Mechanical Engineering vs Electrical/Electronic Engineering

[Cy-Fy]

Hello guys, soon I'll have to start deciding what career I want to do. Let me explain:

 

I must say that I have always felt attracted to mechanical engineering because they actually get to make stuff and it is hands on stuff in order to build a product (or that's what I thought anyway )

 

The problem is that I've done A LOT of research and have actually realized that mechanical engineers will most likely end up working in an office job simply making 3D drawings or giving consultancy. And that, to me, is way too boring.

 

So lately I have tried to make up my mind but with no success. So at the same time I was watching Iron Man and realized that (please don't laugh) my inspiration really is Tony Stark. I have always tried to explain to my friend what career I wanna study or what type of job I wanna have and Tony Stark really is the best description I could give. He is a guy that is very knowledgeable and is always working to create or invent something that will ultimately help others. However I have also noticed that Electrical/Electronic engineering is a big part of this type of job and of any modern job so I don't really know what career I should study in order to become who I wanna be and enjoy my job. I have also heard about Mechatronics Engineering which sounds like a good combination of the stuff I may like, the only problem is that it can be vague and therefore I will have small understanding of several fields but no in-depth knowledge of any of them.

 

Please, I know that this sounds childish and rather stupid to be focused on becoming like a fictional character. But I have to say that right now I have no idea of what will be best for me and that is why I am asking for your help and advice. (BTW I also know that the "job" that Tony Stark has is IMPOSSIBLE today, my aim is not to become like him but to be able to enjoy my job and be able to invent things in the same way that he does)

 

Thanks very much for your advice Hopefully someone will take this seriously.

[MrSuperb]

The problem is that I've done A LOT of research and have actually realized that mechanical engineers will most likely end up working in an office job simply making 3D drawings or giving consultancy. And that, to me, is way too boring.

And most electrical engineers will end up in such a position as well ...

Don't focus too much on what you will do after you have your degree.

[Cy-Fy]

If you wanna find out what to do go do it. You will not be able to "just figure it out". Try to get as much information as possible from colleges etc. beforehand.

mmm well I think I know what you mean but what would you suggest I do? I mean I've done a lot of research on the courses of different colleges and universities already

 

And most electrical engineers will end up in such a position as well ...

Don't focus too much on what you will do after you have your degree.

Yeah thanks, but, I mean, isn't it important to start thinking about opportunities in the future and job prospects? 

[mansoor_]

You gave a very dull impression of the potential jobs a mechanical engineer could have.

Electrical engineering will not be wildly different. 

 

Find a University you would want to go to and find their course structure for both of those engineering fields.

Learn a little about the unique subject that appear on either course and see which ones you enjoy more.

A slight warning, some universities treat electrical engineering as only electrical, electronics, circuits and communications and other universities as general engineering with a focus on electrical. In the later case the distinction between mechanical and electrical engineering is not so vast. 

 

Neither is easy, IMHO if you would like to have the greater scope of learning go for mechanical, this will leave you the option of specializing later on to any field of engineering from aerospace to material engineering.  

[Cy-Fy]

You gave a very dull impression of the potential jobs a mechanical engineer could have.

Electrical engineering will not be wildly different. 

 

Find a University you would want to go to and find their course structure for both of those engineering fields.

Learn a little about the unique subject that appear on either course and see which ones you enjoy more.

A slight warning, some universities treat electrical engineering as only electrical, electronics, circuits and communications and other universities as general engineering with a focus on electrical. In the later case the distinction between mechanical and electrical engineering is not so vast. 

 

Neither is easy, IMHO if you would like to have the greater scope of learning go for mechanical, this will leave you the option of specializing later on to any field of engineering from aerospace to material engineering.  

Thanks very much man, I now those jobs I said are probably the worst jobs but they are also the most common I think. Thanks for the advice, I' ll do just that and see how it goes. I have another question: Is it possible to take an undergraduate degree on Mechanical Engineering and then do something related to electronics, like mechatronics, as a postgraduate degree?

[infamous_last]

What you do in you job will vary wildly depending on your employer and your skills regardless of field.

Some will have you out of office 95% percent of the time, others will have you in the office 100% of the time.

