Sunday, 14 February 2016

Five Reasons Why Research Is Important

Learning to do research is an integral part of a person's education. Finding reasons why research is important may seem like a no-brainer. But not a few would want to avoid doing so. The lazy, if not mentallydrained, student could say, "Not again." And a disinterested academic could just be doing it for promotion purposes. Yet, for those who like to learn - whether or not they are members of a learning institution -doing research is not just an imperative, but a need. What reasons could drive one to appreciate research and engage in doing it?
 
 Even with the Internet, reading books is still important to doing research.
 1. A Tool for Building Knowledge

Research is required not just for students and academics, but for all professionals. It is also important for budding and veteran writers, both offline and online. For those looking for a job, research is likewise a necessity.
Among professionals and scribes, finding an interesting topic to discuss and/or to write about should go beyond personal experience. Determining either what the general public may want to know about or what researchers want them to realize can serve as a reason to do research.
 The Brain Research Trust acknowledges the importance of research. Undoubtedly, it is crucial to studying and finding possible cures for diseases, as well as how to prevent them. Thus, research becomes a must to ascertain if one’s ideas are supported by previous studies or if these ideas still need proof to be considered as knowledge
Furthermore, in developing new products and services, companies invest in research and development (R&D), as these play a critical role in innovation. R&D also helps secure a vantage point over competitors. Finding out how to make things happen and what could differentiate them from similar stuff can raise the company’s market value. Such improved commercial image can help
boost both its productivity and profitability
The unemployed could also benefit from doing research, for it could lead them not just to find potential employers, but if these are legitimate job offers. Without research, the gullible, yet hopeful jobseeker may fall prey to unscrupulous headhunters who could be involved in illegal recruitment and/or human trafficking.
 2. Means to Understand Various Issues
 Television shows and movies ooze with research - both on the part of the writer(s) and the actors. Though there are hosts who rely on their researchers, there are also those who exert effort to do their own research. This helps them get information that hired researchers missed, build a good rapport with the interviewee, and conduct a good interview in the process.
 For their part, some film and TV actors would take time to interview detectives, boxers, scientists, business people, criminals, and teachers, among others. Others would even immerse themselves in situations that would make them understand social and personal issues like living behind bars or in a drug rehabilitation center. Many would read literature, biographies, or journals to have a better view or context of the story.
 As what Terry Freedman says in "The Importance of Research for ICT Teachers (2011): "Research can shed light on issues we didn’t even know existed, and can raise questions we hadn’t realised even needed asking." Thus, almost all writers of imaginary and non-fictive tales also do research because doing so helps them create a good story and/or achieve strong credibility as an academic.  The Internet provides people a convenient way to do research.

3. A Way to Prove Lies and to Support Truths
 Ever experienced feeling that your mate is having an affair behind your back? Some people would overlook that and say that it's better not to know; others though would take discreet action, hiring detectives to do the work. What does research have to do with that situation? A lot.
Doing research to reveal lies or truths involving personal affairs contributes in either making a relationship work or in breaking away from a dysfunctional one. For the monogamous lot, doing research to disprove or prove infidelity is not simply a trust issue, but a right to find out the truth - unless one's intimate partner has already admitted being polyamorous even before the relationship started. When s/he dislikes answering relationship-related questions, including her/his whereabouts, it is better to see that as a red flag and take baby steps to save yourself from what could become a more serious emotional mess later.
 Scientists also deal with research to test the validity and reliability of their claims or those of other scientists'. Their integrity and competence depend on the quality - and not just quantity - of their research. Nonetheless, not everything scientists come up with get accepted or learned by everyone, especially when factors like religion, state suppression, and access to resources and social services like education and adequate health programs either feed the poor majority with lies or deter them from knowing truths to preserve the status quo.

4. A Seed to Love Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable
    Information
 Research entails both reading and writing. These two literacy  functions help enable computation and comprehension. Without these skills, it is less likely for anyone to appreciate and get involved in research. Reading opens the mind to a vast horizon of knowledge, while writing helps a reader use her/his own perspective and transform this into a more concrete idea that s/he understands.
 Apart from reading and writing, listening and speaking are also integral in conducting research. Interviews, attending knowledge-generating events, and casual talks with anyone certainly aid in formulating research topics. They can also facilitate the critical thinking process. Listening to experts discuss the merits of their studies helps the listener to analyze a certain issue and write about such analysis.
 With the vast array of ideas available, scholars and non-scholars involved in research are able to share information with a larger audience. Some view this process as ego-boosting, while others see it as a means to stimulate interest and encourage further studies about certain issues or situations.
 As literacy is integral in improving a person's social and economic mobility and in increasing awareness, research then hones necessary basic life skills and makes learning a life-long endeavor

5. Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
 Curiosity may kill not just the cat, but the human as well. Yet, it is the same curiosity that fuels the mind to seek for answers. The College Admissions Partners (n.d.) notes how scientific research in particular "helps students develop critical reasoning skills...helpful for any field of higher education..." Such search or the thinking process is food for the brain, allowing creativity and logic to remain active. It also helps prevent mental illnesses like Alzheimer's.
 Indeed, research and doing research encourage people to explore possibilities, to understand existing issues, and to disclose truths and fabricated ones. Without research, technological advancement and other developments could have remained a fantasy. Reading, writing, observing, analyzing, and interacting with others facilitate an inquisitive mind's quest for knowledge. Research serves as an instrument to achieve that goal.

