What Is An Engineer?

[Revoltingest]

Caution.....
This will be one of the least attended threads in RF history.
Even more so than the one about Hitler's pre-war grooming habits.

I was trying to explain simple concepts of how springs behave to my helper recently.
What dawned on me was that not only did he lack basic knowledge, but he had an
even worse impediment, ie, his way of analyzing things was too complicated &
unorganized. It was extremely difficult to get him to set aside things which weren't
related to the problem at hand.

So I told him what the engineer's primary technique is.....
Make things simple enuf so that even an engineer can understand.

Any other engineers, designers, or other creators want to expound on how they work?

 

[BSM1]

My mother's uncle was an engineer. He drove steam engines as well as diesels.

 

[Wu Wei]

What Is An Engineer? If he ain't driving a train, the answer is "boring" so I don't care

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

He's young...he'll grow out of it...or injure himself because he's overthinking, or buying into some theory of ancient astronaut technology...

 

[Skwim]

Q. What Is An Engineer?

I know! I know!

Spoiler: Engineer

​

​

 

[Neo Deist]

A spring is a piece of material (wood, plastic, etc.) that likes to pop back into its designed shape. When compressed and then released, it will snap back into that shape.

Or, a spring is a little underground stream that bubbles up to the surface.

 

[Wu Wei]

By the way, my oldest is currently an engineering major in college.......

 

[Brickjectivity]

I recently watched this -- like about a week ago. If its too complicated for your assistant there are some others on youtube about making springs at home with basic tools. Maybe if you have your helper make a spring for use in something then they'll start to grasp the concept a little better.

 

[Wirey]

Engineering is making physics into art.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

What I've learned from civil engineers I've known and worked with: It's Cooler in the Shade; Water Runs Downhill; Bare Dirt Should have Grass Growing On It; etc.

What I've learned from mechanical and electrical and nuclear engineers I've known and worked with: Any description of any mechanical and/or electrical and/or nuclear system for public consumption should be sufficiently detailed so that another engineer of similar capacity should be able to reconstruct the entire system from the description...that is, it isn't enough to say "A cooling pump broke, so it was necessary to shut the reactor down;" no, it starts out with "The A-series coolant flow was interrupted by a..."

 

[Revoltingest]

What's an engineer?
Engineer is a synonym for nerd!

Almost correct.
Not all nerds are engineers.
Some become actuaries.

Btw, mechanical engineers design weapons.
Civil engineers design targets.

 

[Wu Wei]

Engineering is making physics into art.

Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.....it goes with your rather fashionable pocket protector

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.....it goes with your rather fashionable pocket protector

Physics is to engineering what recipes are to food.

 

[Thief]

Caution.....
This will be one of the least attended threads in RF history.
Even more so than the one about Hitler's pre-war grooming habits.

I was trying to explain simple concepts of how springs behave to my helper recently.
What dawned on me was that not only did he lack basic knowledge, but he had an
even worse impediment, ie, his way of analyzing things was too complicated &
unorganized. It was extremely difficult to get him to set aside things which weren't
related to the problem at hand.

So I told him what the engineer's primary technique is.....
Make things simple enuf so that even an engineer can understand.

Any other engineers, designers, or other creators want to expound on how they work?

omg....

between the lack of high school education and employment demand for more of the same.......college.....
this country is swamped with very well educated idiots

I work with several

I could steal this thread for my own and tell you stories to make you gasp.....shake in fear.....and cry

and I could be talking about your kid

 

[Wu Wei]

Physics is to engineering what recipes are to food.

You are in deep deep denial aren't you

 

[freethinker44]

An engineer is someone who thinks up new, creative ways to make simple, routine maintenance more difficult.

 

[Thief]

naw....the engineer is the guy that says.....
We've been doing it this way for years!

and the product looks like crap and the customers are pissed.....

and when they DO redesign.....IT'S WORSE!

 

[Revoltingest]

An engineer is someone who thinks up new, creative ways to make simple, routine maintenance more difficult.

That would be a poor engineer.
I worked as a mechanic & machinist before engine school.
I appreciate serviceability, & designed everything with that in mind.

 

[Revoltingest]

naw....the engineer is the guy that says.....
We've been doing it this way for years!

and the product looks like crap and the customers are pissed.....

and when they DO redesign.....IT'S WORSE!

If you make it worse, then this creates even more opportunity to make it better.

The best products are the ones you don't think about.
Consider the lowly refrigerator.
In any home, for any model of any brand of any age,
you walk up to it & you instantly know what to do.
They'll usually work flawlessly for a good decade
without any maintenance.

At GM Truck & Bus I designed a very complex air
brake control system. Installing the conventional system
on a truck was like brain surgery. Installing mine was like
getting a cold one from the fridge.

 

[Revoltingest]

You are in deep deep denial aren't you

I'm in deep smokey debris today.