Engineers are involved in the design, evaluation, development, testing, modification, inspection and maintenance of a wide range of products, structures and systems.It covers everything from recommending materials and processes, overseeing production and construction processes and conducting failure analysis and investigation, providing consulting services and teaching engineering to students and trainers.
Types
There are different types of engineering, which are often divided into areas in which the engineer operates. For example, engineers working in the oil and gas industry may be petroleum engineers, while those working in agricultural applications may be called agricultural engineers.
Although there are some areas of traditional engineering such as mechanical and civil engineering, other engineering fields require different specializations to complement each other. So, for example, a civil engineer may need an understanding of structural engineering or an aerospace engineer may also need to understand aspects of electrical or computer engineering.
This type of engineering is commonly referred to as intermediate engineering and includes manufacturing engineering, acoustic engineering, corrosion engineering, aerospace, automotive, computer, textile, geography, materials and nuclear engineering. All of these engineering areas are located in engineering departments represented by 36 member companies licensed by the UK Engineering Council.
Here are some traditional and most common intermediate engineering disciplines:
1. Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineers are engaged in the design, manufacture, inspection and maintenance of machinery, equipment and vehicles, machinery, aerospace, weapons systems, robotics, turbines, construction and farm machinery, as well as a wide range of tools and equipment.This type of engineering deals with the management of control systems and tools to measure the performance and condition of machines.
2. Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineers work on the design, testing, manufacture, construction, control, monitoring and inspection of electrical and electronic devices, components, machines and systems. These range in size from the smallest microchips to large transmission and power generation systems. This includes everything from broadcast engineering to electromagnetic devices, computer systems, telecommunications and more.
3. Civil Engineering
Civil engineers are involved in the design, construction, maintenance and inspection of large civil infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, bridges, tunnels and dams.
Working on both public and private projects, civil engineers traditionally work in sub-disciplines such as environmental engineering, structural engineering or surveying.
As mentioned above, civil engineering was originally created to differentiate it from military engineering.
4. Aerospace Engineering
As a specialised branch of mechanical and electrical engineering, aerospace engineering focuses on the design, manufacture and testing of aircraft and spacecraft, including all parts and components. Covering everything from vehicle aerodynamics and efficiencies to electrical control and navigation systems, much of the expertise is also used for other vehicles, such as cars.
5. Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear engineers work on the design, manufacture, construction, operation, and testing of the equipment, systems and processes for the production and control of nuclear power. From nuclear power plant reactors to particle accelerators, nuclear engineers also work on factors such as monitoring and the storage of nuclear waste in order to protect people from potentially harmful situations.
6. Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineers are concerned with the design of systems, equipment and devices for use in healthcare and medicine. By working with medical specialists such as doctors, therapists and researchers, biomedical engineers are able to meet the requirements of healthcare professionals.
7. Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineers use physics, chemistry, biology and engineering principles for the design of equipment, systems and processes for refining raw materials for mixing, compounding and processing chemicals for a variety of products. Carrying out processes on a commercial scale, chemical engineers are involved in processes ranging from petroleum refining to fermentation and the production of biomolecules.
8. Computer Engineering
Computer engineers design computer hardware, systems, networks and software. Computer engineering combines other disciplines, such as electrical engineering and computer science, as well as software engineering and design.
9. Industrial Engineering
Industrial engineers design and optimise facilities, equipment and systems for manufacturing, materials processing and other industrial applications.
10. Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers are concerned with the prevention, removal and elimination of sources of pollution that affect the environment. Measuring pollution levels, determining sources of pollution and cleaning up polluted areas, these engineers need to work in compliance with government regulations.
11. Marine Engineering
Marine engineering is related to any engineering tasks on or near the oceans. This includes design and development for shipping, submarines, oil rigs, on-board, harbours, plants and more. This specialised area of engineering combines other types of engineering, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and programming.
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