Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science,to design,analyze,manufacture,and maintain mechanical systems. It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering branches.
A simple machine is a mechanical device that changes the direction or magnitude of a force. In general,they can be defined as the simplest mechanisms that use mechanical advantage to multiply force. Usually the term refers to the six classical simple machines that were defined by Renaissance scientists:
Self-replication is any behavior of a dynamical system that yields construction of an identical or similar copy of itself. Biological cells,given suitable environments,reproduce by cell division. During cell division,DNA is replicated and can be transmitted to offspring during reproduction. Biological viruses can replicate,but only by commandeering the reproductive machinery of cells through a process of infection. Harmful prion proteins can replicate by converting normal proteins into rogue forms. Computer viruses reproduce using the hardware and software already present on computers. Self-replication in robotics has been an area of research and a subject of interest in science fiction. Any self-replicating mechanism which does not make a perfect copy (mutation) will experience genetic variation and will create variants of itself. These variants will be subject to natural selection,since some will be better at surviving in their current environment than others and will out-breed them.
A machine is a physical system that uses power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices,such as those employing engines or motors,but also to natural biological macromolecules,such as molecular machines. Machines can be driven by animals and people,by natural forces such as wind and water,and by chemical,thermal,or electrical power,and include a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement. They can also include computers and sensors that monitor performance and plan movement,often called mechanical systems.
The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a private research university in Worcester,Massachusetts. Founded in 1865,WPI was one of the United States' first engineering and technology universities and now has 14 academic departments with over 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science,engineering,technology,management,the social sciences,and the humanities and arts. WPI awards bachelor's,master's and Ph.D. degrees for the completion of these programs. It is classified among "R2:Doctoral Universities –High research activity".
Franz Reuleaux was a German mechanical engineer and a lecturer of the Berlin Royal Technical Academy,later appointed as the president of the academy. He was often called the father of kinematics. He was a leader in his profession,contributing to many important domains of science and knowledge.
Torsional vibration is the angular vibration of an object - commonly a shaft - along its axis of rotation. Torsional vibration is often a concern in power transmission systems using rotating shafts or couplings,where it can cause failures if not controlled. A second effect of torsional vibrations applies to passenger cars. Torsional vibrations can lead to seat vibrations or noise at certain speeds. Both reduce the comfort.
A mechanical linkage is an assembly of systems connected to manage forces and movement. The movement of a body,or link,is studied using geometry so the link is considered to be rigid. The connections between links are modeled as providing ideal movement,pure rotation or sliding for example,and are called joints. A linkage modeled as a network of rigid links and ideal joints is called a kinematic chain.
This is an alphabetical list of articles pertaining specifically to mechanical engineering. For a broad overview of engineering,please see List of engineering topics. For biographies please see List of engineers.
Leon Pratt Alford was an American mechanical engineer,organizational theorist,and administrator for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. known for his seminal work in the field of industrial management.
Applied mechanics is the branch of science concerned with the motion of any substance that can be experienced or perceived by humans without the help of instruments. In short,when mechanics concepts surpass being theoretical and are applied and executed,general mechanics becomes applied mechanics. It is this stark difference that makes applied mechanics an essential understanding for practical everyday life. It has numerous applications in a wide variety of fields and disciplines,including but not limited to structural engineering,astronomy,oceanography,meteorology,hydraulics,mechanical engineering,aerospace engineering,nanotechnology,structural design,earthquake engineering,fluid dynamics,planetary sciences,and other life sciences. Connecting research between numerous disciplines,applied mechanics plays an important role in both science and engineering.
This is an alphabetical list of articles pertaining specifically to Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM). For a broad overview of engineering,please see Engineering. For biographies please see List of engineers and Mechanicians.
Rotordynamics is a specialized branch of applied mechanics concerned with the behavior and diagnosis of rotating structures. It is commonly used to analyze the behavior of structures ranging from jet engines and steam turbines to auto engines and computer disk storage. At its most basic level,rotor dynamics is concerned with one or more mechanical structures (rotors) supported by bearings and influenced by internal phenomena that rotate around a single axis. The supporting structure is called a stator. As the speed of rotation increases the amplitude of vibration often passes through a maximum that is called a critical speed. This amplitude is commonly excited by imbalance of the rotating structure;everyday examples include engine balance and tire balance. If the amplitude of vibration at these critical speeds is excessive,then catastrophic failure occurs. In addition to this,turbomachinery often develop instabilities which are related to the internal makeup of turbomachinery,and which must be corrected. This is the chief concern of engineers who design large rotors.
Manufacturing engineering or production engineering is a branch of professional engineering that shares many common concepts and ideas with other fields of engineering such as mechanical,chemical,electrical,and industrial engineering. Manufacturing engineering requires the ability to plan the practices of manufacturing;to research and to develop tools,processes,machines,and equipment;and to integrate the facilities and systems for producing quality products with the optimum expenditure of capital.
Machine element or hardware refers to an elementary component of a machine. These elements consist of three basic types:
- structural components such as frame members,bearings,axles,splines,fasteners,seals,and lubricants,
- mechanisms that control movement in various ways such as gear trains,belt or chain drives,linkages,cam and follower systems,including brakes and clutches,and
- control components such as buttons,switches,indicators,sensors,actuators and computer controllers.
A dwell mechanism is an intermittent motion mechanism that alternates forward and return motion with holding position(s).
A quick return mechanism is an apparatus to produce a reciprocating motion in which the time taken for travel in return stroke is less than in the forward stroke. It is driven by a circular motion source and uses a system of links with three turning pairs and a sliding pair. A quick-return mechanism is a subclass of a slider-crank linkage,with an offset crank.
John J. Uicker,Jr was a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,Wisconsin from 1967 to 2007 and professor emeritus from 2007 until his death in 2023.
Ali Galip Ulsoy is an academic at the University of Michigan (UM),Ann Arbor,where he is the C.D. Mote Jr. Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and the William Clay Ford Professor Emeritus of Manufacturing.
Francis Charles Moon is an American mechanical engineer.