    Ways to Improve Research Skills
 Are you interested in further developing your ability to do research? There are several steps to do it.
 One of the easiest ways to know more about research is to read hard copy and electronic books about it. If you do not have a computer with Internet connection, you can go to the library, a nearby bookstore, or ask a close friend or relative to lend you her/his smartphone or laptop so you could look for books or articles about research. 
If you have access to the Internet, you can watch online tutorial videos on this topic. High school students can learn from this presentation, for instance:
 
    Research Basics for High School Students by Journal Storage (JSTOR)

For those who intend to be full-fledged researchers, you might want to attend training-seminars, workshops, and conferences aimed at deepening your knowledge and honing your skills in doing research. These events are conducted by various organizations, particularly universities and "think tank" agencies. Use search engines to look for these opportunities, as well as for scholarships that could help you finance your participation in these activities.
 You might also consider searching for reputable researchers in your field of interest, especially if you plan to pursue postgraduate studies. You could email an academic, a scientist, or another professional to inquire about their opinion on your thesis or dissertation topic. Having a research mentor can help you gain a broader understanding of what research is all about.
 Another way is to watch films and read different kinds of books, fiction and otherwise. These sources can ignite your curiosity and drive you to seek more information. You might want to jot down notes about the topics discussed and/or what you've learned. You might wonder why this is part of the research process. Watching movies, reading books, and writing various stuff hone your comprehension and ability to analyze. These can improve your vocabulary and aid you in finding your voice as a researcher.

Monday, 11 January 2016

How to Prepare for General Awareness in SSC EXAM ?


Step 1:
First go though the syllabus of general awareness which is same for all Exams conducted by SSC.
Syllabus:
Questions in this component will be aimed at testing the candidates general awareness of the environment around him and its application to society. Questions will also be designed to test knowledge of current events and of such matters of every day observations and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of any educated person. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries especially pertaining
• History,
• Culture,
• Geography,
• Economic Scene,
• General Policy & Scientific Research,
• Current Affairs.
Step 2 :
The pattern of General Awareness asked in previous exam with individual topics are generally from three broad section :
•General Science : This section covers around 35-40% question mainly from Topics Biology, Physics, Computers, Chemistry, Daily Science etc. Out of these around 20-25% question are from Biology alone.
•Current Affairs : This section covers around 10% from areas like recent development in Sports, Awards, Politics, International happening etc. Few question from Finance and Banking also asked in previous exams.
•Miscellaneous : There are few question asked from this section. This section has around 8-10% weightage in the exam. This section covers areas like National schemes, Unusual GK question, Book Name and writer, question from logical analysis,important days etc.
•Static Way : Question in this section asked from static areas like Indian Politics, History and culture, Economy, Geography etc. This section have around 45-50% weightage in GS question.
Step 3:
Strategies to prepare for above sections :
•General Science : Best way to Prepare General science is to refer NCERT science books from class 7 to 10.you can also buy Lucent's General science.
•Current Affairs : For curent affairs you can read pratiyogita darpan, competition in focus etc(of your choice) of the last 12 months.
•Miscellaneous : For Miscellaneous section refer any general knowledge book(lucent,ari
hant) which is given in the last of the book.
•Static Way :
# Indian polity : For indian polity refer books like Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth ,Pratiyogita darpan indian polity and NCERT books from class 7 to 12.
# Indian history and culture: For indian history and culture refer NCERT books from class 7 to 12,Indian history(Arihant),lucent G.k etc.
# Indian Economy: Refer NCERT class 11,PD(Pratiyogita Darpan) indian Economy.
# Indian geography: PD(pratiyogita darpan) indian Geography and NCERT books from class 7 to 12 etc.
Step 4:
Mainly question are asked from General Science, Current Affairs and Static Way, put your effort at these three section maximum.
NOTE : DONT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON LUCENT'S GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. SO BETTER TO STUDY IN DETAIL AND STRATEGY WISE SO THAT YOU CAN GET EASILY AROUND 40 MARKS(MINIMUM).

Thursday, 7 January 2016

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE SSC JUNIOR ENGINEER EXAM


The first step is to go through the syllabus for the exam on the official website of SSC. This will give you a general idea of the topics you need to prepare. Once you go through the syllabus write down the topics you have absolutely no idea about and try to start preparing these topics first. This will give you more time to prepare topics that you know nothing about instead of keeping these till the end when you might be tempted to completely skip that topic!
The next step is to get the appropriate books to start your preparation. You need to get the SSC exam books which are designed for the purpose of the SSC exam. Make sure you buy the book for each section of the paper so you do not have to worry about its credibility.
It is difficult to plan your day and incorporate study hours if you aren’t used to studying every day. But cracking the SSC Junior Exam will need dedication and it is best if you learn time management. Make a study schedule starting with topics you don’t know at all and then mix it up with one familiar topic a week. This will help you to not overburden yourself with something new every day. You need to be careful of sticking to this schedule and being true to yourself. Success doesn’t come easy and so does study.
In case you have a doubt in any topics, don’t keep it pending till the last day. Clear your doubts while you still have them. You will be tempted to give up on a topic because it might seem too difficult but the trick is to not leave out any topic. Be prepared for everything so you can increase your chances of a high score.
Time management applies not only to the time you take out to study but also on how you utilize those 4-5 hours every day. Try to come up with methods to solve questions faster so you wouldn’t be wasting a lot of time during the exam. This will help you answer all the questions within the allotted time.
Work on your speed. Your success in clearing the test depends on those 2 hours that you will be writing the paper. Practice more to improve your speed. Every time you solve a question put yourself on a timer and try to beat your score each time you do it.
Make your weaknesses your strength. This basically means working harder on the topics you find extremely difficult. Remember you have enough and more time to prepare and with regular practice and honest dedication these weaknesses can become your strong areas. Make yourself confident in your weak areas by continuous practice and constant revaluation.
Practice previous years question papers and answer them like you are attempting the real exam. Give yourself 2 hours and try to finish within that time. When you are answering the questions read them properly and only answer those that you are sure about because of the negative marking. Adapting yourself to the exam environment can help take away any fear related to the exam.
A lot of candidates fail in the test because they are not able to attempt all the questions. Do not get stuck on a single question and lose out on half the marks. Be wise with your time.
Make practice tests a routine so that you never forget to do them. These will help you get a sense of the questions that will be asked in the exam along with the opportunity to practice them within the allotted time.
Give yourself ample amount of written practice. Try and incorporate study in everything that you do. Find fun ways of studying so you do not get bored. Be focused on your goal and do not let anything shift your focus. A little hard work every day will bring a lot of success for the rest of the years!