You're probably more likely to get more 'out of office' time (even if it's on a workshop floor) as a mech engineer.

 

Go with the field that interests you or that you think you can do well in and work yourself towards an employer that offers a job style you want.

 

p.s. if you think making 3D drawings is boring (I personally love it), you will have a shock when you realize how much documentation + calculations suck.

[mansoor_]

Thanks very much man, I now those jobs I said are probably the worst jobs but they are also the most common I think. Thanks for the advice, I' ll do just that and see how it goes. I have another question: Is it possible to take an undergraduate degree on Mechanical Engineering and then do something related to electronics, like mechatronics, as a postgraduate degree?

Some of my friends have taken this route,

Beng in mech eng and Masters in fluid dynamics ...etc

[Cy-Fy]

What you do in you job will vary wildly depending on your employer and your skills regardless of field.

Some will have you out of office 95% percent of the time, others will have you in the office 100% of the time.

You're probably more likely to get more 'out of office' time (even if it's on a workshop floor) as a mech engineer.

 

Go with the field that interests you or that you think you can do well in and work yourself towards an employer that offers a job style you want.

 

p.s. if you think making 3D drawings is boring (I personally love it), you will have a shock when you realize how much documentation + calculations suck.

Thanks very much for the advice, hehehe I hope I start to lie 3D drawings then haha

 

Some of my friends have taken this route,

Beng in mech eng and Masters in fluid dynamics ...etc

Yeah thanks, although would that example you gave me even be possible? Because I thought you did fluid mechanics as part of your mech engineering course, but I'm not sure.

[Real_PhillBert]

Mechanical Engineer checking in.

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but most engineers of any type will spend a significant amount of time behind a desk. The good news is that behind a desk is where 99% of the innovation is actually done, there really isnt much of the tony stark style invention and innovation as it is often portrayed in movies.

 

I find it interesting that you are looking at Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering at the same time, usually these are two very different types of people. Neither is necessarily better than the other but Mechanical engineers tend to be much more, well, mechanical. While EE's (Electrical Engineers) tend to be much less mechanical. Plus ME's are much cooler than EE's...

 

I would encourage you to go to a university you are considering and get tours of both departments, one will probably strike a cord with you and get you more excited. Although its possible that neither is right for you. In my ME class we had a 80% drop out rate, and I know the EE program had closer to 85%, these are not easy courses of study, most people who enter in EE or ME will end up in Manufacturing Engineering or Civil Engineering because of the easier course work. This may vary from campus to campus, but be prepared to do a ton of work either way.

 

If you have any more specific questions I would be glad to give you a bit more of an idea on what engineers do in a normal day. 

[Jacona]

Yeah I'm currently a rising sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering and even freshmen year was somewhat tough, manage to get a good amount of A's in the core classes somehow. 

A friend of mine had one of his roommate completely failed out of the college and one failing to meet the requirement for the engineering curriculum. 

I'm somewhat lazy but I've always get things done when the time comes, so yeah prepare yourself with a shotgun blast to the face with STEM class either way. 

 

I choose mechanical due to my mentor in my high school robotics club and because mechanical is a bit broader and more "diverse" in my opinion, but I could be dead wrong. 

[Real_PhillBert]

I choose mechanical due to my mentor in my high school robotics club and because mechanical is a bit broader and more "diverse" in my opinion, but I could be dead wrong. 

 

This is absolutely true. A family friend of mine graduated a year before I started with an Aeronautical Engineering degree, but it was too specific and he couldn't find a job. A mechanical Engineer can do an AE's job, but an AE cannot necessarily do an ME's job

[Cy-Fy]

Mechanical Engineer checking in.

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but most engineers of any type will spend a significant amount of time behind a desk. The good news is that behind a desk is where 99% of the innovation is actually done, there really isnt much of the tony stark style invention and innovation as it is often portrayed in movies.

 

I find it interesting that you are looking at Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering at the same time, usually these are two very different types of people. Neither is necessarily better than the other but Mechanical engineers tend to be much more, well, mechanical. While EE's (Electrical Engineers) tend to be much less mechanical. Plus ME's are much cooler than EE's...

