Engineer Questionnaire.

[Interview]

About a week ago, I was given an assignment to interview an engineer, asking things such as why he started his career and what his proffesion was. However, there is a problem. I do not know any engineers, I failed to find any engineers in my family or through any of my families friends. So I am looking for an engineer who would be willing to answer some simple questions about their career.

Name (Optional):

What made you interested in engineering?:

What is your educational background?:

What kind of engineering do you do?:

What is your design process?:

If you wish to answer these questions, that would be great. Thanks for your time.

[Android]

Name:Andrew Phillips

What made you interested in engineering?: My Dad was an aircraft design draughtsman, he can fix/make anything.

What is your educational background?: 4 year Toolmakers apprenticeship, Higher Tech Level 5 in Production Engineering.

What kind of engineering do you do?: I have a workshop where I machine parts of jet engines(GE CF700) and also make parts for repairs to our Falcon 20 jets we fly for Naval target practice, which because of all the low level sea flying corrode for a pass time. Also any tooling reqirements for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft conversion we are involved in.

What is your design process?: Tricky to put into words .....I look at something and can "See" the answer, you learn from others design faults

[jboggs]

Name (Optional): Joe Boggs

What made you interested in engineering?: Like Andrew, my father. He was a Machine Design Engineer and holds several patents in the field of fiberglass manufacturing.

What is your educational background?: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

What kind of engineering do you do?: Machine Design. I have done some product design over the years, but mainly I have designed equipment for use in manufacturing. Various ********** include glass, steel, automotive, electronics, plastics, machine tools, water jets, transportation products, sports equipment, ...

What is your design process?: If it was the same every time, life would be pretty boring. Depends on the project at hand. Are you designing a new product? A new process? Fixing or improving an existing one?
Step Number One in all cases: identify the real problem. Not what you think it is, not what "they say" it is, not what it appears to be. Learn to distinguish the difference between the symptom and the disease. Eliminate the symptom and the problem will return. Cure the disease and its cured. Always go for the root cause. Make it a habit to look around you all the time and learn from your environment how other engineers have solved problems in the past. Never stop learning, especially from those that have walked where you are now. Learn to realize when you are restricting your own creativity by not looking at unconventional solutions.
This will allow you to visualize several different optional solutions to the problem at hand. Investigate each one (draw it up, run the math, build a prototype, etc.) to prove or disprove its feasibility. Don't commit to any one approach until you can prove its worth. Sorry I got too wordy. Just trying to help.

[Marky]

Name (Optional): Mark Scanlon

What made you interested in engineering?: Started as a Draftsmen 35 years ago and evolved thru design/mechanical engineering and into Manufacturing Engineering

What is your educational background?: Experience, Certificate in Project Mgmt, Certificate in 6 Sigma Green Belt

What kind of engineering do you do?: Manufacturing Engineering

What is your design process?: Working in a small company my charter is to make sure that the folks in MFG have the proper tools, fixtures and documentation to assemble product in a safe and timely manner. Automation is key to my charter here...I was a real hero when I introduced pneumatic fixtures....there was nothing worse then watching a 60 year old person installing hex nuts on a 1000 pieces a day with an open end wrench. That person thanks me everyday.
The only thing worse is when a you're told we don't need it or we can't afford to do it. I've been shown the door so many times arguing the point... that I just walk in the back door and do it. It's a fun job...if I had to do it again I'd be a fireman.