Monday, 28 December 2015

During their mechanical engineering degree program,

During their mechanical engineering degree program, many of the students are usually interested in doing mini projects and final year projects related to design and manufacturing.  Here I have suggested a list of mechanical engg projects for students:
1. Design/manufacture a sugar dispenser: You will find many tea and coffee dispensers at different places. Why not introduce a sugar dispenser as well? This sugar dispenser can be used to mix sugar in a more hygienic condition with minimum sugar waste. In this mechanical engineering design project idea, you need to design a sugar dispenser with full automatic control. This sugar dispenser will be used to pour tea into cups and can be placed alongside tea dispensers.
2. Design a multipurpose chair/table: Design a multipurpose chair/table which can be converted to a table or a chair as needed. Using mechanical engineering design techniques you need to design this product which users can fold into a chair or even a table as required. This is actually 2 in 1 type product. This product if properly developed can also be sold in the market.
3. Design a machine to produce power from canals: Water in most of the canals has a lot of energy. Why not use this energy for some useful purpose? Think of some product or machine which you can install on a canal to generate energy and electricity from running water. This mechanical design project can be very useful in rural areas of developing countries.
4. Design a multi-direction wind turbine: Design a wind turbine which can operate in any wind direction but rotates in the same direction. Whatever the direction of the wind is, it must operate in same direction. These kinds of wind turbines are very useful in hill stations and mountainous areas where wind comes in from different directions at same time. So all this wind from different direction can then be used to operate this turbine in a same direction.
5. Design a robot for spraying: In this mechanical engineering design project you need to design a robot for spraying purposes using a remote. This is also related to robotics projects in mechanical engineering. Movement of robot can be defined and controlled using a robot.
6. Design a mobile phone holder for cars: In this design project, engineering students can design a product which can be installed on car doors or dash board and which is capable of holding mobile phones and charging them.
I have suggested these mechanical engg design projects after detailed discussion with industry experts and professors. Kindly discuss these projects with your college professors as well. Keep visiting this mechanical engineering vision website for more new and latest projects.

Thermal mechanical engineering projects (thermodynamics)

After proper guidance from senior professors and experts, i have created following list of projects :
1. Calculate heat generation and refrigeration capacity: This mechanical engineering project idea is related to thermodynamics and heat transfer. You need to calculate heat generation and refrigeration capacity within any factory or shopping mall or even in your own campus building. Then after performing complete analysis on these factors you need to suggest improvements in building design and other factors which will minimize heat generated and humidity within a building.
2. Make a steam powered rocket boat: Do you know how a rocket propels itself? Hot gases burn out and rocket propels further. Why not use this phenomenon in making a rocket boat which uses steam/boiled water or even hot gases to propel the boat onto water.
3. Manufacture solar powered oven and cookers: Design and manufacture solar powered cookers with more efficiency for use in remote areas of developing countries. This thermal mechanical engineering project is purely related to thermodynamics. Students who are interested in engineering projects related to thermodynamics should undertake this project in order to understand complete concepts of the subject as well as heat transfer.
4. Design and analysis of a virtual refrigerator: In this thermal mechanical project you need to Design a virtual refrigerator in any CAD utility and perform complete analysis using ANSYS or any other software on performance of using different refrigerants. This virtual environment will help save millions of dollars spent on making labs for understanding performance of different refrigerants used within refrigerators.
5. Design a fish aquarium with automatic control: In this thermodynamics project mechanical engineering students are required to design an aquarium for fish with automatic control of temperature according to the weather and temperate in the environment.
6. Automatic fire fighting robot/Machine: Design small scale robots or machines which can be installed in different buildings and shopping malls in order to avoid accidental fire in any building. This mechanical engineering project is related to thermodynamics and manufacturing courses. It will help save many accidents which cause great financial loss due to fire caught within any building during night.
I hope you will like these thermal mechanical engineering project ideas.

Automobile project ideas for mechanical engineering students

I would like to share some automobile project ideas for mechanical engineering students:
1. Improvements in diesel engine for less emission of CO2: Obtain a used diesel engine from your engine lab in your campus or you may also get it from any sponsor. You task is to measure the percentage of hazardous gases which emit from engine exhaust then you have to reduce that percentage to a minimum level. Think about the improvements which you can make into that diesel engine which can reduce emission of dangerous gases which cause pollution to the environment. This is a hot issue and research topic these days. Get yourself involved into this research and maybe you can reduce a little bit of it and play your part in saving the world. You can work initially on reducing percentage of CO2 emitted or you can choose any other emission gas. This project will help you in understanding all diesel engine working procedures in detail. Hint: Record you readings in excel sheets and develop macros to sort out data in a desired form.
2. Create a device or make changes in speed meter to warn next oil change required: Changing engine oil and filter on time helps improve efficiency and performance of an engine. Exactly when a car owner requires changing engine oil? There is no such device to warn next engine oil change. It’s usually done manually. So in this mechanical engineering automobile related project, you can manufacture a device to warn next oil change required. This will help improve efficiency of the automobile.
3. Create a low price car jack: Create a low price and small scale edition of a hydraulic car jack in order to minimize human effort and risks. Most of the car jacks used these days are scissor car jacks with mechanical threads which require a lot of human energy and cause many accidents frequently. So in this automobile project you are required to manufacture a small scale hydraulic jack for cars which are cheap to buy and require less effort to use. Fluid energy can be used which will minimize human effort to a great level
4. Design/manufacture more efficient mudguards for cars: In this mechanical engineering project idea, you need to design special mudguards with improved efficiency. Use any mechanical engineering software or CAD/CAM setup to design these mudguards. Make them more elastic and more strengthened to survive from any hard materials on roads or in mud
5. Create a small carriage for shopkeepers or grocery store owners from bike engine: Convert your motorcycle into a more useful carriage for medium shop businesses. Take into account all the weight requirements and safety measures while making this device. Perform complete structural analysis before finalizing your product. This is very helpful for developing countries. It will provide a great carriage for small to medium scale shopkeepers to carry their stock from market with less fuel consumption and at economical cost
6. Create a device to insert into exhaust system of a car to convert hazardous gases into environment friendly liquids and gases: In this mechanical project which is related to automobile exhaust system, you need to create a device which can be inserted into exhaust section of any car. This device should be capable of converting CO2 and other hazardous gases into environment friendly liquids or gases through some chemical reactions.
I hope you like these project ideas for mechanical engineering students. Discuss these automobile projects and ideas with your professors and advisors in your colleges and departments and start working on them. You will find these projects very helpful in understanding mechanical engineering and automobile engineering concepts.