 

I would encourage you to go to a university you are considering and get tours of both departments, one will probably strike a cord with you and get you more excited. Although its possible that neither is right for you. In my ME class we had a 80% drop out rate, and I know the EE program had closer to 85%, these are not easy courses of study, most people who enter in EE or ME will end up in Manufacturing Engineering or Civil Engineering because of the easier course work. This may vary from campus to campus, but be prepared to do a ton of work either way.

 

If you have any more specific questions I would be glad to give you a bit more of an idea on what engineers do in a normal day. 

Hey man thanks very much, it's good to hear about personal experience! I really like what you said and found it very helpful. hehehe I know those courses are hard but i'm prepared for it (maybe I'm not but I always get everything done right no matter how hard it is). There is an open day in a university near me happening soon so I will go there and see what I think about the courses (although I must say mechanical has always been my first option in my mind but I enjoyed electronics last year at school too so we'll see what happens )

 

If you don't mind, could you tell me a little bit about what a mechanical engineer does in a day to day basis? hearing a bit from personal experience again would also be very appreciated oh and please be as honest as you can, if some part of the work is boring or not that "enjoyable" I definitely want to know about it. Thanks very much again.

 

Yeah I'm currently a rising sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering and even freshmen year was somewhat tough, manage to get a good amount of A's in the core classes somehow. 

A friend of mine had one of his roommate completely failed out of the college and one failing to meet the requirement for the engineering curriculum. 

I'm somewhat lazy but I've always get things done when the time comes, so yeah prepare yourself with a shotgun blast to the face with STEM class either way. 

 

I choose mechanical due to my mentor in my high school robotics club and because mechanical is a bit broader and more "diverse" in my opinion, but I could be dead wrong. 

Hey man thanks very much for your reply. I am that bit closer to choosing mechanical after reading this (and ding a lot more research as well of course ). You mentioned that you went to a robotics club in high school, how have you found mechanical engineering in respect to robotics? Is robotics an important part of the mechanical engineering course? I mean, I am also a little interested in robotics and I would like to know how much of it is done in a mechanical engineering course (because tbh I thought robotics was only taught in electrical engineering). I now this probably depends on the university but I would still appreciate your opinion anyway. Thanks very much again

 

This is absolutely true. A family friend of mine graduated a year before I started with an Aeronautical Engineering degree, but it was too specific and he couldn't find a job. A mechanical Engineer can do an AE's job, but an AE cannot necessarily do an ME's job

That is also very helpful man. I hadn't thought about it in that way  :lol:

[Real_PhillBert]

Hey man thanks very much, it's good to hear about personal experience! I really like what you said and found it very helpful. hehehe I know those courses are hard but i'm prepared for it (maybe I'm not but I always get everything done right no matter how hard it is). There is an open day in a university near me happening soon so I will go there and see what I think about the courses (although I must say mechanical has always been my first option in my mind but I enjoyed electronics last year at school too so we'll see what happens )

 

If you don't mind, could you tell me a little bit about what a mechanical engineer does in a day to day basis? hearing a bit from personal experience again would also be very appreciated oh and please be as honest as you can, if some part of the work is boring or not that "enjoyable" I definitely want to know about it. Thanks very much again.

 

Hey man thanks very much for your reply. I am that bit closer to choosing mechanical after reading this (and ding a lot more research as well of course ). You mentioned that you went to a robotics club in high school, how have you found mechanical engineering in respect to robotics? Is robotics an important part of the mechanical engineering course? I mean, I am also a little interested in robotics and I would like to know how much of it is done in a mechanical engineering course (because tbh I thought robotics was only taught in electrical engineering). I now this probably depends on the university but I would still appreciate your opinion anyway. Thanks very much again

 

That is also very helpful man. I hadn't thought about it in that way  :lol:

 

I work for an agricultural equipment manufacturer, so some of this will be different if you are working for a car company or a window company, but I will give you what I can.

 

Your day to day duties will vary from company to company. Generally the larger the engineering staff the less engineering freedom you will have, and conversely the smaller the staff the more freedom you will have. I bet I spend 90% of my time at my desk, but probably only 50% of that time in CAD or analysis software. Documentation is a really really big deal that I have found is a bit overlooked at most universities. Because you will very rarely start designing a new product from the ground, the vast majority of your time is spent working with CI (continuous improvement) on products that are already on the market. But it is very important that when you are making changes they be documented properly. 

