Familiar with Mechanical Design Handbooks: (For standard parts and commonly used components, you should know their technical characteristics thoroughly. For example, be clear about the use cases, methods, and related technical features of bearings, belt drives, chain drives, gear drives, screw drives, worm gear drives, etc. For specific selection calculations during application, you can refer to the design handbook’s charts and formulas.)
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Know Several Common Component Suppliers and Be Proficient at Reviewing Their Product Catalogs: (Mechanical design is becoming more modular. For manufacturing factories, the technical requirements focus more on the assembly and application of components and parts. For example, Taiwan HIWIN, Japan THK, Germany FAG, FESTO… When designing a part or component or performing a specific function, you must know if a professional manufacturer is producing or offering mature spare parts that meet the functional requirements for that part.)
Familiar with Raw Material Availability: (For example, you should know the specifications and dimensions of cold-rolled or hot-rolled steel plates and various profiles available in the market. Experienced engineers often know that orders handed to procurement are often changed during the process. In the steel market, changes like reduced thickness, width, or length are common. The materials purchased may be significantly different from the specifications chosen based on the design handbook.)
Deep Understanding of Common Machine Tool Structures, Principles, and Performance Characteristics: (Machine tools, like many things, follow a fundamental principle. The process of designing a machine can be compared to a child stacking building blocks, where each part is added, and components with different functions are connected following certain rules. Familiarity with common mechanisms and their features is essential. For example, lathe tool post structures, chuck structures, tailstock locking mechanisms, spindle bearing arrangements, grinding machine spindle seals, planing machine link mechanisms, etc., are all well-tested structures, so we need to learn to “borrow” or “refer to” these proven designs when designing new machines.)
Master Basic Machine Tool Assembly Skills: (Many may ask, “Isn’t this the work of assemblers? Why should a designer know too much about this?” Newcomers often ask this question. If you never learn about it, you’ll never understand the difficulties of assembling a long shaft with bearing positions too far apart on the drawing. You might also not realize that a shaft cannot be locked because you missed including a clamping surface on the drawing for securing it.)
Have Knowledge of Electrical, Hydraulic, Pneumatic Systems: (In an increasingly specialized society, this knowledge helps in communicating and coordinating with engineers responsible for hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical control systems. While a mechanical designer does not need to design hydraulic circuits or electrical wiring, understanding diagrams and principles of these systems is helpful. Ideally, you should be able to read and interpret hydraulic and electrical schematics, and even write simple PLC programs or control codes.)
Develop the Ability to Capture, Discover, Simplify, Summarize, and Borrow from Daily Life: (Mechanical designers should be good at noticing “moving” things and phenomena in everyday life. For example, the structure of a refrigerator door, the rotation mechanism of a juicer, or why the wheels of a car experience speed differences when turning. These observations can be applied to design. The best opportunity to learn and grasp these concepts is often at machinery exhibitions. Attending these events allows designers to observe and learn from the industry’s latest innovations.)
- Basic Knowledge of Sheet Metal Design: (A good design should make a positive first impression on an outsider, such as being “beautiful,” “advanced,” “sturdy,” or “stable.” Many engineers focus on technical aspects like machine functionality, efficiency, and accuracy, often neglecting the importance of sheet metal design, hydraulic lines, and electrical layouts. A well-designed machine should have coordinated aesthetics, and understanding how to effectively use sheet metal processes is key to this.)
Basic Understanding of Metal Materials and Heat Treatment: (As mechanical design engineers, we need to know the basic properties of materials like low-carbon steel, medium-carbon steel, high-carbon steel, and common alloy steels. Knowing the properties of materials and how heat treatment affects them is important, as it helps avoid practical issues in manufacturing. For instance, using the wrong material for a machining task can cause serious issues.)
Design Software Is Just a Tool, Not the End Goal: (Many recent graduates have certificates in software like AutoCAD or SolidWorks, but often get overly absorbed in discussing modeling techniques or rendering methods. We must remember that software is merely a tool that replaces traditional drafting methods. The main focus should be on the design concepts themselves, not on being restricted by the software’s functionalities.)