Final Year Mechanical Engineering Projects

Here I have compiled some great ideas for final year mechanical engineering projects at undergraduate level. These final year mechanical engineering projects are just an idea of what you can do. You can always increase or decrease the scope of a project and make any changes according to your requirements.
1. An Automated Umbrella:
Design an automated umbrella with sunlight sensors such that the umbrella opens automatically in sun light and closes in the evening. These types of automatic umbrellas are used in mosques, parks, beaches and open air cafeterias etc. Main objectives of your project will include:
  • Sketch out of conceptual design.
  • Designing and assembling of every part in Pro-Engineer.
  • Analyse the model for motor/hydraulic system requirements.
  • Structural, thermal and drag force analyses of umbrella
  • Structural Analysis in Pro Mechanical for design robustness.
  • Manufacturing of a prototype for illustration.
2. Power production from waste air of exhaust fans at Textile Mill
Design, Analysis and Fabrication of Modular Type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) for a Textile Unit. Installation and Testing of the VAWT will be accomplished to generate power from waste air emitting from exhaust fans located in the Power House of the Textile Unit. The waste air recovered will be utilized as a source to drive the wind turbine blades. As such the power generated must be sufficient enough to meet the internal lighting requirements of the mill. Main objectives of this final year mechanical engineering project will include:
  • Install a wind turbine in front of exhaust fans.
  • Entirely new concept of Vertical Axis Wind Turbine.
  • The Objectives include design, Analysis (on ANSYS), Manufacturing, Testing and Installation at the Textile Mill.
  • Perform Static and Dynamic Analysis on ANSYS.
3. Power Production from Biogas using Sewage Wastes by Solar Energy
Main objectives of this mechanical engineering project will include:
  • Design and Fabrication of Biogas Digester.
  • Design and Fabrication of Solar Reflector.
  • Checking composition of Biogas collected through Gas Analyser.
  • Design and Fabrication of Up gradation Apparatus for Biogas.
  • Power Generation from purified Biogas
4. Thermo-Hydraulic Design of Evaporator for Low Temperature Organic Rankine Cycle
The aim of the project is to develop software for Thermo-Hydraulic Design of Evaporator of Organic Rankine Cycle which utilizes the low grade waste heat available in process industries and renewable energy resources. Organic Rankine Cycle is a cycle that generates electricity from low temperature waste heat. Evaporator is a heat exchanger, essential to any power plant. Development of a computer program to carry out thermal and hydraulic design of the evaporator.
5. Design Standardization and Fabrication of Micro-Hydro Cross Flow Turbine
This final year mechanical engineering project will include:
  • Vital link in the chain of solutions to deal with the problem of providing electricity to off-grid locations in rural areas and ensure off-shelf availability of CFT.
  • Model and Design “Cross flow turbine” on PRO/E and performed CFX analysis.
  • Engineering drawings and Designing of Shaft, Bearing and belt Selection
I hope mechanical engineering students will like these mechanical project ideas.

Thursday, 17 December 2015

Things every Mechanical Engineer must know

1. NEVER loan out your copies of: Machinery’s Handbook Shigley’s Mechanical  Engineering Design Making Things Move: DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists (okay this one is a shameless plug, but my friend told me it’s “destined to be be a classic of sorts” so you can blame him)
2. Project planning follows the rule of pi. Take how much time you think you can complete something in, multiply it by pi, and that will be the actual length of time it takes.
3. Parkinson’s Law: Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. Don’t give yourself too much time for a project or it will never get done. Speaking of done, check out The Cult of Done Manifesto. If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would ever get done.
4. Everything is a spring.
5. If it moves and it shouldn’t, use duct tape. If it doesn’t move and it should, use WD-40.
6. Document everything you do. Someone will ask you to justify your design at some point, and “it kind of sort of looked right” is never a good answer. This is especially true on collaborative projects. The group will forget who did what and it will make going back and changing things that much harder.
7. Design is an iterative process. The necessary number of iterations is one more than the number you have currently done. This is true at any point in time.
8. Ask questions. If you don’t know something, say so. Your credibility as an engineer lies not in being infinitely intelligent, but in knowing how to get at the right resources to figure it out. If you cheat, people will die.
9. Designing for disassemble is just as important as design for assembly. It will never work the first time you put it together. Oh, and make sure that everywhere there is a screw, there is a place for a screwdriver to install it. And for a hand to fit around said screwdriver.
10. Business will always be a part of engineering. Don’t work for free (unless you really want to) and don’t work without a contract. Don’t design a better mousetrap THEN expect someone to want it. The products that sell the best are not necessarily the ones that are technologically superior.
11. Design is based on requirements. There’s no justification for designing something one bit “better” than the requirements dictate. Better is the enemy of good enough. Get it done then go play outside.
12. Engineering is done with numbers. Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.
13. Be friendly and talk to your machinist and/or shop techs. You may have a fancier title or degree, but that does not make you better. A short conversation on how to make a part more easily machinable/moldable/etc. can save thousands of dollars and make you both look good. You may even learn something.
 
