would come together and exchange ideas about the discoveries we made. I also led the group members to integration of different ideas in the task to make my group shine and more creative and unique than all the other groups. The outcomes were great as my group always led and won awards. I am destined to transferring the teamwork skills into the company to increase the performance of the fellow workers and to achieve the goals of the firm. I am also fluent in various languages and pose a good character in my communication skills. During the club meetings, the group leaders were always offered a chance to summarize and explain to others what their task was entailing. Since I was the group leader of my group, it was my duty to address the club members. I was confident and explained clearly and precisely about the task. I also listened to the club members as they asked questions; I answered the questions clearly to their satisfaction. The club members were always pleased with my communication skills and whenever the club required the administrative support, the members always chose me to address the issue to the relevant school authority. I look forward to extending my communication skills to the organization to contribute to its success. Initiative skills are part of me and I have always looked forward to serving the people around me. We had club meetings on Thursdays, I once proposed to the club chairperson that we should not only focus our activities within the school but we should also consider community services. I advised the club members that it was important to give back to the society whenever we are in the position. We planned for a voluntary cleanup in the neighboring community’s school. Surprisingly, the school other clubs were amused by our work and took it started adopting the voluntary services to the community. Sooner than I expected, the activity became part of the school culture. My initiative skills will assist the organization to create a better relationship with the community, hence a good image of the firm will be established in the external environment. The image of the firm is relevant to the market of the products, hence profitability will be increased in the terms of the revenue made from sales by the firm. I have acquired excellent organization skills during my industrial attachment at Amazon Company at the planning department. Some of the activities that I was entrusted to carry out during the attachment included planning of activities, scheduling the processes taking place in the firm and coordination of the departments which are involved in certain responsibilities. Within my three months attachment in the firm, the CEO was already making comments about the positive organizational changes which I brought to the firm. I aim at magnifying the skills I acquired and practiced during my attachment to the sustainability of the firm organizational aspect. I am punctual and I observe deadlines and the time frames whenever assigned a task. During my fourth year at the University, it is a school requirement to write a proposal of a project before carrying it. Due to the rescheduling of activities in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, there was short time left for the completion of the proposal. I worked hard enough to complete the whole proposal within the set deadline. The lecturer was impressed with my speed and accuracy and even urged other students to follow suit. I promise to bring my cooperation and time management skills into the firm and to deliver the assignments within the time frame. I shall be grateful if you consider my application. I will apply all the skills that I have learnt during my studies and will be open-minded so that I can learn more skills. Yours Faithfully, Sign, Name. References Read More