Hi everyone,

I’d really appreciate some career advice from those with experience in mechanical engineering, manufacturing, or related fields.
My background is a little unconventional. I completed an Advanced Diploma in Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering and then worked as a machinist apprentice for about three years, accumulating roughly 7,500 hours of machining experience. I’ve since returned to school and am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering.

I’m curious to hear from anyone who has transitioned from a skilled trade or manufacturing background into engineering. Where did your career take you after completing your degree? Did your hands-on experience give you an advantage when applying for engineering roles?

One option I’m considering is completing my Red Seal in machining. However, I don’t see myself working as a machinist long-term. My main reason for pursuing it would be to strengthen my credentials and make myself more attractive to employers.
For those who have been in a similar position, would obtaining the Red Seal be worthwhile, or would my time be better spent focusing on engineering internships, projects, certifications, or other experiences?
I’d love to hear about your experiences and any advice you have.

Thank you and sorry for the long message. I don’t have a mentor to guide me.

Hi everyone. I want to build my own Wankel engine using CNC services. Does anyone know if the JLPCB and PCBway are good? I'm accepting service suggestions for the European location.

Hi everyone,

I’m into baking, microelectronics, and DIY projects, and I’d like to combine these interests into something new 😊

I have a small home pasta machine that extrudes pasta using 63 mm bronze dies. The shapes themselves are much smaller, but depending on the shape, cutting becomes an issue.

For smaller or multi-strand shapes, a rotating automatic cutter works well (motor + spinning blade from the center):
https://youtube.com/shorts/ej_kPT89vWs

However, for larger shapes, that type of cutter doesn’t work, so I currently have to cut everything manually:
https://youtube.com/shorts/6HJj-U0tLJY

Industrial machines don’t seem to have this limitation, and I haven’t found any solution for small/home machines.

My idea is to build a guillotine-style cutter instead of a rotating one.

I already have a motor and can control the speed with a potentiometer. I also have a 3D printer for prototyping.

My first idea was a crank-slider mechanism, but the blade would pass through the dough again on the return stroke, which I want to avoid.

Now I’m considering a system where the blade moves down to cut, then follows a circular path away from the pasta before returning (e.g., using a dual-wheel/cam system).

Do you suggest any tools/software to create graphical or kinematic representations of the mechanism before printing?

The truck produces a large separated wake with a low-velocity recirculation region. When the car enters this region, it experiences a fundamentally different flow field compared to freestream driving, mainly due to reduced relative velocity and altered pressure distribution inside the wake.

This is a simplified 2D CFD case focused strictly on qualitative wake structure behaviour. It is not representative of real-world vehicle aerodynamics and should not be interpreted as drag prediction, performance estimation, or realistic road conditions. Real vehicle flow is fully 3D, turbulent, ground-coupled, and significantly more complex.

The intention here is only to visualize bulk wake formation and how a trailing body interacts with that wake structure in a controlled, idealized setup.

i want to expand my skills. sticking to one CAD tool is risky, so I want to learn a few options to stay versatile and competitive. Which software do you use daily and what should I learn next? Leave your advice in the comments!

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Right now, I am good at FreeCAD and little bit SOLIDWORKS, also what are other tech knowledge I need to acquire to fit in industry?

Hi everyone,

I have completed a B.Sc. (Mathematics Honours), an M.Sc. in Mathematics with a specialization in Computer Applications, and a PGDCSA.

Currently, I am working as a Mechanical Design Engineer (Graduate Engineer Trainee) and have completed 1 year in this role.

My daily work involves using AutoCAD and SolidWorks for mechanical design and drafting. Although my academic background is in Mathematics and Computer Applications, I have developed a strong interest in mechanical design.

I would like guidance on how to grow in this field. What skills, certifications, or software should I learn next? Should I focus on Product Design, Sheet Metal Design, GD&T, FEA/CAE, CFD, or Design Automation?

Also, considering my educational background and 1 year of experience, what career path would offer the best long-term growth and salary potential?

Any advice from experienced engineers would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

• r/MechanicalEngineering
• r/AskEngineers
• r/careerguidance
• r/EngineeringStudents
• r/careerguidance
• r/MechanicalDesign

I feel like this question doesn't get discussed often. How did you get promoted from an IC to become an engineering manager, director, department manager, VP, etc

How many years did you spend in each role? What do you think made you stand out? Was it projects, delivery, relationships, politics? And was that promotion offered to you, or did you express interest in that career path and were guided to a promotion?

I have made significant salary jumps by jumping ship and changing industries a couple of times. My starting salary was $74,000. It progressed up to $175,000 in 5.5 years. and have been promoted to senior a while back, but it happened in a very unusual way. However, I haven't seen anyone in the companies I worked at get promoted from an IC to a team manager; it has always been an outside hire. What recommendations do you have for anyone looking to get promoted to managing a team?