Classes every mechanical engineer should take.
The first class is machining, which should be fairly apparent from my title. I think all mechanical engineering students should learn how to machine something. Or, as MEs say, learn how to make chips. There are several reasons for this.
  1. Mechanical engineers should be able to build things and know how things are built. In the real world, MEs probably aren’t going to be machining parts 24/7. However, they should know how something is machined and what processes they can use to machine stuff to better design parts/components/systems etc. It also will give MEs an appreciation for good designs that are easily machined.
  2. Machining doesn’t require advanced math/physics skills. If students are coming in without AP credit and are following the course schedule, their first two to three semesters are Calc I, Calc II, Calc III, Physics I, Physics II, Chem, Writing, etc. For basic machining, you don’t need any of that. A machining course is perfect for a 1st year class because it has no prerequisites. And, it’s not a course that’s time consuming outside of class, relative to the Calcs, Physics, and Chems. So it’s not going to over-burden students.
  3. It’s a good class to retain students or even draw students into ME programs. I know most of the first year classes are the so-called weed-out classes. At DrWife’s UG university, they called freshman engineers “pre-business” because so many drop out. While I don’t think fundamentally that everyone should be able to do engineering and people without the math skills even less so, a machining course is a good way to bridge that gap between theory and application. Yes, there’s this advanced calc and physics that can be difficult at times. But, you also get to build cool shit with your own hands. Someone who is on the fence may not hop over because of such a course.
  4. Feedback from senior/grad students is that they want/need this in the curriculum to find competitive jobs. Several students I’ve spoken to say they have a competitive disadvantage over other students from other universities because they never had a machining course nor a project that they build with their own hands. They say that trying to describe to your potential future boss that you’re a really good mechanical engineer but you’ve never built anything during your undergraduate program is an oxymoron. If students can see that dilemma, why can’t we, as supposedly advanced educators with higher degrees, see that as well?
So, a machining course in a ME program, makes sense right? How about my second course that every ME should take? Wait for it…
There are some other courses that I think are useful as well. They are:
1. Computer Aided Drafting
(I don’t know how many time I’ve seen this skill listed on job posting. My suggestion is to learn Pro-E, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks. They are the three most widely use and if you can’t use any of these program well, it’ll be difficult to get any ME jobs)
2. Material Selection in Mechanical Design
(highly useful for any design work you’ll be doing in the future)
3. Strength of Materials
(I highly recommend keeping the textbook and notes for this course.)
4. Heat Transfer
(I highly recommend keeping the textbook and notes for this course.)
5. Technical Writing Course
(Very useful, not just for graduate school research papers, but for design or meeting reports for future work).
These courses apply most to design engineering. I might be missing a few courses, but definitely should make a note of these.
 
I will also  recommend the following in order of importance..
1. Experience with prototyping in lathe machine, at least the knowledge of the process flow. Most important because modeling in software is easy, not making it in real life.
2. Software for solid modeling - Solidworks (easy to learn, lots of tutorials available)
3. Good knowledge of basic mechanics, strength of materials or fluid mechanics and mechanism design.
4. Presentation skills - Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, Word, LaTeX
5. FEM or CFD and software - Ansys/Abaqus/Comsol
6. Numerical methods with Programming - MATLAB/C++/Mathematica/Python

Thursday, 10 December 2015

I.E.S EXAM PATTERN and SUCCESS TIPS

IES Exam Pattern
1. The Examination shall be conducted according to the following plan:
Part I— The written Examination will comprise two sections—Section I consisting only of objective types of questions and Section II of conventional papers. Both Sections will cover the entire syllabus of the relevant engineering disciplines viz. Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering. The details of the written Examination i.e. subject, No. of questions, duration and maximum marks allotted to each subject are given below.
Part II— Personality test carrying a maximum of 200 marks of such of the candidates who qualify on the basis of the written examination.
SUCCESS TIPS-
-----------------------------
-Among all the career options available for engineers across domains, i.e. in private, public and government sectors still the best, prestigious and coveted career remains that of esteemed Indian Engineering Services(IES).
-Through Indian Engineering Services (IES) a candidate gets a career in most reputed government departments like Indian Railways, Military Engineering Services, C entral Engineering Services,Telecommunication Department, Central Water Services and other esteemed departments.
-In Indian Engineering Services (IES), an Engineer gets an opportunity to handle technically challenging roles and tasks technically, which have a direct bearing on the building up of infrastructure and services of our nation.
-Strategy for the Engineering Services Examination, The foundation of success can be laid on the resolute efforts but a sound strategy accompanied by never say die spirit makes the recipe of success.
-Success can’t be achieved overnight hence a prudent strategy matters a lot.
-For success in Engineering Services Exam, a candidate is required to have excellent fundamentals in the core subjects, along with thorough update on general awareness, current affairs and no less, all the traits of matured personality.
-Following subsequent points will be worth mentioning and aspirants should necessarily keep a note of the same viz:
-Get acquainted with the latest examination pattern and syllabus of the exam. Go through the previous year's question papers. Compare them and see what types of questions are repeated every year.
-It is advisable not to go refer several books for same topic, instead it is better to refer one good book for each topic, which clarifies basic concepts. Selective books are advisable for selected topics.
-For every candidate time management is very essential along with the setting of target. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is apt in his words “One always has time enough, if one will apply it well.” 

