Future of Mechanical Engineering
Anil Nair, M.Tech, M.A.Sc.
Abstract
Trends in the scientific and technological world indicate rapid transformations in the scope of mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineers will continue to lead the world in providing significant contributions to the essential sectors including energy & environment, manufacturing, transportation, waste management and health & medical care. Mechanical engineers need to be trained not only in the traditional fundamental areas, but also in the emerging interdisciplinary areas. Nanotechnology, Mechatronics and Hydrogen Engineering will have prominent places in the future development of mechanical engineering as a discipline.
Introduction
The world of engineering is rapidly changing in its content, scope and expectations. Advancement in the engineering tools required for the growth of technological know- how has been catalytic in the recent achievements and the ones to come in the near future. The enthusia associated with this uphill growth is evident in all areas of engineering. Mechanical engineering, being one of the fundamental disciplines in engineering is no different. However, the success of mechanical engineers and our profession depends on how well we can adapt to these changes and thus excel in facing the challenges ahead.
Trends in the world of technology
Energy, Communication and Health are the three broad areas of development today and in the decades to come. Almost all sectors of development can be categorized under these three vast divisions. The areas that can be classified under the broad domain of Energy are power generation, manufacturing, materials, and transportation among others. Similarly, sectors such as information technology, education & training and entertainment come under Communication. The sectors coming under Health are typically medical care, sports, and food. Apart from these broad disciplines, there are many vital areas of interest such as environmental sciences & technologies and safety engineering, which are relevant to all the three broad disciplines alike. New and emerging technologies in any of the sectors need to be consistent with the environmental and safety requirements. The parameters that determine the standard of achievement in any subdivision will be precision, quality & efficiency. Other crucial parameters include economy, reliability and acceptability. Technologies and applications tend to become increasingly automated to maintain these standards and thus survive in the intense competition. To put it in a nutshell, it’s going to be the survival of the fittest in a world of exceptional technologies.
Role of mechanical engineering
How do all these affect the future of mechanical engineering? Mechanical engineering has been one of the fundamental disciplines of engineering and has undergone significant changes to accommodate the emerging trends in the scientific and technological sectors. This resulted in mechanical engineers getting actively involved in interdisciplinary areas such as robotics. We have embraced many technical aspects that were monopolies of other scientific and engineering disciplines and redefined the destiny of them by our dominance in finding the most versatile applications. A typical example is the use of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) in manufacturing. The key areas of development where mechanical engineering is going to play a major role are mentioned below:
Design & Manufacturing: Engineers involved in the design and manufacturing sectors will continue to utilize the benefits of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). The heart of a successful CAD/CAM system will always have a foundation built on the fundamental principles of mechanical engineering. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) techniques are used by companies worldwide. Robotics & Automation are widely used in the automotive and process industries. CIM and robotics are undergoing rapid changes and will continue to do so in the coming decades. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all set to define the future of automation. Finite Element ysis (FEA) of systems is becoming increasingly reliable with custom-made software for costly projects requiring precision. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is vital for industries in the automotive, aerospace and naval sectors. Development in these advanced tools and techniques depend largely on inputs from mechanical engineers. Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality ysis (FMECA) is regarded as a global standard throughout the design review process. In the next few decades, the world of mechanical engineering is going to witness sweeping transformations in CAD/CAM, FEA, CFD and FMECA. Transportation & Environment: Latest trends in the automotive sector points to a “zero emission” concept that is not too far from now. Continued research and development in hybrid technology and new fuel blends require tremendous effort from mechanical engineers. Automotive research and development will boost up in the coming decades. Better propulsion methods and improved combustion technologies are the answers to the concerns of current vehicle technologies. Other sectors that will maintain the fast-paced development include vehicle structural design, manufacturing techniques, control systems and safety engineering. The use of better technologies also contributes a great deal to other forms of transportation like rail, ships and airplanes. The aim of every transportation system in the coming years will be to transport maximum passengers or goods with minimum hardware and time in the safest manner.
Power Generation & Environment: The quest for energy sources will continue in the decades to come. Sustainable development necessitates careful utilization of energy resources in a way that is environmentally benign and economically feasible. Probable developments in the power generation techniques include enhanced use of hydrogen as an energy source, nuclear fusion in controlled condition and energy from waste materials. The fundamental research & development, design & maintenance of energy systems and project management in these sectors need invaluable contribution from mechanical engineers. Mechanical engineering has got the final say in any system meant for mitigation of global warming or prevention of ozone layer depletion. Waste management: This is going to be an all-time issue. Developments in this direction lead to “zero waste” concept in the industrial, commercial and domestic sectors. They also deal with technologies that develop new products with high utility value from waste material. The “zero waste” concept calls for dealing thoroughly with every product right from its concept-level to diantling. This requires use of modern techniques like concurrent engineering in the design and development of products. The area of waste management offers immense opportunities for mechanical engineering.
Health & Medical Care: Research and development in the coming decades will focus more toward a “total health” concept in the health & medical care sector. Advancements in this field require development of precision instruments and other medical equipment. Mechanical engineers have immense opportunities to contribute in this sector. Moreover, fundamental principles of mechanical engineering including thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluid mechanics will find themselves increasingly important in understanding the human body better. Any major development in the medical sector will involve the services of mechanical engineers.
Mechanical engineering education
Education and training for mechanical engineers are important for them to become up-to- date with the emerging trends and innovations in the field. Advances in other disciplines of engineering are also potential cues for mechanical engineers. Mechanical engineering education consists of learning the core areas (fundamental principles), transitional areas (developed over the years and still developing), future areas (emerging and envisioned) and interdisciplinary areas (those related to other disciplines in engineering and which are required to be mastered). Learning mechanical engineering takes place at different levels such as university programs (leading to degrees), career continuing education programs and skills enhancement courses. University level education needs to be focused on the core and transitional areas and should give an insight into the future and interdisciplinary areas. Nevertheless, continuing education and skills enhancement courses need to provide emphasis on the future and interdisciplinary areas while ensuring the knowledge base in the core and transitional areas.
Educational opportunities in mechanical engineering are definitely going to rise in the coming years. A successful planning for providing advanced training should definitely include packages for all kinds of candidates such as full time students, practicing engineers, researchers and managers.
Futuristic Technologies
Nanotechnology is going to be the crux of every engineering discipline. Breakthrough research in this scientific area leads to immense opportunities for betterment of existing areas such as production technology and aerosol science & technology. This is an area where mechanical engineers need to be trained well to face the challenges of the future.
Mechatronics is an area that could witness a giant leap in the coming years. Mechanical engineering is going to benefit from the developments in electronics, photonics and intelligent systems. The direct applications of these technologies in the automation of industries, robotics and manufacturing offer excellent possibilities for mechanical engineers.
Hydrogen engineering is another notable sector in the coming years. The production, storage and use of this “most abundant, yet difficult to handle” element as a potential answer to world’s energy problems requires contribution from mechanical engineers more than anybody else. This area itself could likely branch out as a subspecialty of mechanical engineering just like aerospace engineering, production engineering, industrial engineering or automotive engineering.
Conclusion
The future of mechanical engineering lies not only in the core sectors of energy, manufacturing, transportation and healthcare but also in emerging disciplines like nanotechnology, mechatronics and hydrogen engineering. Thus it is becoming increasingly imperative to further train mechanical engineers in the emerging interdisciplinary areas and recent technologies to meet the future challenges. Mechanical engineering will retain its luster and identity and at the same time enhance its scope and responsibilities in the coming decades to maintain its lead in the world of engineering.
