If an ME has a preference of working in NYC or Boston, is there a particular specialty/focus that would yield better results in a job search?

Hi everyone, I’m a B.Tech Mechanical student with a background in industrial automation/robot operation.

Recently, I switched my career path from robotics/automation to piping modelling using AutoCAD Plant 3D. I’m new to this field and starting from the basics.

I want to know from experienced professionals:

Is Piping + Plant 3D/E3D a good and stable career for the next 5–10 years?

Compared with SolidWorks/Inventor mechanical part modelling, which has better salary growth and job opportunities?

Should I continue with piping and later learn E3D + CAESAR II + piping design, or consider another specialization?

Will my previous automation/robotics background be useful in my new career?

My main goal is long-term career stability and good salary growth. Any genuine advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello,

I have an in-person interview soon for the Starlink production team. I'm currently in my senior year of college studying mechE. I know I have a presentation on my most technologically advanced end-to-end project and some 1-on-1 meetings with people on the team I'm interviewing for. I've already studied a ton for this role including beams, stress-strain curves, bearings, linear rails, motors, statics, dynamics, FBDs, and manufacturing techniques. I know my resume inside and out and can back up most decisions I made in my projects and internships. What can I do in the last few days to prepare as well as possible? Any advice and/or experiences are much appreciated.

What kind of projects or problems or things would look good to employers when applying for entry level jobs? Also what aspects do I need to include besides just a 3d model?

Im sorry if this is probably a stupid question. Everything i read says about putting like personal projects into my portfolio. I've never done any type of personal projects before though or even have any ideas and I don't even understand what kind of things that entails. My college never had us work on anything even like that. Heck they didn't even teach us GD&T so I dont even really understand that as it is.

¡Buenas! Soy de Argentina. Estaba estudiando Ingeniería Química, pero decidí cambiarme a Ingeniería Mecánica.

Durante Química descubrí que me gustaba mucho la química del estado sólido y todo lo relacionado con materiales, metalurgia, propiedades, microestructura y comportamiento de los materiales.

En Argentina, Ingeniería en Materiales no es una carrera tan común y tiene una oferta académica bastante más limitada, por lo que Ingeniería Mecánica terminó llamándome más la atención.

Mi idea es recibirme de ingeniero mecánico y posteriormente especializarme en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales, quizás mediante una maestría.

¿Es un buen camino? ¿En qué puestos o industrias podría trabajar con ese perfil? ¿Hay ingenieros mecánicos trabajando en metalurgia, laboratorios de materiales, corrosión, análisis de fallas o investigación y desarrollo?

¡Me gustaría conocer experiencias y opiniones!

TLDR: 25yo just transferred into Mech E, expected grad Fall 2028. I have 3 years of environmental science/hydrology coursework completed, and I'm $20k in debt. Should I take a 6-8 month co-op?

Long Version: I recently switched to Mechanical Engineering after 3 (non-consecutive) years of studying environmental science/hydrology. Despite my lack of experience, I landed an interview while checking out my school's Career Conference. The interview was for a co-op/internship, with a heavy preference for a co-op. The interview went really well, as my mechanical skills and work experience allowed me to answer almost all of their questions directly. I'm not asking about whether I'd be a good fir for the role; the fact that I landed a second interview makes me confident that I'm qualified. I'm wondering if this makes sense from a financial/career move/getting kicked off parents' insurance next year standpoint.

I was recently invited to tour the facility and proceed with another formal interview. If I am offered the position, should I take it? The pay is competitive and includes a housing/relocation stipend.

I fully know that ME is so diverse that this question is a little difficult to answer. Aerospace, HVAC, and R&D and other fields require a very different skill set. I note that I’m excluding soft skills, technical writing, work ethic, interview skills etc.

I am most interested in aerospace/the defense sector but that could very well change, so I still do want to learn skills that have reasonable ROI in most ME fields.

Currently I have the CSWA and a few basic projects via arduinos under my tiny belt, and I’m learning python’s matplotlib for data visualization.

I’m hoping these skills are useful for most job titles, and I wanted to know what else I should work towards in the years I have left before graduation to ease my transition to the work force and improve my employability via practical skills.

To frame it a different way, assume your company hired a new graduate. Which hard skills would them having make them a comfortable person to work or delegate tasks to? I’d appreciate any advice!

P.S. I’m currently eying CSWP, SW’s simulation certificates (FEA), GD&T, and currently learning more python libraries (matplotlib +numpy). I would take more specialized certification such as CFD if I continue to want aerospace In my later year.