The first step which every candidate should follow is to make a time table. Take one subject from each section of your technical syllabus and devote at least 3 hours daily to it. Try to devote 1 hour each to English and General Studies so that you can take an edge as it is key differentiator for being in top rankers.
-Manage your time table such that it has good distribution of study hours for General Ability Section and technical papers, as it makes studies enjoyable and it becomes easy to sustain the momentum for longer hours, without boredom setting in and without losing interest and enthusiasm.
-It is always better to prepare short term plan of study, which should be framed in mind and executed.
-While studying the technical subjects don’t forget to make short notes of important topics. Make a separate list of formulae for each subject and revise the short notes and formulae list daily.
-After completion of the topic solve all previous year questions and practice other questions which are available in good books. This will help you to assess yourself for level of understanding of the subject.
-When you are solving the question set the time limit and after the completion of it check whether you have completed the task within stipulated time or not.
-It is better to practice questions on OMR sheets for marking the answers, which will help to practice the marking of correct answers on OMR sheets quickly in the examinations.
-After completion of it take another subject and follow the same guidelines and don’t forget to revise the important portion and your short notes of the subject which you have prepared earlier.
-While preparing the English, segregate the vocabulary from previous 10 years paper of Engineering Services Examination and Combined Defense Services Examination. Try to memorize at least 20 words daily and don’t miss to revise those words.
-The next step to prepare the portion of English is solve daily 10 to 15 questions based on finding errors and rearrangement of sentences.
-From the topics of general studies first of all find out the area of your interest and study it in the form of story or try to correlate the things. It will develop interest and make the things comfortable.

Saturday, 5 December 2015

Recommended books for GATE 2016

See if you want to prepare for GATE 2016 which is going to be preapared by IISc so first of all let me tell
Here list of books for preparation.
1. Thermodynamics -- P K Nag.
2. Fluid mechanics -- Bansal/ modi & seth /SOM
(Bansal is simple and upto the mark.. Modi & Seth is good book for clearing concepts.. SOM is good book if you are good in vector mechanics and differentail equation)
3. Heat and mass transfer -- Sachdeva/Holman
(Sachdeva & Holman books are same, fundamentals of Heat and mass transfer by sachdeva is Indian edition of Holman book).
4. SOM -- B.C. Punamia / Timoshenko.
(Punamia is good for both concept and problems... Timoshenko gives full clearity of all concepts but you won't find GATE related problems)
5 . I C engine -- Mathur & Sharma / V Ganeshan
(I used V ganeshan book its good and have sufficient problems... Mathur & sharma is aloso good book i heard it from friend but i never used)
6. Material science -- Narula & Narula / Callister / IP Singh
( Callister is very good but very vast, if you time then refer some times.. Narula & Narula and IP Singh good books for GATE point of view).
7. Theory of Machines and Mechanical vibration– SS Rattan.
8. Machine Design -- Bhandari/ Shigley.
(Bhandari is perfect book for GATE and IES... Shigley is very good book for concept).
9.Refrigeration and Air Conditioning-- P. K Nag /CP Arora Domkundwar
10. Industrial Engg -- O. P. Khanna Buffa & Sarin
(for Industrial Engg i used hand made notes, so i am not sure of how khanna book is, you can take help of others to decide the book)
11. Operational research --- kanti swarup/ SD Sharma.
12.Manufacturing process -- P N Rao Vol 1& 2/ R K Jain/ Hajra & Choudhary/S K mondal notes which is available in major book houses.
Or A text book on Production Engineering- Dr. Swadesh Singh.
( while preparing for MP be little choosy and stick to the syllabus, because as per my knowledge no book will give you complete information, but i am not sure)
13.Mathematics --BS Grewal/Erwin Kreyszig
(Both books are good, if you like maths then go for erwin kerysing book, really good book and vast... or else for simple GATE preparation Grewal; is more than enough)
14.Aptitude -- As a engineers i don't think we need book for GATE aptitude, but still one can refer Agarwal book..
At last prepare GATE previous years of 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2016 because they were set by IISc Bangalore and the difficulty level will be almost same with the type of questions

Saturday, 24 October 2015

Different types of forces

There are different types of forces that act in different ways on structures such as bridges, chairs, buildings, in fact any structure. The main examples of forces are shown below. Study the diagram and text and then draw a diagram/ pictogram to represent each of these forces. 







A Static Load : A good example of this is a person seen on the left. He is holding a stack of books on his back but he is not moving. The force downwards is STATIC.
A Dynamic Load : A good example of a dynamic load is the person on the right. He is carrying a
weight of books but walking. The force is moving or DYNAMIC.

DYNAMIC LOAD (moving)                                     STATIC LOAD (standing still)

 

Internal Resistance : The person in the diagram is sat on the mono-bicycle and the air filled tyre is under great pressure. The air pressure inside it pushes back against his/her weight. 

INTERNAL RESISTANCE

Tension : The rope is in "tension" as the two people
pull on it. This stretching puts the rope in tension. 
TENSION



Compression : The weight lifter finds that his body
is compressed by the weights he is holding above
his head.

COMPRESSION

 

 Shear Force : A good example of shear force is
seen with a simple scissors. The two handles put
force in different directions on the pin that holds the
two parts together. The force applied to the pin is
called shear force.
                                                                                 SHEAR FORCE




 Torsion : The plastic ruler is twisted between both hands. The ruler is said to be in a state of torsion.
                                                              TORSION