 

The way that pretty much everyone does this is with an EO (engineering order) or ECO (engineering change order). These are just paper trails that you will leave as you work on anything. I probably spend 50% of my time just doing this. I am not a huge fan of it, but you asked for the nitty gritty, and every single engineer has to follow some type of documentation procedure for any changes. 

 

Also you will almost certainly get rather frustrated at some point with the politics of a company that manufactures anything. On more than one occasion I have heard stories about an engineering dept being forced to turn away from a better design because some higher up doesn't like how it looks, or thinks he knows better. This is not uncommon. People will want to get into your business because they all know better. Sometimes they really do, but other times you just want to punch them. Don't punch them.

 

Meetings can suck and can be boring but its a good way to get information from more experienced engineers and learn. 

 

Personally I really like CAD modeling and analysis. Its probably some of my favorite things to do at my job. The level of modeling and analysis you do varies greatly from company to company too though. Some large companies have entire groups of engineers that handle all of the mathematical analysis of the designs made by other engineers, other companies, you will have to do your own analysis on your designs. 

 

A pro tip, once you are out of college (or at an internship for that matter) spend a bit of time each day in the shop or production area. Get to know the guys who are actually building the products. More often than not these guys have a very good idea of what works well on the product and what can be improved, and showing a little interest in their thoughts can go a long way in reducing the segregation between office employees and shop employees. In most places the engineers are often put down by the shop guys, because they feel like the engineers don't want to hear what they have to say. Breaking that down is a really big deal and will buy you at very large boat load of respect from both shop guys and office employees.

 

I would really really really encourage you to call up the universities you are looking at and arrange a tour of both the ME and EE departments. Sit down and talk with the professors a little and you will likely get the warm fuzzies from one of the groups. that's where you should go.

 

Once you are there, join student organizations. I was president of the NDSU chapter of SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) for two years and am still a professional adviser for the group. Most student orgs are pretty dumb and dont do a whole lot, but on most campuses there are robotics teams and SAE chapters. Both of these groups are a big deal. I know for a fact that I got my job because of my involvement in SAE, and I was even approached by several employers who sponsored SAE looking for recommended students to hire. Plus SAE lets you build a race car on someone else's dime, your likely never going to get another chance to do that.

 

I'm sure there is more I could say but I cant think of it. If you have more questions or want more clarification on anything at all in the engineering sector I will be happy to answer. 

 

Good luck! College was a ton of fun, take advantage of it.

[Boxrocket]

Both mechanical and electrical engineering fields will be great.  Pick the one you will be the happiest with.  Don't say they will be boring, you will be constantly learning both fields until the day you die.  I am studying to be a Mechanical Engineer and also working full time at an Oil/Gas Engineering Firm. Depending on the project, mechanical engineers will collaborate with many electrical engineers working together on various topics.  You can always become a psychology major if you decide engineering is not for you.  

[Cy-Fy]

I work for an agricultural equipment manufacturer, so some of this will be different if you are working for a car company or a window company, but I will give you what I can.

 

Your day to day duties will vary from company to company. Generally the larger the engineering staff the less engineering freedom you will have, and conversely the smaller the staff the more freedom you will have. I bet I spend 90% of my time at my desk, but probably only 50% of that time in CAD or analysis software. Documentation is a really really big deal that I have found is a bit overlooked at most universities. Because you will very rarely start designing a new product from the ground, the vast majority of your time is spent working with CI (continuous improvement) on products that are already on the market. But it is very important that when you are making changes they be documented properly. 

 

The way that pretty much everyone does this is with an EO (engineering order) or ECO (engineering change order). These are just paper trails that you will leave as you work on anything. I probably spend 50% of my time just doing this. I am not a huge fan of it, but you asked for the nitty gritty, and every single engineer has to follow some type of documentation procedure for any changes. 

 

Also you will almost certainly get rather frustrated at some point with the politics of a company that manufactures anything. On more than one occasion I have heard stories about an engineering dept being forced to turn away from a better design because some higher up doesn't like how it looks, or thinks he knows better. This is not uncommon. People will want to get into your business because they all know better. Sometimes they really do, but other times you just want to punch them. Don't punch them.

