Mechanical Design Engineers - what makes you good at your job?
Hello everyone,,
I am a senior Mechanical Engineering student and I will be graduating in May. I have had two internships - one as a Design Engineering Intern and one as a Manufacturing Engineering Intern. I enjoyed both internships very much although my Design skills have never been more than mediocre. I recently received an offer for a position that would require CAD and drafting using CREO, SolidWorks, and CATIA, FEA, and CFD using ANSYS with an Aerospace Company that I am extremely excited to work for. I have began to work on honing in my design skills and plan to practice consistently over the course of the next seven months to try and become the best designer I can be by the time I graduate.
I do have a few questions for those here that work in Mechanical Design and I would really appreciate you taking the time to give me your input!
What industry do you work in?
What is your favorite aspect of being a Design Engineer?
What is your least favorite?
What separates the good Design Engineers from the bad? In a sense- what makes you good at what you do?
Do you keep any books/notes handy with you at your desk that you find yourself referencing often?
What courses from college do you feel your job requires the most knowledge of?
How do you begin designing a part from the ground up? What is your process of conceptualizing a part or component that is needed? (for example - how would you begin to visualize and conceptualize a bracket or a manifold - are you usually given requirements first that your design has to meet?)
What tips can you give a college student looking to become better at CAD software and a better overall Design Engineer?
Please don't feel obligated to answer all of my questions as I appreciate any input or guidance that you can offer. Thank you very much for your time in advance.