Mechanical Engineering

In last few month, we received two hikes in petrol prices from the Oil Ministry. As a result it is becoming very hard to retain better fuel efficiency from our automobiles. Its for sure that we can’t alter petrol prices but we definitely can extract maximum out of our bikes and which is usually called as achieving better efficiency. And it all depends on how you use your bike and how your manage its wear-n-tear. Go through the below list, it will surely help you out in these bad times.

1.. Service your motorcycle engine at regular intervals. An engine in a bike is the heart for a two wheeler machine. So try to make sure it stay healthy, out of unwanted sludge. The better way to achieve it is keep a record over service manual and look up into the brand booklet as when it is recommended to go for a new service.


2.. One of the main factor that affects mileage on negative note is the quality of oil that the engine consumes to retain virtuosity. Always go for some better oils and the ones that are recommended as per engine configurations.


3..  Don’t twist the throttle at sudden, let bike gain velocity by applying average acceleration. Also avoid playing with speed; never engage brakes at sudden to roll down speedo needle at once. Ride at uniform speeds!


4.. We should not expect more mileage than a bike is capable of offering. For instance, a bike with curb weight of 150kg can offer much better mileage than a bike with higher curb weight. Also an engine with higher displacement will offer low mileage than a low displacement engine. So opt for a bike that suits your demands and later there shouldn’t be any inane searches to increase mileage more and more.


5..Make sure you ride your bike when its engine is warm. No doubt you can not make sure that bike engine remains warm all the time, but you can organize your trip in better ways. Always remember, a cold engine consumes more fuel than a warmer one.


6.. Tyres don’t only ride your machine but they play a role in balancing fuel consumption too. Maintain tyre pressures on both ends. And the pressure units should be same as that prescribed over motorcycle booklet (usually written on a sticker over fuel tank).


7.. Engine idling is very rare as a concept to maintain better fuel efficiency. Engine idling refers to the automatic acceleration in layman terms. Usually located as a knob under fuel tank. Just set it to 1000rpm and it should do well.
Now as you have noted the technical tips out here to increase mileage of bike, let’s point out some conceptual tips:


8.. Always select the route that offers lesser number of bumps, fewer traffic lights and uniform road to maintain speed. If it is not the short cut to your destiny, still prefer it as it will save your time as well as fuel. More miles spent in much efficient way will dominate lesser miles in low efficient manner


9.. Switch off the engines at halts like traffic lights. These days almost all bikes are equipped with self start so a rider will hardly mind to click a switch to get his bike started and it will surely affect mileage in better way.

10.. Last and most important of all the tips is; Be practical and be your bike’s examiner. Note down the working aspects the affect your bike mileage and implement them to achieve better fuel efficiency





Fluid Mechanics – Introduction

Fluid Mechanics is that section of applied mechanics, concerned with the statics and dynamics of liquids and gases.

A knowledge of fluid mechanics is essential for the Mechanical engineer, because the majority of Mechanical processing operations are conducted either partially or totally in the fluid phase.

The handling of liquids is much simpler, much cheaper, and much less troublesome than handling solids.

Even in many operations a solid is handled in a finely divided state so that it stays in suspension in a fluid.

Fluid Statics: Which treats fluids in the equilibrium state of no shear stress

 

Fluid Mechanics: Which treats when portions of fluid are in motion relative to other parts.

Fluids and their Properties

Fluids

In everyday life, we recognize three states of matter:

• solid,
• liquid and
• gas.

Although different in many respects, liquids and gases have a common characteristic in which they differ from solids: they are fluids, lacking the ability of solids to offer a permanent resistance to a deforming force.

A fluid is a substance which deforms continuously under the action of shearing forces, however small they may be.Conversely, it follows that:
If a fluid is at rest, there can be no shearing forces acting and, therefore, all forces in the fluid must be perpendicular to the planes upon which they act.

Shear stress in a moving fluid

Although there can be no shear stress in a fluid at rest, shear stresses are developed when the fluid is in motion, if the particles of the fluid move relative to each other so that they have different velocities, causing the original shape of the fluid to become distorted. If, on the other hand, the velocity of the fluid is same at every point, no shear stresses will be produced, since the fluid particles are at rest relative to each other.