 

Meetings can suck and can be boring but its a good way to get information from more experienced engineers and learn. 

 

Personally I really like CAD modeling and analysis. Its probably some of my favorite things to do at my job. The level of modeling and analysis you do varies greatly from company to company too though. Some large companies have entire groups of engineers that handle all of the mathematical analysis of the designs made by other engineers, other companies, you will have to do your own analysis on your designs. 

 

A pro tip, once you are out of college (or at an internship for that matter) spend a bit of time each day in the shop or production area. Get to know the guys who are actually building the products. More often than not these guys have a very good idea of what works well on the product and what can be improved, and showing a little interest in their thoughts can go a long way in reducing the segregation between office employees and shop employees. In most places the engineers are often put down by the shop guys, because they feel like the engineers don't want to hear what they have to say. Breaking that down is a really big deal and will buy you at very large boat load of respect from both shop guys and office employees.

 

I would really really really encourage you to call up the universities you are looking at and arrange a tour of both the ME and EE departments. Sit down and talk with the professors a little and you will likely get the warm fuzzies from one of the groups. that's where you should go.

 

Once you are there, join student organizations. I was president of the NDSU chapter of SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) for two years and am still a professional adviser for the group. Most student orgs are pretty dumb and dont do a whole lot, but on most campuses there are robotics teams and SAE chapters. Both of these groups are a big deal. I know for a fact that I got my job because of my involvement in SAE, and I was even approached by several employers who sponsored SAE looking for recommended students to hire. Plus SAE lets you build a race car on someone else's dime, your likely never going to get another chance to do that.

 

I'm sure there is more I could say but I cant think of it. If you have more questions or want more clarification on anything at all in the engineering sector I will be happy to answer. 

 

Good luck! College was a ton of fun, take advantage of it.

Thanks very much again for the super detailed reply, I really appreciate it and it really is helpful. I really will use all the advise you have given me and if there is anything I can't find the answer to I will make sure to contact you. I will make sure I call the universities and I will see how the departments are and which one seems more appealing to me. Thanks a lot :lol: just one more / last question: Do you sometimes regret at all studying and working in mechanical engineering? It is an important decision so I wanna make sure I get it right .

 

Both mechanical and electrical engineering fields will be great.  Pick the one you will be the happiest with.  Don't say they will be boring, you will be constantly learning both fields until the day you die.  I am studying to be a Mechanical Engineer and also working full time at an Oil/Gas Engineering Firm. Depending on the project, mechanical engineers will collaborate with many electrical engineers working together on various topics.  You can always become a psychology major if you decide engineering is not for you.  

Hahaha thans very much for the help man, again it's good to hear from personal experience! I think I am almost decided to go for mech. But as @Real_PhillBert said, I will visit the departments at the universities and see which one attracts me the most 

[Real_PhillBert]

Thanks very much again for the super detailed reply, I really appreciate it and it really is helpful. I really will use all the advise you have given me and if there is anything I can't find the answer to I will make sure to contact you. I will make sure I call the universities and I will see how the departments are and which one seems more appealing to me. Thanks a lot :lol: just one more / last question: Do you sometimes regret at all studying and working in mechanical engineering? It is an important decision so I wanna make sure I get it right .

 

Hahaha thans very much for the help man, again it's good to hear from personal experience! I think I am almost decided to go for mech. But as @Real_PhillBert said, I will visit the departments at the universities and see which one attracts me the most 

 

I have never regretted it, but I do know a person who (for some weird reason) thought it would be much more hands on and is not particularly enjoying being behind a desk much of the time.

 

Good luck!

[Jacona]

 

Hey man thanks very much for your reply. I am that bit closer to choosing mechanical after reading this (and ding a lot more research as well of course ). You mentioned that you went to a robotics club in high school, how have you found mechanical engineering in respect to robotics? Is robotics an important part of the mechanical engineering course? I mean, I am also a little interested in robotics and I would like to know how much of it is done in a mechanical engineering course (because tbh I thought robotics was only taught in electrical engineering). I now this probably depends on the university but I would still appreciate your opinion anyway. Thanks very much again

Well I learned how to work with and communicate with people better through the robotics club.

