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Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is a branch of engineering focused on the design, analysis, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems, combining principles from physics, mathematics, and materials science. It has evolved since its emergence during the Industrial Revolution and now encompasses various advanced fields such as composites and nanotechnology, while also overlapping with other engineering disciplines. The history of mechanical engineering dates back to ancient civilizations, with early inventions like the wheel and lever significantly contributing to its development.

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Rohit Patel
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45 views1 page

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering is a branch of engineering focused on the design, analysis, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems, combining principles from physics, mathematics, and materials science. It has evolved since its emergence during the Industrial Revolution and now encompasses various advanced fields such as composites and nanotechnology, while also overlapping with other engineering disciplines. The history of mechanical engineering dates back to ancient civilizations, with early inventions like the wheel and lever significantly contributing to its development.

Uploaded by

Rohit Patel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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.[1] It is one of the oldest and broadest of the engineering
branches.

Mechanical engineering requires an understanding of core areas


including mechanics, dynamics, thermodynamics, materials science, design, structural
analysis, and electricity. In addition to these core principles, mechanical engineers use tools
such as computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), computer-aided
engineering (CAE), and product lifecycle management to design and analyze manufacturing
plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling
systems, transport systems, motor vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, medical
devices, weapons, and others.[2][3]

Mechanical engineering emerged as a field during the Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 18th
century; however, its development can be traced back several thousand years around the world.
In the 19th century, developments in physics led to the development of mechanical engineering
science. The field has continually evolved to incorporate advancements; today mechanical
engineers are pursuing developments in such areas as composites, mechatronics,
and nanotechnology. It also overlaps with aerospace engineering, metallurgical
engineering, civil engineering, structural engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing
engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and other engineering disciplines to
varying amounts. Mechanical engineers may also work in the field of biomedical engineering,
specifically with biomechanics, transport phenomena, biomechatronics, bionanotechnology,
and modelling of biological systems.

History

[edit]

Main article: History of mechanical engineering

The application of mechanical engineering can be seen in the archives of various ancient and
medieval societies. The six classic simple machines were known in the ancient Near East.
The wedge and the inclined plane (ramp) were known
since prehistoric times.[4] Mesopotamian civilization is credited with the invention of the wheel
by several, mainly old sources.[5][6][7] However, some recent sources either suggest that it was
invented independently in both Mesopotamia and Eastern Europe or credit prehistoric Eastern
Europeans with the invention of the wheel[8][9][10][11] The lever mechanism first appeared around
5,000 years ago in the Near East, where it was used in a simple balance scale,[12] and to move
large objects in ancient Egyptian technology.[13] The lever was also used in the shadoof water-
lifting device, the first crane machine, which appeared in Mesopotamia circa 3000 BC.[12] The
earliest evidence of pulleys date back to Mesopotamia in the early 2nd millennium BC.[14]

The Saqiyah was developed in the Kingdom of Kush during the 4th century BC. It relied on
animal power reducing the tow on the requirement of human energy.[15] Reservoirs in the form
of Hafirs were developed in Kush to store water and boost irrigation.[16] Bloomeries and blast
furnaces were developed during the seventh century BC
in Meroe.[17][18][19][20] Kushite sundials applied mathematics in the form of advanced
trigonometry.[21][22]

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