 

Mechanical engineers design and develop everything you think of as a machine – from supersonic fighter jets to bicycles to toasters. And they influence the design of other products as well – shoes, light bulbs and even doors. Many mechanical engineers specialize in areas such as manufacturing, robotics, automotive/transportation and air conditioning. Others cross over into other disciplines, working on everything from artificial organs to the expanding field of nanotechnology. And some use their mechanical engineering degree as preparation for the practice of medicine and law. The mechanical engineer may design a component, a machine, a system or a process. Mechanical engineers will analyze their design using the principles of motion, energy, and force to insure the product functions safely, efficiently, reliably, and can be manufactured at a competitive cost.

 

Mechanical engineers  work in the automotive, aerospace, chemical, computer, communication, paper, and power generation  industries. Mechanical engineers will be found in virtually any manufacturing industry. Increasingly, mechanical engineers are needed in the environmental and bio-medical fields. Indeed virtually every product or service in modern life has probably been touched in some way by a mechanical engineer.

 

Design and Dynamic Systems Area

 

This area emphasizes modeling and control of dynamic processes in engineering systems. Current research activity is in engineering acoustics and noise control, NVH, vibrations and modal analysis, system modeling and identification, control systems, system dynamics, computer simulation of material-forming processes, off-line programming of robots, automobile crashworthiness, computer-aided strain analysis, software sensor development, optimal control of automated manufacturing, application of artificial intelligence in interactive design software, environmentally conscious design, and design of orthotic devices for gait rehabilitation. 

Energy Thermo-Fluids Area

 

Emphasizes thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. Current research activity is in combustion processes, internal combustion engines, transmissions, heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, and emissions and air quality control. 

Manufacturing/Industrial Area

 

Current research activity is in metal cutting, metal forming (with specific thrusts in sheet metal deformation), grinding, tribological aspects of forming and machining, computer-aided design of dies for forming metals and polymers, robotics and automation, metrology, data-dependent system analysis, industrial engineering, and environmentally conscious manufacturing. The manufacturing systems engineering program emphasizes the integration of design, materials, computers, and manufacturing with an exposure to business and engineering administration, and is particularly suitable for those who have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, metallurgical, or chemical engineering.

Solid Mechanics Area

 

Emphasizes topics in mechanics and materials science. Current research activity is in mechanics of materials with microstructure, experimental mechanics, plasticity, wave propagation and dynamic fracture, biomechanics, micromechanics, ceramics, crashworthiness, polymer matrix composites, and computational mechanics.

 

Mechanical Engineers study:

 

• Statics: How are forces transmitted to and throughout a structure?
• Dynamics: What are the velocities,accelerations and resulting forces for a system in motion?
• Kinematics: How does a mechanism behave as it moves through its range of motion?
• Strength of Materials: Is the component strong enough to support the loads? Is it stiff enough?
• Materials Science: Which material has the optimum properties?
• Thermodynamics : How does energy get converted to useful power? What are the losses?
• Fluid Mechanics: What is the pressure drop due to the fluid flow? What are the aerodynamic drag forces?
• Heat Transfer: How do you calculate heat transfer rates from temperature data?  How do you predict the temperature distributions?
• Manufacturing: What manufacturing processes do you select?
• Machine Design: How do you synthesize all of the above?
• Electrical Circuits: How do you integrate electronic controls into your design?
• Laboratory Methods: How do you make and interpret both thermal and mechanical measurements?
• Vibrations: How do you predict and control vibrations?
• Engineering Economics: How do you estimate manufacturing costs?

Mechanical Engineers can take the following career paths:

 

• Industry (the most common)
• Graduate School
• Entrepreneur/Business Owner
• Research Labs
• Military
• Government
• Preparation for other Professions (law, medicine, teaching, etc.)

Mechanical Engineers are engaged in the following activities:

 

• Conceptual design
• Analysis
• Presentations and report writing
• Multidisciplinary teamwork
• Concurrent engineering
• Benchmarking the competition
• Project management
• Prototyping
• Testing
• Measurements
• Data Interpretation
• Developmental design
• Research
• Work with suppliers
• Sales
• Consulting
• Customer service

Skills that help Mechanical Engineers to be successful in their careers:

 

• Problem solving (The essence of engineering!)
• Creativity
• Hands-on understanding
• Networking
• Leadership/conflict resolution
• Knowledge management

Mechanical Engineering careers can have the following stages:

 

• Early years – technical work most important
• Middle years – project management and product expert knowledge (still technical) become more important.
• Senior years – corporate, market, and global understanding become important.
• Communication and team skills remain important throughout.