Wednesday, 21 October 2015

Classifications of FluidTypes of Fluids, Fluids,

Source: Uzochukwu Mike
What are types of Fluids?
Of what types/classifications are fluids in science and engineering study? What do you think is the definition of fluid? Fluids can be defined as substances that flow or deform under the application of shear stress, and these include liquids and gases. They are part of engineering study in many tertiary institutions of the world.
Basically, in the study of science, fluids are divided into two broad groups. These divisions in this write-up are known as types of fluids which are Newtonian and non- Newtonian fluids. Newtonian
fluids are those fluids that obey Newton Law of viscosity. Non-Newtonian fluids are the opposite of
Newtonian fluid in the sense that they do not obey Newton Law of viscosity. Non Newtonian fluids in this text are sub-divided into time-independent, time-dependent and elasticoviscous or viscoelastic
fluids.
Newtonian Fluids
What are Newtonian fluids. Newtonian fluids as written in the introductory part of this text are those fluids that concur (agree) with the Newton Law of viscosity. Viscosity is the opposition to the flow of fluids and it is measured in force per unit area of the fluid. The generally accepted unit of viscosity is Newton per meter square (NM -2 ). This is known as the SI unit of viscosity which is the same with that of stress.
Mathematically, viscosity is expressed as Force per unit area or simply F ̸̸ A. Newton law of viscosity
states that the shear stress on a fluid element layer is directly proportional to the rate of shear strain. In Newtonian fluids, coefficient of viscosity does not change with the rate of deformation of the fluid.
Examples of Newtonian fluids are: water, kerosene and air.It is shown mathematically as: τ = ηγ; where τ = shear stress, η and γ are coefficient of viscosity and share strain respectively.
Non- Newtonian Fluids
What are Non-Newtonian fluids and their classifications?
Non-Newtonian fluids are those fluids that do not obey Newton’s Law. They are the opposite of Newtonian fluids. Examples of non-Newtonian fluids are colloids, emulsions, pastes, sols, gels, thick
slurry, latex-based paints, and Biological fluids. Note that non-Newtonian fluids are many but these are few examples given. Non-Newtonian fluids do not exhibit the property of Newtonian fluids where
shear stress is directly proportional to shear rate.
There are three broad classifications of non- Newtonian fluids. These three classifications are: time-independent, time-dependent and viscoelastic fluids. The viscoelastic fluids can also be called
elasticoviscous fluids. One should not be confused because some textbooks relating to fluids may only one of these two names. Notwithstanding the three broad classifications of non-Newtonian fluids, there are also some other divisions of the three.
Time-Independent Fluids
As the name sounds, time-independent fluids are those non-Newtonian fluids that do not depend on time. They are those fluids in which the shear rate at a given point is a function of stress at that point
only. Examples of time-independent fluids are Casson, Bingham, Dilatent and Pseudoplastic fluid.
The Bingham fluid as an exampleof time-independent fluid does not flow at all until the shear stress exceeds certain critical value called yield stress. In this fluid, the flow behaviors appear like that of Newtonian once the system begins to flow. There is an internal structure in this type of fluid which breaks down before flow of the fluid can start. Notable examples of Bingham fluids are tomato puree, wood pulp suspensions, butter, drilling mud and toothpaste. When equation is used to represent Bingham fluid, it is represented as: τ = τ y + ƞγ , where τ y is yield stress.
Casson fluids also require a critical shear stress to overcome before flow can occur in the system. The
type of flow in this type of time-independent fluid is non-Newtonian, non-linear and parabolic in shape.
Casson and Bingham fluids are called plastic fluids.
Dilatent and Pseudoplastic fluids exhibit different characters on their own. Dilatent fluid is also called
shear thickening fluid. Dilatant fluid becomes more viscous as the shear stress increases. The shear stress increases much more rapidly than the shear rate in this kind of fluid. Examples of dilatent fluids are slurry and highly concentrated suspensions, like, Poly Vinyl Chloride. Pseudoplastic fluid is opposite to Dilatent fluid because the share rate increases much more rapidly than the shear stress.
It is known as shear thinning fluid. As the shear stress increases, pseudoplastic fluid becomes less viscous.
Time-Dependent Fluids
Time-dependent fluids are fluids whose shear rate is a function of shear stress and time. In this type of non-Newtonian fluid, the property of the fluid flow such as apparent viscosity changes with time. It is further classified into thixotropic and rheopectic fluid. In relation of thixotropic with rheopectic fluids, if the shear stress and shear strain relationship are observed with increasing shear rate, both sets of data do not coincide. This results to formation of hysteresis loop. In thixotropic and rheopectic fluids, at a given shear rate; there are two apparent viscosities depending on when the readings were
taken. The difference between the two is that thixotropic fluid becomes less viscous on application of stress while rheopectic fluid becomes more viscous on application of stress.
Elasticoviscous Fluids
Fluids that are predominantly viscous but show partial elastic recovery after deformation are termed elasticoviscous fluids. Examples of such fluids are multi-grade oils, polymer melts and liquid detergents. The term viscoelastic fluid is also used in place of elasticoviscous fluids as the former denotes solids with viscous properties while the later (elasticoviscous) denotes fluids that possess elastic property.
Conclusion
In summary, this write-up has dealt seriously on types of fluids based on science and engineering study. Fluids cannot be done without in our everyday life and this is one of the reasons that makes scientists to show more interesting in categorizing them and for more in-depth study of their flow. One of the basic types of food which people neglect is fluid. Do you know what that important fluid is? It is no other thing but the water we drink on our daily basis and I do not think you can do without it. Gasoline is another basic fluid used in automobiles and this is of great help to man. We cannot be able to power or motors on without this energy supplier. So, respect is to be given to fluids as they contribute to both technological and human development. Fluids were categorized broadly as Newtonian and Newtonian fluids. The non-Newtonian fluids were further divided into other classes and explained in sub-headings.
References
Fluid Mechanics by R.K Rajput;
Introduction to Polymer Technology by Dr. E. M. Katchy.

