Topic: Mechanical Engineering

[Astronuc]

Mechanical Engineering (from Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_Engineering)

Mechanical engineering is the application of physical principles to the creation of useful reality for machine design. Such solid models may be used as the basis for finite element analysis (FEA) and / or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of the design. Through the application of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), the models may also be used directly by software to create "instructions" for the manufacture of objects represented by the models, through computer numerically-controlled (CNC) machining or other automated processes, without the need for intermediate drawings.

Fundamental subjects of mechanical engineering include: dynamics, statics, strength of materials, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, control theory, pneumatics, hydraulics, mechatronics, kinematics, and applied thermodynamics. Mechanical engineers are also expected to understand and be able to apply concepts from the chemistry and electrical engineering fields. At the smallest scales, mechanical engineering becomes molecular engineering - one speculative goal of which is to create a molecular assembler to build molecules and materials via mechanosynthesis. For now this goal remains within exploratory engineering, and some consider it science fiction.



History of Mechanical Engineering

(to be developed)


American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME - www.asme.org)

Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, today's ASME is a 120,000-member professional organization focused on technical, educational and research issues of the engineering and technology community. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. ASME sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public safety.

Within ASME there are 37 Technical Divisions and Subdivisions with the collective responsibility of advancing the science and practice of mechanical engineering.  These groups span a vast array of disciplines, technologies and industries:

Advanced Energy Systems	Aerospace
Applied Mechanics	Bioengineering
Computers & Information in Engineering	Design Engineering
Dynamic Systems & Control	Electronic & Photonic Packaging
Environmental Engineering	Fluids Engineering
Fluid Power Systems & Technology	Heat Transfer
Information Storage & Processing Systems	Internal Combustion Engine
International Gas Turbine Institute	Management
Manufacturing Engineering	Materials
Materials Handling Engineering	Microelectromechanical Systems Subdivision
Noise Control & Acoustics	NonDestructive Evaluation Engineering
Nuclear Engineering	Ocean, Offshore & Arctic Engineering
Petroleum	Pipeline Systems Division
Plant Engineering & Maintenance	Power
Pressure Vessels & Piping	Process Industries
Rail Transportation	Safety Engineering & Risk Analysis
Solar Energy	Solid Waste Processing
Technology & Society	Textile Engineering
Tribology

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE Internaltional - www.sae.org) Automotive Engineering is essentially the engineering discipline concerned with tranportation vehicles, such as cars, trucks and buses, by may include other vehicles such as construction equipment, military vehicles and aircraft. The Society of Automotive Engineers has more than 84,000 members - engineers, business executives, educators, and students from more than 97 countries - who share information and exchange ideas for advancing the engineering of mobility systems. SAE is your one-stop resource for standards development, events, and technical information and expertise used in designing, building, maintaining, and operating self-propelled vehicles for use on land or sea, in air or space. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA - www.aiaa.org) "In 1963, the two great aerospace societies of the day merged. The American Rocket Society and the Institute of Aerospace Science* joined to become AIAA. Both brought long and eventful histories to the relationship – histories that stretched back to 1930 and 1932 respectively, a time when rocketry was the stuff of science fiction and the aviation business was still in its infancy. Each society left its distinct mark on AIAA. The merger combined the imaginative, risk-taking, shoot-for-the-moon outlook of Project Mercury-era rocket, missile, and space professionals with the more established, well-recognized, industry-building achievers of the aviation community. The resulting synergy has benefited aerospace ever since. Today, with more than 31,000 members, AIAA is the world's largest professional society devoted to the progress of engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. The Institute continues to be the principal voice, information resource, and publisher for aerospace engineers, scientists, managers, policymakers, students, and educators. AIAA is also the go-to resource for stimulating professional accomplishment and standards-driven excellence in all areas of aerospace for prominent corporations and government organizations worldwide." - AIAA Affiliate Organizations Performance Review Institute SAE Foundation SAE BRASIL SAE INDIA SAE UK AIAA TECHNICAL COMMITTEES( http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=192 ) AEROSPACE SCIENCES Aeroacoustics Technical Committee Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technical Committee Aerodynamic Measurement Technology Technical Committee Aerospace Sciences Group Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee Astrodynamics Technical Committee Atmospheric and Space Environments Technical Committee Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Technical Committee Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee Guidance, Navigation & Control Technical Committee Plasmadynamics & Lasers Technical Committee Thermophysics Technical Committee AIRCRAFT AND AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS Air Transportation Systems Technical Committee Aircraft Design Technical Committee Aircraft Operations Technical Committee Balloon Systems Technical Committee Flight Testing Technical Committee General Aviation Systems Technical Committee Lighter-than-Air Systems Technical Committee Product Support Technical Committee V/STOL Aircraft Systems Technical Committee ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT Economics Technical Committee History Technical Committee Legal Aspects Aero & Astro Technical Committee Management Technical Committee Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Technical Committee Society & Aerospace Tech Technical Committee Systems Engineering Technical Committee Technical Information Technical Committee INFORMATION SYSTEMS Communications Systems Technical Committee Computer Systems Technical Committee Digital Avionics Technical Committee Information and Command & Control Systems Technical Committee Intelligent Systems Technical Committee Sensor Systems Technical Committee Software Systems Technical Committee PROPULSION & ENERGY Aerospace Power Systems Technical Committee Air Breathing Propulsion Technical Committee Electric Propulsion Technical Committee Energetic Components & Systems Technical Committee Hybrid Rockets Technical Committee Liquid Propulsion Technical Committee Nuclear & Future Flight Propulsion Technical Committee Propellants & Combustion Technical Committee Propulsion and Energy Group Solid Rockets Technical Committee Terrestrial Energy Systems Technical Committee SPACE & MISSILES Life Sciences & Systems Technical Committee Microgravity & Space Processes Missile Systems Technical Committee Space & Missiles Group Space Automation & Robotics Technical Committee Space Colonization Technical Committee Space Logistics Technical Committee Space Operations & Support Technical Committee Space Systems Technical Committee Space Tethers Technical Committee Space Transportation Technical Committee Weapon System Effectiveness Technical Committee STRUCTURES, DESIGN & TEST Adaptive Structures Technical Committee Computer-Aided Enterprise Solutions Technical Committee Design Engineering Technical Committee Ground Testing Technical Committee Materials Technical Committee Meshing, Visualization, and Computational Environments Technical Committee Modeling & Simulation Technical Committee Structural Dynamics Technical Committee Structures Technical Committee Survivability Technical Committee (Work in progress  :computer.gif:  :koala )

[Astronuc]

Three major aspects of mechanical/structural engineering and mechanics (physics)

Statics - the branch of physics (and engineering) that is concerned with physical systems that are in static equilibrium (e.g. large structures like bridges, dams, buildings, etc), that is, in a state where the relative positions of subsystems do not vary over time, or where components and structures are at rest under the action of external forces of equilibrium.

Kinematics -  the branch of mechanics concerned with the motions of objects without being concerned with the forces that cause the motion.

Dynamics - the branch of classical mechanics that is concerned with the effects of forces on the motion of objects

(work in progress)  :koala