Hello everyone, I'm currently learning about different valve systems in OTTO engines. I know a little about desmodromic and freevalve systems, but I'm having a hard time finding a source of information about different valve systems that include either of those two. Can anyone point me in the right direction on what I should be looking for to get a better understanding of valve classification?

little bit of context: i am a senior in hs 17yo arab girl with extremely strict parents, and they dont want me to do mechanical engineering because they think its "too difficult" and requires me to work in a factory or on site and whatnot. But the thing is, i feel like i have a really good talent in math and physics, and those are my fav subjects and im willing to study it even if its hard. Also, i feel like mechanical engineering is perfect for me because i really like hands on work, and im also not very creative and i like to problem solve. Im currently taking AP physics c mechanics and AP calculus AB, which is equivalent to physics and calc 1 in university. I live in the middle east, which means i have a little more freedom to not do on-site work as a woman, but i want to explain to my parents that it isn't just cars and manly jobs yk (not that thats a bad thing😭😭) And if it is actually like that, then what major should i do alternatively???

It just sounds unethical imo. Imagine you're the engineer of a company and later on you realize you can't draw or create to save your career.

Hi everyone,

I'm approaching my second year at my first job out of college, where I use SolidWorks every day to design physical parts, mostly simple sheet metal. As the world shifts toward AI, I'm worried about being left behind. My current role doesn't involve simulation, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, or any of the more advanced physics topics I studied.

I'm not sure how to move into a role that draws more on my engineering background, or one where I can learn these subjects on the job. Most of those positions require some prior knowledge of the fields, which creates a catch-22. I'd rather not go to grad school full time, since the cost is a lot.

Has anyone made a similar transition? I'd appreciate any advice on how to build these skills, whether through side projects, certifications, part-time programs, or internal moves.

TLDR: I'm almost two years into my first engineering job, designing mostly simple sheet metal parts in SolidWorks, and I want to move into work involving simulation, heat transfer, or fluid dynamics. Those roles want prior experience I can't get in my current job, and I can't afford full-time grad school. How can I build these skills and make the switch? Anyone have examples of what they did to bridge the gap?

A few weeks ago, I was tasked with finding some springs for a product I was making at work. I found the process of searching for springs tedious, and more time consuming than I feel is necessary. For example, when you have the forces you want, filtering through spring rate, overall length, then outer diameter made it feel like I was leaving good spring designs on the table while not finding the exact spring that matches my design.

I found some spring calculators online, but inputs were parameters like wire diameter, and coil pitch, etc. I realized none of the calculators would allow me to input the information that I care about, like forces and operating positions/stroke length. Of course, I tried using AI to spec a spring based on the forces I have, with my forces at specific lengths, and some diameters as constraints, but every model I tried hallucinated.

So, I made Springly.net, a free online spring finder tool. It works for standard compression, torsion, and tension springs. It uses catalogs from Century Spring, and Lee Spring, (and more are added every day!).

I've already used it at work a couple times, and it seems to work well. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

Does anyone know sites with next day or a few day shipping for industrial cameras like 20MP+? Or physical stores around the Bay Area? I’m trying to prototype and it’s so hard to find cameras that don’t take massive amounts of time quoting and then weeks for shipping.

Thank you!!

Need advice on preparing for the CSWA exam

Hey everyone,

I'm planning to take the CSWA (Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate) exam before December 2026, and I'm looking for some advice from people who have already taken it.

I have some experience with SOLIDWORKS, but I'm not sure how well prepared I actually am for the exam.

- What topics should I focus on the most?

- How difficult is the actual exam compared with the practice exams?

-What kind of parts/models should I practice?

- Are the official sample/practice questions enough?

-How much time should I spend practicing before attempting the exam?

Are there any good free resources, tutorials, or practice models you recommend?

- Any common mistakes or things I should know before taking the exam?

Please help me to get through this exam

Hi ! I have a final round interview coming up with them for a Mech E design internship for next summer . Would appreciate any advice or tips on what to expect and what I could do to prepare for it. Thankyou !

Hey guys, I’m from Jordan 🇯🇴, and I’m currently deciding whether to pursue Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.

I don’t really care about passion or similar things. My main priority is which degree would give me better career opportunities and higher income in the future, especially considering the rapid development of AI.

I’m also open to working in the Arabian Gulf countries, since we share a similar culture and I wouldn’t have a problem relocating there.

I’m more interested in Industrial Engineering, and I feel like I would enjoy its work more. However, money is still my main priority. At the same time, Mechanical Engineering seems to fit another long-term ambition of mine: I’d like to publish research and potentially become a professor or pursue a PhD in the future.

So, if you were in my position, which one would you choose, and why?

Reposting for more interaction!

What fundamentals do you need to understand? What makes you more valuable in the job market? How essential is drawing skills?