What Is Engineering and What Do Engineers Do?
Engineers apply physical and chemical laws and principles and mathematics to design millions
of products and services that we use in our everyday lives. These products include cars, computers,
aircraft, clothing, toys, home appliances, surgical equipment, heating and cooling equipment,
health care devices, tools and machines that makes various products, and so on (see Figure 1.3).
Engineers consider important factors such as cost, efficiency, reliability, and safety when design-
ing these products. Engineers perform tests to make certain that the products they design with-
stand various loads and conditions. They are continuously searching for ways to improve already
existing products as well. They also design and supervise the construction of buildings, dams,
highways, and mass transit systems and the construction of power plants that supply power to
manufacturing companies, homes, and offices. Engineers play a significant role in the design and
maintenance of a nation’s infrastructure, including communication systems, public utilities, and
transportation. Engineers continuously develop new, advanced materials to make products lighter
and stronger for different applications. They are also responsible for finding suitable ways to
extract petroleum, natural gas, and raw materials from the earth, and they are involved in com-
ing up with ways of increasing crop, fruit, and vegetable yields along with improving the safety
of our food products.
The following represent some common careers for engineers. In addition to design, some
engineers work as sales representatives for products, while others provide technical support and
troubleshooting for customers of their products. Many engineers decide to become involved in
sales and customer support, because their engineering background enables them to explain and
discuss technical information and to assist with installation, operation, and maintenance of var-
ious products and machines. Not all engineers work for private industries; some work for fed-
eral, state, and local governments in various capacities. Engineers work in departments of
agriculture, defense, energy, and transportation. Some engineers work for the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration (NASA). As you can see, there are many satisfying and chal-
lenging jobs for engineers.1.2 Engineering as a Profession and Common Traits of Good Engineers 9
■Figure 1.3
As an engineer you will apply
physical and chemical laws and
principles and mathematics to
design various products and
services.Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).圀圀圀⸀夀䄀娀䐀䄀一倀刀䔀匀匀⸀䌀伀䴀圀圀圀⸀夀䄀娀䐀䄀一倀刀䔀匀匀⸀䌀伀䴀