Engineering design is an exciting field with applications that encompass almost every aspect of our lives. And yet, questions abound about this discipline. Today we answer three of the most common. What Is Engineering Design? This term refers to the organized development and testing (through the use of creativity as well as mathematical and scientific…
From bridges and products we use every day, engineering design is everywhere. However, not everyone knows what an engineering designer does. Let’s take a closer look at this important role. What Does an Engineering Designer Do? Sometimes called “design engineers”, or simply “engineers”, engineering designers develop, test, and improve manufacturing processes and products. As a…
One of the most common questions we get is “How is engineering design different from other types of design?” Asking this question makes sense, since both “design” and “engineering” are wide concepts with many different applications, so it’s essential to understand the difference between some disciplines that are related but are by no means the…
In the first part of our basic glossary of engineering design, we explored some terms essential to navigate this exciting discipline. Today we bring you the second part of this selection of useful terms. Proof of Concept Also known as proof of principle, this is a rough model made to test if an idea is…
You may be familiar with the acronym PSEP without really knowing what those four letters stand for. PSEP stands for Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan. This is an implementation plan established in 2014 by Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) to promote the continued safety of gas transmission pipelines. The basic goal of the plan is testing and…
In previous posts, we have defined engineering design and the engineering design process. As we have seen, engineering design is an important component of our society. But its benefits extend beyond the creation of useful things. Engineering design is also a thinking tool, and as such it offers several benefits to children. Introducing kids from…
Engineering design is all around us. It has been used to create everything from the chair you may be sitting on, to the device you are using right now to read these words. And yet, despite its ubiquity and importance, this field remains little understood. So much so, that the most common question related to…
The engineering design process is a crucial concept to understand engineering and the engineering mindset. However, people doing research on the Internet may find it strange that there are different versions of this process. Some champion a brief model with as few as four steps, while others propose a 12-step process. Faced with these diverging…