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Anonymous03/13/26, 21:05No.34337640How do I learn to design stuff like an engineer
As a 2nd year mechanical engineering undergrad, how can I go about teaching myself to properly design something from scratch. I know how to use CAD software to make a part that is given to me but what I don't know is how to design something in the first place when I'm not given anything. I took my Introduction to Engineering Design course as required by my program but I couldn't learn anything from it because it was so poorly organized and I mostly spent my time doing assignments without actually being able to digest the info I got.
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Anon03/13/26, 21:31No.34337705
I searched for mechanical engineering online and complex machines and engines came up. What exactly are you supposed to design?I suppose you know. But in science, you identify a problem and start studying a lot and looking for articles. That research is the foundation for all the work. You formulate a solution to the problem and start experimenting with what you've researched. Then you collect data and verify or reject the hypothesis.What I mean is that knowing what you want to do or the problem you want to solve is the first thing, and the second is researching articles. The rest is built as you go.What you invent doesn't necessarily have to be novel.
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Anon03/13/26, 21:50No.34337772
3rd and 4th year will really put the hurt on and force you to learn a lot more fundamentals. But it's also not trade school, you won't necessarily come out knowing how to design anything, you'll come out well-equipped to learn how to design those things. Start reading books and articles on the design for whatever specific thing you are interested in, and doing projects, and you'll start developing that robust understanding of the problem space and how to navigate it in the real world. It just comes with experience and exposure.
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Anon03/14/26, 03:43No.34338608
bump
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Anon03/14/26, 04:07No.34338650
>design stuff like an engineer
First, you read and understand requirements. Then you cook up something that will meet the requirements. Then you optimize the design, removing as much as you can will still meet the requirements.Rinse and repeat. Eventually you'll develop heuristics. Use those during your initial design phase, so you can don't have to optimise it as much.
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Anon03/14/26, 04:18No.34338677
it almost seems like a lost art
but good luck anon
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Anon03/14/26, 04:44No.34338736
t. 3rd year ME
>Set constraints
>Fuck around
>Find out
Just follow the engineering process you learned about, as described above.
also try a personal project or join a club, those look good on resumes desu
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Anon03/14/26, 22:56No.34341048
If you want to design something from scratch, you arent engineering correctly.