physics

Mechanical engineering technology

Mechanical engineering technology is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mechanical engineering technology rather than just read about it. In short: Mechanical engineering technology is the application of engineering principles and technological developments for the creation of useful products and production machinery. Technologists Mechanical engineering technologists are expected to apply current technologies and principles from machine and product design, production and material and manufacturing processes.

Key takeaways

Mechanical engineering technology belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Mechanical engineering technology to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Mechanical engineering technology from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mechanical engineering technology is the application of engineering principles and technological developments for the creation of useful products and production machinery.

Technologists Mechanical engineering technologists are expected to apply current technologies and principles from machine and product design, production and material and manufacturing processes. Expandable specialties may include aerospace, automotive, energy, nuclear, petroleum, manufacturing, product development, and industrial design. Mechanical engineering technologists can have many different titles, including in the United States:

Mechanical Engineering Technologist Mechanical Engineer Product Engineering Technologist Mechanical Designer Product Development Engineering Technologist Manufacturing Engineering Technologist

Training Mechanical Engineering Technology coursework is less theoretical, and more application based than a mechanical engineering degree. This is evident through the additional laboratory coursework required for a degree. The ability to apply concepts from the chemical engineering and electrical engineering fields is important. Some university Mechanical Engineering Technology degree programs require mathematics through differential equations and statistics. Most courses involve algebra and calculus. Oftentimes, a MET graduate could get hired as an engineer; job titles may include Mechanical Engineer and Manufacturing Engineer. In the U.S. it is possible to get an associate or bachelor's degree. Individuals with a bachelor's degree in engineering technology may continue on to complete the E.I.T. (Engineer in Training) examination to eventually become Professional Engineers if the program is ABET accredited.

Applications Software tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are often used to analyze parts and assemblies. 3D models can be made to represent parts and assemblies with computer-aided design (CAD) software. Through the application of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), models may also be used directly by software to create "instructions" for the manufacture of objects represented by the models, through computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining or other automated processes.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mechanical engineering technology

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mechanical engineering technology claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mechanical engineering technology before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mechanical engineering technology ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mechanical engineering technology

In research: Mechanical engineering technology appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mechanical engineering technology in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mechanical engineering technology is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Industrial design, Mechanical designers, Mechanical engineering, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mechanical engineering technology outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mechanical engineering technology in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Mechanical engineering technology means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Mechanical engineering technology out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mechanical engineering technology in simple terms?

Mechanical engineering technology is the application of engineering principles and technological developments for the creation of useful products and production machinery. Technologists Mechanical engineering technologists are expected to apply current technologies and principles from machine and p…

Why does Mechanical engineering technology matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mechanical engineering technology?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mechanical engineering technology.