any engineering technologists here? oppo off topic.

"unpredictable_swerve" (rockingthe2)
07/24/2014 at 17:58 • Filed to: None

First things first, have an awesome BMW garage (no, not mine)

I want to do rapid prototyping and related work, how do you like your degree field? Any comments and such?

I'm nice, have another sweet attainable garage

DISCUSSION (22)

mrcodydaniel > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 18:01

I'm a systems engineer and mechanical engineer, mostly doing instrumentation and precision work these days. What do you mean by like my degree field?

unpredictable_swerve > mrcodydaniel
07/24/2014 at 18:06

engineering technology, I guess school and classes and such

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 18:09

I'm 2/3 of the way through a mechanical engineering degree. Apart from a bad lecturer causing me to fail one of my exams (almost the entire class failed) it's been pretty good actually. Every module except Math has a practical component which usually involves lab work investigating various things, for example in the materials module we would stress test materials and compare various heat treatments and alloys to see which would support the greater stress. There's also an entire module for the IT and design aspects which involves CAD and CFD which I found pretty engaging. Can be very difficult at times though, I must've done 2-3 times the work of my girlfriend who studies geography.

For Sweden > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 18:11

I'm an engineer, is that close enough?

MTL Engineer in Training > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 18:24

I'm studying Mechanical Engineering. The best advice I can give is never lose sight of your goals. You will have difficult classes, but if you remember why you entered your program, you will succeed.

Racescort666 > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 18:26

Do you have a specific company you'd like to work for? Many companies have their own internal rapid prototyping lab so there are less firms that are dedicated to rapid prototyping. Also, since the machines have gotten cheaper, the capital expenditure can be justified even if the machine sits idle frequently.

That being said, I work in automotive on small projects that occasionally require rapid prototype parts and I enjoy it. IMO, small prototype firms are the way to go because you end up doing a lot of different things and learn a lot along the way. It's usually easier to move around and figure out what you like.

Jayhawk Jake > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 19:12

I'm an engineer.

Honestly, all I can say is if you like it, you'll like it. That doesn't make a lot of sense, but it's true. If you like engineering or the subject matter you work in (e.g. If you like airplanes and are an aerospace engineer), there's a good chance you'll enjoy engineering.

unpredictable_swerve > Racescort666
07/24/2014 at 20:55

Thats pretty much what I would love to do, (automotive, small company or department) however everybody has to start somewhere and I have 0 experience in the field. Its sometimes a who-you-know market and my experience doesn't qualify me for that field.

unpredictable_swerve > For Sweden
07/24/2014 at 20:56

Sort of, I'm not looking to be that math intensive, and I want to be hands on more than design

unpredictable_swerve > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/24/2014 at 20:57

From what I hear, engineering technology is less math intensive, and I will literallY be switching careers as I'm already 2 years into my current job.

unpredictable_swerve > Jayhawk Jake
07/24/2014 at 21:01

Yeah, if there is a company that rapid prototypes parts for military jets and car manufacturing, I will work for peanuts! Well... Enough to support my family, and peanuts for me!

Sean > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 21:03

be careful that you want to be a "technologist". There are consiquences for a technology degree if you ever want to get a professional license. All and all it's not bad, your learn more of a real world approach to the engineering concepts. You don't learn the theory, just applications. The one advantage is your are prepared to hit the ground running when you get a job because you know how to apply the things you learned to real work applications. One draw back is your career will sometimes flat line until you get a license.

I look at it like the old a square can be a rectangle but a rectangle can't be a square. An engineer can be a technologist, but a technologist can't always be an engineer.

All is true for my feild of engineering. I have a bachelors in Civil engineering technology, and masters in structural engineering.

unpredictable_swerve > Sean
07/24/2014 at 21:12

all that and you can't spell field?

OK, all kidding aside, I'm not that great at math, never really was. I can do hands on just fine though, I work in an extremely narrow, technical field that will have exactly one positive when I change careers, however most people will not even care about it. I do understand that without a license many things are not available for me to do, however many of those are in positions I do not want. I want to be the monkey in the shop who designed a part in AutoCAD or Solidworks and printed/milled it out. I don't want to be the guy who designed the thing I want to make the thing for. 'Ya pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

Racescort666 > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 21:18

Who you know can be important. As far as experience goes, small companies want to see that you take initiative. I assume you're in school now? If your school has a 3D printer, learn how to use it. There are tons of open source projects out there. Talk to whoever is responsible for it. It's entirely possible that wherever you end up, they have a 3D printer but no one knows how to use it and by default, you will be the "expert."

mrcodydaniel > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 21:30

Reading other comments, it's tricky to say. If you're an engineer and working for any medium to large company, you will rarely touch the machine shop. If you're an engineer working for a small company, you have to be an excellent engineer and an okay machinist, with lots of ability to source to expert machine shops.

What might be better is to go apprentice at a job shop or local machine shop. The knowledge transfer rate will be steep, but the skills make you invaluable moving forward into the field, and thus easier to end up in the specialty niche you're looking to enter.

You may also consider something on the design side, as design schools are often very hands on with prototyping tools and get to do very specialized one-offs. The skills don't transfer to, say, machining out car parts, but it is a way to get into the prototyping field that I've seen many follow.

unpredictable_swerve > Racescort666
07/24/2014 at 22:00

Nope, I'm in the military, working on getting a degree plan together so I can knock some classes out.

Racescort666 > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 22:08

I see. Well, once you find out about a printer learning how to use it is the best way forward. Look for manufacturing tech classes. Those are always interesting.

Jayhawk Jake > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 22:16

Rapid prototyping is still relatively new, I don't know of any suppliers off hand that specifically does rapid prototyping. Might not be a bad business to get into though.

As far as I know most OEMs do their rapid prototype stuff in house. I actually have some FDM parts at my desk and am getting ready to design another one to be printed soon, but we do it in house.

unpredictable_swerve > Racescort666
07/24/2014 at 22:21

As you said earlier there is a ton of open source available. I do plan on getting some CAD courses down soon.

unpredictable_swerve > Jayhawk Jake
07/24/2014 at 22:23

from what I'm hearing most places prototype in house, looks like I need to make some (more) friends in high places. I do want to work with 5 axis mills and such, which have been around for a minute.

Jayhawk Jake > unpredictable_swerve
07/24/2014 at 22:26

If machining is something you're interested in there are tons of companies that do just that. Not really sure what sort of degree or training you need to work on that though

unpredictable_swerve > Jayhawk Jake
07/24/2014 at 23:10

not just machining, but printing as well, being a machinist is a certified trade, either apprenticeship or a trade school for that. I wanna build things on computers and have them printed and or milled.