I did learn a lot on how to use tools and such and have become somewhat mechanically inclined over the years. I manly helped build the structural part of the robot as well as any of the robot's end effectors, then the computer/electrical guys wires everything up to the controller and gets it working. The planning involved for building the robot is very important and have developed a sense of it, HOWEVER since we were just high school students we often just "wing it" which professionals should never do. 

 

So formally (all the technical stuff, the physics and math) not a lot from what I learned from the robotics club that I went to helped, however informally (developing skills and work habit) it helped me create an idea on how a career in engineering will pan out in the real world. 

[Cy-Fy]

I have never regretted it, but I do know a person who (for some weird reason) thought it would be much more hands on and is not particularly enjoying being behind a desk much of the time.

Good luck!

yeah tbh I thought it was going to be much more hands on when I first started looking at it but now I think I understand that your are often not employed for your ability to make stuff but for your ability to think. The thing is that I don't want to be unhappy with any job I get as a Mechanical/Electrical Engineer (I hopefully won't be) Thanks again man

[Cy-Fy]

Well I learned how to work with and communicate with people better through the robotics club.

I did learn a lot on how to use tools and such and have become somewhat mechanically inclined over the years. I manly helped build the structural part of the robot as well as any of the robot's end effectors, then the computer/electrical guys wires everything up to the controller and gets it working. The planning involved for building the robot is very important and have developed a sense of it, HOWEVER since we were just high school students we often just "wing it" which professionals should never do.

So formally (all the technical stuff, the physics and math) not a lot from what I learned from the robotics club that I went to helped, however informally (developing skills and work habit) it helped me create an idea on how a career in engineering will pan out in the real world.

hi thanks for the reply! What you said, specially in the last paragraph, I found really useful, thanks

[MetEishYa]

Plus ME's are much cooler than EE's...

 

As a mechanical engineer i agree

[Cy-Fy]

As a mechanical engineer i agree

hahahaha cool man! Would it be possible if you could tell us just a little bit of what you do as a mechanical engineer? I would really appreciate it

[MetEishYa]

hahahaha cool man! Would it be possible if you could tell us just a little bit of what you do as a mechanical engineer? I would really appreciate it

My Position is a product production engineer working at a company that designs and builds heavy armoured vehicles (One of our products is the Marauder that was on Top Gear).

I've haven't been working here for very long yet, only been working here a month so far.

My department that I work in does mostly documentation on exactly how everything must be assembled on the vehicles. From how to connect up the electrical system to the labels on the vehicle. Any changes to the design must go thought us before it can be release to assembly.

We have some hands on experiences especially when the first of the line is being built. We need to make sure the design works.

A lot of engineers here work mostly on CAD and in most industries is the norm. New inventing is a small part of design and not very common. A lot of the products are of the shelve products made by other companies and modded to work for our tasks or old designs. 

 

I like my job it something that i find interests and therefore enjoy it.

[Cy-Fy]

My Position is a product production engineer working at a company that designs and builds heavy armoured vehicles (One of our products is the Marauder that was on Top Gear).

I've haven't been working here for very long yet, only been working here a month so far.

My department that I work in does mostly documentation on exactly how everything must be assembled on the vehicles. From how to connect up the electrical system to the labels on the vehicle. Any changes to the design must go thought us before it can be release to assembly.

We have some hands on experiences especially when the first of the line is being built. We need to make sure the design works.

A lot of engineers here work mostly on CAD and in most industries is the norm. New inventing is a small part of design and not very common. A lot of the products are of the shelve products made by other companies and modded to work for our tasks or old designs. 

 

I like my job it something that i find interests and therefore enjoy it.

Thanks very much for the reply man it really is very helpful, I'm glad that you like your job and your overall career! :lol: Did you do any electronics at university as part of the mechanical engineering course?

[MetEishYa]

Thanks very much for the reply man it really is very helpful, I'm glad that you like your job and your overall career! :lol: Did you do any electronics at university as part of the mechanical engineering course?

Yeah did a coarse in electronics in first and second year.

[Cy-Fy]

Yeah did a coarse in electronics in first and second year.

Awesome thanks!