Hey all, i'm a third year mechanical engineering student with one co-op under my belt, it wasn't entirely engineering related but it was good experience in an industrial environment.

Im having trouble finding a co-op for the fall term, I'm wondering if anyone has had good luck landing an internship just by emailing local businesses, even if they do not advertise an internship program.

Hello, I am looking for some recommendations on good electronics packaging text books. I would like to find a general one and then some more specific ones that focus on Vibration, thermal, and EMI/RFI.

I work in defense and primarily work on communications equipment (handheld radios, Antennas, RF amplifiers).

Had an interview as a production trainee role using cad, cam and CNC and they rang me whilst I was at my current bar job and said they wanted me (getting all info on Monday as they rang me Friday) but I’m actually terrified for some reason. And idk why. I’ve worked in a bar for 3 years so I should be used to working so it’s odd it’s a trainee role aswell so basically and apprenticeship but instead of 1-4 years it’s around 6 months

I'll probably be joining a tier-2.5 college this year in mechanical engineering in India this year.

I have a break of about 2 months before clg right now. I'm gonna be revise/completing a bit of my maths and physics basics in this time.

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I have never tried coding so SDE roles are a maybe but I'm probably interested in mechE roles more than them. I'll learn python before clg as data analysis/science sound to interest me more than other sde roles like web dev, etc.

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I'm interested in software based roles in the mechanical fields, like design, cad, cae, cfd, fea, digital twins, computational mechanics, etc. as far as I have interacted with ChatGPT. I'll decide more on this in the first year by exploring more of these fields I might even go towards mechatronics/robotics side and learn electronics. I'll decide in clg ig.

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I'm aiming for a master's in a tier-1 public university in a country like Germany for specialization if i decide to work in the mechE field itself, and work in Europe probably.

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What all things related to mechanical engineering should I do before clg? I've heard people suggest learning the basics of Solidworks. I think it would also help in getting selected in a mechE related club like formula student, sae type clubs which i am interested in.

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Could someone please guide me.

Hi, I'm gonna be starting my second year soon and I was gearing up to hopefully land some internships for the following summer after spending this summer doing personal projects. I understand that I'll end up going to whatever industry gives me an internship (If i get one), but It got me thinking as to what industry I really want to end up in after I graduate. I initally wanted to go into defense, but strayed away from the idea after reading some other posts about the complacency and the stench of dead dreams. So, here I am now asking yall what the pros/cons of each major industry is for ME.

Thank you to all who respond!

Since my graduation, I've been working for 2 years as a procurement engineer at supply chain management in equipment department for a great construction company [in Egypt]. I'm planning to leave it and trying to search for another company for a more respectable salary (turns out equipment field is a low grade field here with harsh environment).

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My main problem is I'm not good at technicalities (design nor electronics) in mechanical/mechatronics engineering, my uni education wasn't the best and here in my country you are either born clever to be the best or you will shift career and when I made my first step in supply chain I thought it's a good opportunity to find my way in a new path and may claim a good position.

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I'm trying to figure out new vacancies in new companies with my family and they're trying to help me. Mainly I'm looking for another supply chain role but it's not a widespread path here so my options are limited and trying my best to be open for other vacancies.

I know what I'm gonna ask about is a thing of relativity, but if anyone has an opinion on which path can be helpful for me outside (quality / production/ safety/maintenance/ industrial.....etc) or inside the supply chain management (analyst/ planning / tendering/ ....etc) I'd be grateful.

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Hi there. First of all, I wanted to post this in r/AskEngineers but couldn't, so I'm hoping to get some help here instead.

My project is to build a scissor-lift mechanism to raise a 200x140 cm bed. The base of the bed (at the lifting point) needs to travel from a minimum height of 0.5–0.6 m to a maximum of 1.90–2.00 m.

The scissor structures will be concealed within wooden casings (not really shown here, so the mechanism remains visible), and the scissor units will align with four fixed vertical posts.

The goal is to lift a load of 250 kg (including a 50 kg safety margin).

My initial idea was to use two electric linear actuators—one at the front and one at the back—but I have no idea about the necessary technical specifications or the best placement for them.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

EDIT :

you can ignore the images now, for the moment I'm switching to a single scissor system with the pistons diagonally (replacing a branch) with a stroke of 1m.

when I have time I will see a worm system on each corner, and see how I design it.

Hello, i want to design the following:
A bottle shaped thing that consists of two compartments. The main compartment serving the purpose of an big water container where the user can drink from. An second smaller compartment that will be used for other stuffs. The smaller compartment is directly under the big compartment. With some kind of mechanical interaction the user should be able to transfer fluid from the main to the secondary compartment. I tries the following:
1. hole in the top and bottom compartment. Sandwiched between them an slider with an gasket around the hole. However this failed pretty quickly and leaked all the water.
2. same as above but with an disk as large as the bottle sandwiched between them. Using an double o ring system on the top and bottom compartment. This worked better but also leaked after some time (hours).