Classification of Automobiles

An automobile is a vehicle that is capable of propelling itself. Since 17th century, several attempts have been made to design and construct a practically operative automobile. Today, automobiles play crucial role in the social, economic and industrial growth of any country.
After the designing of Internal Combustion Engines, the Automobile industries has seen a tremendous growth.
Classification of Automobiles:
Automobiles can be classified into several types based on many criteria. A brief classification of automobiles is listed below:
1. Based on Purpose :
Passenger vehicles : These vehicles carry passengers. e.g: Buses, Cars, passenger trains.
Goods vehicles: These vehicles carry goods from one place to another place. e.g: Goods lorry, Goods carrier.
Special Purpose : These vehicles include Ambulance, Fire engines, Army Vehicles.
2. Based on Load Capacity: Light duty vehicle : Small motor vehicles. eg: Car, jeep, Scooter, motor cycle
Heavy duty vehicle: large and bulky motor vehicles. e.g: Bus, Truck, Tractor
3. Based on fuel used:
Petrol engine vehicles : Automobiles powered by petrol engine. e.g: scooters, cars, motorcycles.
Diesel engine vehicles : Automobiles powered by diesel engine. e.g: Trucks, Buses, Tractors.
Gas vehicles : Vehicles that use gas turbine as power source. e.g: Turbine powered cars.
Electric vehicles : Automobiles that use electricity as a power source. e.g: Electric cars, electric buses.
Steam Engine vehicles : Automobiles powered by steam engine. e.g: Steamboat, steam locomotive,
steam wagon.
4. Based on Drive of the vehicles:
Left Hand drive : Steering wheel fitted on left hand side.
Right Hand drive : Steering wheel fitted on right hand side.
Fluid drive : Vehicles employing torque converter, fluid fly wheel or hydramatic transmission.
5. Based on number of wheels and axles:
Two wheeler : motor cycles, scooters
Three wheeler : Tempo, auto-rickshaws
Four wheeler : car, Jeep, Bus, truck Six wheeler : Buses and trucks have six tires out of which four are carried on the rear wheels for additional reaction.
Six axle wheeler : Dodge(10 tire) vehicle
6. Based on type of transmission:
Automatic transmission vehicles: Automobiles that are capable of changing gear ratios automatically as they move. e.g: Automatic Transmission Cars.
Manual transmission vehicles: Automobiles whose gear ratios have to be changed manually. Semi-automatic transmission vehicles: Vehicles that facilitate manual gear changing with clutch
pedal.
7. Based on Suspension system used:
Convectional – Leaf Spring
Independent – Coil spring, Torsion bar,
Pneumatic.

Sunday, 18 October 2015

Bernoulli’s Principle and Equation

During 17th century, Daniel Bernoulli investigated the forces present in a moving fluid, derived an equation and named it as an Bernoulli’s Equation. Below image shows one of many forms of Bernoulli’s equation.
The Bernoulli equation gives an approximate equation that is valid only in inviscid regions of flow where net viscous forces are negligibly small compared to inertial, gravitational or pressure forces. Such regions occur outside of boundary layers and waves

The Bernoulli Equation can be considered to be a statement of the conservation of energy principle appropriate for flowing fluids. The qualitative behavior that is usually labeled with the term "Bernoulli effect" is the lowering of fluid pressure in regions where the flow velocity is increased. This lowering of pressure in a constriction of a flow path may seem counterintuitive, but seems less so when you consider pressure to be energy density. In the high velocity flow through the constriction, kinetic energy must increase at the expense of pressure energy.


Steady-state flow caveat: While the Bernoulli equation is stated in terms of universally valid ideas like conservation of energy and the ideas of pressure, kinetic energy and potential energy, its application in the above form is limited to cases of steady flow. For flow through a tube, such flow can be visualized as laminar flow, which is still an idealization, but if the flow is to a good approximation laminar, then the kinetic energy of flow at any point of the fluid can be modeled and calculated. The kinetic energy per unit volume term in the equation is the one which requires strict constraints for the Bernoulli equation to apply - it basically is the assumption that all the kinetic energy of the fluid is contributing directly to the forward flow process of the fluid. That should make it evident that the existence of turbulence or any chaotic fluid motion would involve some kinetic energy which is not contributing to the advancement of the fluid through the tube.
It should also be said that while conservation of energy always applies, this form of parsing out that energy certainly does not describe how that energy is distributed under transient conditions. A good visualization of the Bernoulli effect is the flow through a constriction, but that neat picture does not describe the fluid when you first turn on the flow.
Another approximation involved in the statement of the Bernoulli equation above is the neglect of losses from fluid friction. Idealized laminar flow through a pipe can be modeled by Poiseuille's law, which does include viscous losses resulting in a lowering of the pressure as you progress along the pipe. The statement of the Bernoulli equation above would lead to the expectation that the pressure would return to the value P1 past the constriction since the radius returns to its original value. This is not the case because of the loss of some energy from the active flow process by friction into disordered molecular motion (thermal energy). More accurate modeling can be done by combining the Bernoulli equation with Poiseuille's law. A real example which might help visualize the process is the pressure monitoring of the flow through a constricted tube.
   
Despite its simplicity, Bernoulli’s Principle has proven to be a very powerful tool in fluid mechanics.
Care must be taken when applying the Bernoulli equation since it is an approximation that applies only to inviscid regions of flow. In general, frictional effects are always important very close to solid walls and directly downstream of bodies.
The motion of a particle and the path it follows are described by the velocity vector as a function of time and space coordinates and the initial position of the particle. When the flow is steady, all particles that pass through the same point follow the same path and the velocity vectors remain tangent to the path at every point
.
 
 
 
 
 

During 17th century, Daniel Bernoulli investigated the forces present in a moving fluid, derived an equation and named it as an Bernoulli’s Equation. Below image shows one of many forms of Bernoulli’s equation.

 
 

The Bernoulli equation gives an approximate equation that is valid only in inviscid regions of flow where net viscous forces are negligibly small compared to inertial, gravitational or pressure forces. Such regions occur outside of boundary layers and waves - See more at: http://www.me-mechanicalengineering.com/bernoullis-principle-and-equation/#sthash.2lIUkDNX.dpuf