[ Prof. Dr. K. Kantha Rao and Asstt. Prof. Dr. Subodh Debbarma, ]
Mechanical Engineering being the largest of the engineering disciplines, every year a lot of mechanical engineers enter into the manufacturing industries of computer and electronic products, machinery and transportation equipments etc. This branch covers design, manufacturing, energy science, computational simulation, thermal and propulsion, sensors, and control, nano and micro-mechanics, mechatronics, solid and fluid mechanics, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), biomechanical engineering. Mechanical engineers are capable of working in a wide variety of industrial sectors and new technologies. They are employable in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, process industry, nuclear technology, biomedical, robotics, automation as well as IT sector as analysts, consultants, and managers.
A very promising field has been evolved in the collaborative works among the clinicians and mechanical engineers, known as bio-heat transfers. Here thehyperthermia and thermal ablation are known to be very promising therapy techniques where by utilizing heat tumours can be diagnosed as well as prevented and treated. Nano-mechanics, production of bio-fuels etc. are the emerging mechanical engineering fields nowadays.
State-of-the-art laboratories are available in the areas of machining, sheet metal working, welding, robotics, CAD/CAM, CNC production grade machines, automation, hybrid electric vehicle design& manufacturing, modelling, simulation, ergonomics, materials and industrial operations management. It is one among the oldest and broadest of the engineering disciplines. One can produce a machine component in 3-dimension and can rotate it like a real shape by solid modelling. Laser cutting, milling, 3-dimensional printing, turning etc. are performed with the aid of latest software tools of mechanical engineering. All these cutting edge technologies ensure very promising prospects. Again, robotics and artificial intelligence are the emerging collaborative disciples in which electrical and computer can work together simultaneously. A robot can be used for hazardous environment and even in performing clinical tests of severe diseases such as attack of deadly viruses like COVID-19.
There are ample opportunities to be a part of renowned govt. and private organizations such as NTPC, BHEL, NHPC, NEEPCO, IOCL, ONGC, SAIL, Power grid, Coal India, Reliance power Industries, Tech Mahindra etc. Every year many multinational companies also recruit a large number of mechanical engineers, such as IDW, Itech Designs, Encata, Titoma Design For China Manufacturing, CAD Outsourcing, Building Information Modelling etc. There are many special certification courses for the operation and maintenance of boilers, turbines, furnaces, cooling systems etc. various components of large thermal power plants. In the futuristic renewable energy systems there will be also bulk recruitments of mechanical engineers.
Automobile companies such as Maruti Udyog, Ashok Leyland, Tata motors, Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor, Hero MotoCorp, Royal Enfield etc. recruit a large number of mechanical engineers. In international markets the giant recruiters are Ford, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Suzuki, Skoda, Lamborghini, Piaggio, Vespa, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, Bullet, Audi, Opel, Porsche, Toyota, Jaguar, Chevrolet, Jeep, Tesla etc. In the coming years there will be huge recruitments in the various electric and hybrid automobile industries. Government of India’s policy is to replace the existing diesel and petrol fuelled cars by 2030 with the hi-tech modern electric vehicles manufactured by many of the aforementioned companies.
Many interested candidates may choose their career path in higher studies to build a career in teaching and research after completing M.Tech and Ph.D.. There are a number of renowned research organizations like DRDO, ISRO, BARC etc. where the passionate and hard working scholars can join as engineers and even as scientists.
With the B.Tech degree in Mechanical engineering, students are always on excellent and right way of carrier prospect in life. (The writers are faculty teachers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, ICFAI Technical School, ICFAI University, Tripura)
