Before You Begin Think about these questions as you study the concepts in this chapter:

Transcription

1 Before You Begin Think about these questions as you study the concepts in this chapter: What is engineering? What is the difference between an engineer and an engineering technologist? Is there a difference between science and technology? Are innovation and invention the same thing? Why is the engineering profession important to our country's economic competitiveness and our standard of Living? What career fields are available in engineering? What high school courses are available to Learn more about engineering?

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3 \ I FIGURE 1-2 Astronaut Neil A Armstrong, Apollo 11 mission commander of the Lunar Module Eagle, became the first human being to step on to the lunar surface, July 21, Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had to overcome many technical challenges to meet President Kennedy's important goal. To do so, they carefully planned, designed, and tested many projects. Each project brought them one step closer to their goal, until they were finally successful. After Apollo 11, astronauts flew six more missions to the moon, returning home safely. every time. Engineers doing research for the space program also provided the world with many new products and innovations. Consumer products that use miniature electronics, smoke detectors for your home, polarized sunglasses, TV broadcast by satellite around the world, and battery-powered tools are all "spin-offs" of the space program. 4 1: Engineering and Technology

4 SECTION 1: WHAT IS ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY? You have probably heard the terms engineer, engineering, and technology many times before. They are an important part of our modern society. Many people use the terms interchangeably, but they really have very different meanings. Engineering professionals design solutions to problems to make people's lives better. The engineering profession includes many types of careers (see Section 3). In this text, you will read about real engineers who work in different types of jobs and use their valuable skills to benefit society. Who Is an Engineer? An engineer (used as a noun) is a person who designs products, structures, or systems to improve people's lives. You use many of these products every day, like video games, skateboards, MP3 players, and cell phones. And you see engineered structures all around you, like buildings, bridges, and highways. Just look around your classroom. Tables, chairs, computers, DVD players, monitors, whiteboards, light circuits, and heating and air conditioning systems are all examples of the products, structures, and systems that engineers design (Figure 1-3)..I t f \ \ engineer An engineer is a person who designs products, structures, or systems to improve people's lives. FIGURE 1-3 Products like the Apple iphone were designed by engineers. C h a p t r 1 : E n g i n e rl n g a n d To c h n o 1 o g \, 5

5 Mathematics is the "Language" of engineering and technology. The development of mathematics in earlier civilizations allowed people to build Larger, more complex structures Like cathedrals. Today, mathematics forms the backbone of engineering. The Language of math can dmcribe objects in great detail. Engineers can also use mathematical models to test designs without ever actually building the object. The eyeglasses or contact lenses you or some of your classmates may be wearing were also designed by an engineer. And look at the many different styles of shoes! All of these products were probably designed by an engineer. Engineers make very precise drawings and models of products. Engineers work together in teams. Learning to work well with others is important because teamwork makes a project successful, especially as engineering designs get more complex. Engineers use mathematical and scientific principles to design solutions to meet human needs and wants. Engineers design, plan, and often oversee the manufacture of products. But they don't stop at designing the products; engineers also create the machines that make the products. Engineers design and oversee the building of roads, mass transit systems, buildings, and other structures. They design the electrical, plumbing, and heating and air condi I FIGURE 1-~ Engineers design ways to harness clean, renewable energy sources like these wind turbines near Albuquerque, New Mexico. tioning systems for buildings. They also design vehicles for sea, land, air, and space. This includes ways to move not only people and products, but also raw materials like water, oil, and natural gas. Engineers also plan how to harness energy resources to create power to do work for us. Engineers are always studying better ways to convert sunlight, wind, water, coal, oil, and even geothermal steam into power we can use. Engineers seek to improve the quality of our lives and to protect the environment (Figure 1-4). 6 Chapter 1: Engineering and Technology

6 FIGURE 1-5 This picture is an example of a CAD drawing. \,o-, \ :~ : : I --- I I. /, r-_~---~ ~-~-~-~-~ FIGURE 1-6 This CAD drawing shows how the final product is made up of multiple parts. '' Chapter 1: Engineering and Technology 7 ~.

7 FIGURE 1-7 Engineers are designing nanotechnology robots so II be able to travel in your bloodstream. Someday, a s might be used to inject medicine into a single cell engineering Engineering is the process of designing solutions. engineering technologist An engineering technologist is a person who works in a field closely related to engineering. The technologist's work is usually more applied or practical, whereas the engineer's work is more theoretical. Engineers use computers and computer-aided-design (CAD) software to create designs and test solutions (Figure 1-5). They often design systems made up of many parts (-Figure 1-6). These systems might include simple machines and mechanisms. Engineers study issues like cost, effectiveness, and efficiency. To help protect our environment, engineers look at the whole life cycle of the products they design. What happens to the product when its usefulness is over? Does it go to a landfill, or can it be recycled? Today's engineers are designing our future. They design health care devices, consumer products, and robots. They design enormous spacecraft as well as nanotechnology devices that are smaller than the point of a pin (Figure 1-7). Engineering is an exciting career that shapes our way of life. What Is Engineering? Engineering (used as a verb) is the process of designing solutions. The engineering process includes making the drawings and models necessary for others to make the product. These drawings must be very precise and provide complete information. Often, the person who designs and/or oversees the production process for making these various products is an engineering technologist. Who Is an Engineering Technologist? Engineering technologists are more practical and less theoretical than engineers. They are the ones who work out the production details and design the systems for manufacturing a product. They have extensive knowledge of the tools, machines, and processes used to make things. In manufacturing, engineering technologists often serve in a role between the engineer and production workers. They may also be involved with product design. What Is an Engineering Problem? The term problem will be used throughout this text to mean a challenge that needs to be solved. A problem, as used in engineering, is not necessarily negative. For example, a problem might have been, "How 8 C ~ apter 1: Enginee r ing and Tech n o l og y

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