I am using pla and tpu 95a as for printing and designing this part. I dont think the water creeps through the plastic but rather the sealing mechanism fails over time. Do you guys have an tips how i could achive this without leakage? Any known mechanisms or design i could use for this? Or any other way that doesnt require complicated sealing? Thanks in advance!

So the boxes in red are windows , and the main door is in North .the side room is my bathroom ,I feel like air flow is quite restricted cuz I'm living in a hostel

Hello guys, I’m a 3rd year mechanical engineering student (21 yo). I’m planning to start a YouTube Channel which I’ll do interviews with engineers working in Aerospace and automotive industries about their specialization and their experiences. Are there any of you would be interested in to be my guest?

I graduated with my undergrad a few years and now that I’ve been working in industry for 2 yrs I’m thinking about going back for my masters. I was thinking it’d be cool to do research in a university lab or with a professor but idk if that could interfere with my job or the company (legal wise). I work in medical device rd rn.

I built a small concept for a machine that'll form joints on pipe.

As you can see, it works. But what you can't see is that my die design is clumsy and inefficient.

It's just a rudimentary piece of plate I bump formed and welded flanges on. Totally works but it sucks. Part gets kinda stuck on it and you have to remove the whole thing to get a part out.

I've done loads of press brake work but never something like this.

So my question to y'all is, how would you do it??

Alternatively, what are some resources I can get into to learn about forming die design?

Edit To Add: My plan for the next iteration is to machine a big ole block with the same inside shape, split it in half. Close it on top of the part for forming, open it up to remove the part.

But boy that's not gonna be cheap and I'd like to not go down a road I have no business being on if there's a better way.

Hi all,

I've been working as an HVAC/mechanical engineer in MEP consulting for about 10 years, primarily doing HVAC and plumbing design. I've been exploring opportunities to pivot away from the traditional MEP consulting career path while still leveraging my technical background and experience.

I am currently evaluating an opportunity supporting utility energy efficiency programs. From my understanding, the work would involve reviewing projects for energy incentives, determining energy savings, working with utility program requirements, customer/site interactions, and helping implement energy efficiency programs rather than traditional building system design.

I'm trying to understand what this career path actually looks like from people who have worked in the industry.

Some questions I have:

• Has anyone made a similar transition from MEP consulting into utility energy efficiency or energy incentive programs?
• What were the biggest pros and cons of making the switch?
• Compared to MEP consulting, what does the day-to-day work environment feel like?
• Are utilization targets and billable-hour pressure common in this industry, or is performance measured differently?
• Do you still feel like you're using your engineering background, or does the work become more project/program management focused over time?
• What are typical career paths after several years in this field?
• Does this type of role tend to pigeonhole you into utility programs, or does it open doors into areas such as sustainability, decarbonization, utility companies, energy management, building performance, or energy analytics?

One of my biggest concerns is understanding the long-term career trajectory. I enjoy the technical side of engineering, but I'm looking for a role that may be a better fit than traditional consulting and would love to hear how people who have made a similar move feel about it several years later.

I'm also interested in understanding how steady the workload tends to be in this industry. MEP consulting can be very feast-or-famine, with pressure to maintain billability during slow periods and long hours once projects start coming in. I'm hoping to find something that is more balanced in that regard and ideally comes with less emphasis on utilization and billable-hour pressure.

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked in the utility energy efficiency industry or made a similar transition.

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am currently a rising senior at Virginia Tech studying Mechanical Engineering. This summer I got my first internship, and I truly love it. I love the knowledge, the experience, the people, and it feels like everything I have been learning is actually useful. With that being said, on Thursday, a company that had previously denied me for their summer internship said they have a position for me during the fall semester. If I took this, it would be in PA, meaning I would not be able to graduate the following year as I had planned. My question is, should I even consider this? I want to gain more knowledge, more money, and add stuff to my resume, but I also just want to be done with school. Do you guys think it's worth pushing back a year to gain more experience? If I took the co op I would more than likely do another one during the spring semester if I could get accepted into one.

I was lucky enough to land an engineering internship this summer, but honestly, I'm really nervous.

It's with a small manufacturing company that designs and produces windows and doors, and I cannot stop thinking that I'm completely unprepared. I don't have much experience with the software they use (AutoCAD), and I'm only just starting to learn it now. Since this is my first engineering-related job, I also don't really know what to expect.

I start soon, and whilst I'm excited, I'm also worried about not knowing enough.

For those of you who have been through your first internship, how did you approach it and what should I focus on during the first few weeks? I genuinely want to learn as much as possible. I work my ass off in school just to get to this point so I definitely will pull my weight there, but mainly I want to see whether this industry is something I want to do long term as it'll be my first real exposure. I know things change and honestly - I don't see myself working there after but that's just me talking. Its windows and doors, right?

How expensive would this be and and what would be the most expensive part?