Engineer Calcs Are engineers geniuses? Most aren’t! But like every other profession, there are poor, average, and genius-level engineers. To better answer this question though, we need to define a genius. Google defines a genius as, “Exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability.” Now, how does this definition translate in engineering? The below-bulleted list is … Read more
As a young engineer, you need to constantly look for how to level yourself up. I’m going to go over 15 easy-to-follow tips for young engineers. This way, you can more quickly adapt to your work environment. But also, you’ll more quickly get on the path to reaching your full potential as an engineer. That’s … Read more
Do engineers know everything? Certainly not! Not even close. Engineers know a lot, but there’s just too much knowledge for an engineer to know everything. Heck, combine all engineers together and they wouldn’t come close to knowing everything. But I digress. Let’s focus on how much one engineer knows in their field of work alone. … Read more
Cathodic protection is a great way to mitigate corrosion. I’m going to go over a simple cathodic protection calculation for a solar farm. I’ll show you how to calculate the number of required anodes per stanchion. The solar panels will mount to these stanchions. Before we start though, I’m going to discuss the details of … Read more
Substation construction sequencing for rehabilitation projects requires a stepped approach. It’s the only way to avoid construction mishaps. Especially when it’s an energized substation that needs to continue feeding existing loads. In my discussion, I’m going to go over a substation refurbishment project I’ve done. I will show how a stepped approach was necessary to … Read more
NASA engineering has taken us to the moon and back. I’m going to go over 5 NASA engineering mindset lessons from the Apollo program, all engineers can use. This will showcase the elite mindset required to do an improbable engineering feat. The Moon landing in 1969 to this day is an iconic yet extraordinary moment … Read more
Do engineers do hands-on work? It depends on your job. Some engineers do a lot of weekly hands-on work, while others do none in their entire career. But when given the opportunity, I believe all engineers should do hands-on work. I’m talking about stepping outside of the comforts of your office. Then going to project … Read more
Is engineering dangerous? In most instances not, but it can be. My near-death experience made me reflect on the sacrifice of many past engineers. Every person, including myself, forgets about the backbone of today’s comforts. Because of our busy lives, we think life as we know it today, always existed. And I get it. We … Read more
Voltage drop is an issue to consider in electrical design. To better understand, we’ll go over a real-world single-phase voltage drop calculation example. I’m going to focus on three different voltage drop calculation methods. The methods will output the following calculated voltage drop accuracy levels: Approximate Estimated Exact Depending on your voltage drop problem, you … Read more
Why do engineers follow a code of ethics? So you can safely make your trip from New York to Paris. Because you expect to safely take off and land. When you sit in a plane ready for your trip, you rarely think of a plane crash. Rather, you think about what movie you’ll watch on … Read more
What is a Professional Engineer (PE)? It depends on who you ask. I’m going to go over how different groups of people define a PE. Because every person has a different view of a PE. No different than how you have differing opinions on politics from the person next to you. That said, the formal … Read more
Why engineers are jobless? Many reasons contribute to jobless engineers. Some reasons are the fault of engineers, while others are from outside influences. Now, I’m going to go over the five main reasons I see most often. This will show it’s not a black and white answer to why some engineers are jobless. At the … Read more
How to choose an engineering firm? A lot more than you think goes into choosing the best engineering firm. The keyword is the “best.” If you make the wrong choice, you may get lucky and just get average work in return. But if you’re unlucky, you’ll be in a world of pain. That’s why I’m … Read more
Is engineering fulfilling? It’s as fulfilling as you make it. The fulfillment level highly depends on why you got into engineering, to begin with. Like any other career, you take out what you put in. That said, I do find four factors best determine how fulfilling an engineering job will be. These four factors are: … Read more
The health and safety of the public rely on the ethical principles in engineering. Without these principles, death and destruction would be widespread. Life today heavily relies on engineering in every way imaginable. Just take a quick look around you. So it’s obvious how engineers have a great responsibility in the work they do. I’m … Read more
Advancing humanity near singlehandedly requires unique learning abilities. Let’s cover the 17 Elon Musk learning strategy keys, to find what sets him apart. Before we get started, it’s important to realize many variables have shaped Elon’s success. At the same time, Elon constantly optimizes his learning. Thus, his learning ability without a doubt has greatly … Read more