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Why
would you want to be a mechanical engineer, and why would you study for
your degree at a university in Adelaide, South Australia? There are many
answers to the first question, but perhaps the most common is that
mechanical engineering is the most general form of engineering that you
can do, so that on graduating, your choice of career is virtually
unlimited.
In general
terms, the discipline is concerned with the management of people and
resources, the development and use of new technologies, and the design
of new processes and products. Examples of industries where you may work
include manufacturing, mining, water supply, electricity supply,
engineering and management consulting, automotive, aerospace and
aeronautical, process industries, electricity generation, and computer
manufacture and application. In fact, Australia's first astronaut was a
graduate in mechanical engineering from one of the universities in
Adelaide.
A
degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Adelaide is
recognised worldwide as a result of its accreditation by Engineers
Australia. The degree gives you the knowledge and skills to be involved
in the design, development and manufacture of products, machines and
mechanical engineering systems, including engines and turbines, land
transport vehicles, ships, aircraft, building services (air
conditioning, pumps, fans), refrigeration systems, manufacturing
processes and systems, and industrial plants. With a degree in
mechanical engineering, you will be able to offer expertise to your
employer, or act as a consultant in energy technology and efficiency,
combustion, noise and vibration control, pollution control, fluid
mechanics and aerospace engineering, manufacturing (product design and
development, production planning, plant maintenance, processes and
systems, quality management), robotics, automatic control, and computer
aided engineering (CAE).
You will
also be involved in the development and use of new materials, the
development of new machines and processes, the use of computer-aided
engineering tools, and the management of people and resources in an
engineering environment. You could also be employed as an aid worker,
helping third world countries by installing essential services, or as an
aircraft engine and body designer, or as an aircraft maintainer carrying
out condition monitoring and fault diagnosis, or as a designer of novel
consumer products (including cars), or new production lines for bulk
manufacturing of products. You may be a power generation or transmission
engineer in the electricity industry/ or an engineer responsible for
environmental pollution control, or an initiator of new technology to
improve efficiency in industry, or a product and people manager. You
could also work as a water supply engineer, responsible for maintaining
a city's water supply, or as a mining engineering, responsible for
equipment maintenance or mine production/ or as a drilling engineer on
an oil rig. Whether you are an inventor, designer, manager or technical
trouble-shooter, you will be able to find a satisfying career in
mechanical engineering.
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 Mechatronic
engineering is closely related to mechanical engineering, and is also
available as a an internationally recognised and accredited degree
course at The University of Adelaide. Mechatronic engineers may be
involved in the application of electronics and control theory to
automate mechanical systems/ as well as in the design and development of
electro-mechanical systems. Examples include car engine management
systems, production robots, micromachines/ smart
structures and hi-tech consumer products that involve an
interaction of machine, computer and electronic systems to extract high
levels of performance. Mechatronic engineers are in great demand by
industry, because they possess a combination of mechanical engineering,
electronic engineering and computing skills which make them very versatile.
 Aerospace
Engineering is a field closely related to Mechanical Engineering and is
also available as a degree course at The University of Adelaide.
Aerospace Engineering is concerned with the design, construction,
production and maintenance of vehicles and objects for use within and
beyond the atmosphere. It is a growing field with applications in areas
as diverse as aircraft, satellites, rockets, space stations, hang
gliders and hot air balloons. As
an Aerospace engineer, you may address problems such as how a vehicle
moves, how high and how fast it can travel, how it holds together under
the forces it experiences and how it is kept on course. You will analyse
and solve these problems using your knowledge of mechanics and dynamics,
materials and joining methods, thermodynamics, heat transfer,
vibrations, guidance, control and modelling techniques. The main areas
in which you will work as an aerospace engineer are: design and
manufacture; research and development; defence (aircraft, unmanned
aerial vehicles, rockets); satellite operations; and aircraft
maintenance and airworthiness operations.
You will also have a strong background in mechanical engineering
which will allow you to obtain many positions normally occupied by
mechanical engineers
 All three
degree courses at The University of Adelaide involve 4-years of
full-time study (including work required to achieve an Honours degree)
and are also offered as 5-year combined degrees with Mathematics,
computing Science, Finance and Arts.
In addition, a double degree in Science is offered for Aerospace
and Mechanical Engineering. A double degree with Law (6.5 years) and one
with Finance (5-years) are available with the Mechanical Engineering
degree only. The Mechanical and Mechatronic degrees and double degrees
are all accredited by The Institution of Engineers, Australia and
recognised all over the world. The Aerospace Engineering degree is a new
offering in 2004 and will be accredited soon after the first graduates
emerge at the end of 2005.
Planned
future offerings at The University of Adelaide for 2005 include double
degrees with Commerce (6-years) and an Automotive Engineering degree.
 All three
South Australian universities are located in the capital city, Adelaide,
which has a population of just over one million people. The University
of Adelaide is located right in the centre of the City Business and
Shopping Area. There are many great things about Adelaide. It has
wonderful weather; even in winter there are many sunny days, with blue
skies and temperatures around 20 degrees- and it never snows!
Although there are some hot days in summer, the humidity is very low, so
it is not too uncomfortable. One of the many noticeable things about
Adelaide is the lack of traffic jams, and the fast 15 minute drive
from the airport to the centre of the city, where two of the
universities (those that offer mechanical engineering) have their main
campus. Adelaide is just one hour away from three famous
wine-making areas, where one can sample the great wines free of
charge at the cellar doors. Just a few hours north of Adelaide lie the
mighty Flinders ranges, with colours that have inspired many famous
landscape artists, and which are characterised by numerous lonely water
holes and many kilometers of outstanding bushwalking tracks. Australians
regard recreation and sport as an important part of life. The number of
different recreational activities and types of sporting clubs in and
around Adelaide are too numerous to mention. Many of the activities are
represented by clubs based at the universities, thus helping overseas
students to become involved in local culture and activities.
Adelaide is
considered to be the hi-tech capital of Australia, and can offer
mechanical, aerospace and mechatronic engineers many interesting jobs. Also, current immigration
laws have been relaxed for graduates, making it much easier to obtain
permanent residence on completion of a university degree.
Contact:
Professor
Colin Hansen
Head,
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University
of Adelaide
S.A. 5005
Australia
Phone: +61
8 8303 5460
Fax: +61 8 8303 4367
Email: tccampor@mecheng.adelaide.edu.au
Web: www.mecheng.adelaide.edu.au
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