Careers in Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

The Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Practice is comprised of people from many different engineering specialties who work on challenging technical problems for a variety of clients. Most of our consultants have an advanced degree (Ph.D. or M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, Polymers Science, Electrochemistry, or Chemistry. We work on small and large projects, often in cooperation with other practices such as Electrical & Semiconductors, Thermal Sciences, or Civil Engineering.

The breadth of equipment and devices on which we work is impressive: from electronic devices to power plants, from consumer appliances to ships, from medical devices to piping systems. Our consultants can work in all these areas because we always apply fundamental engineering principles to the problem at hand. Through experience, we have become proficient at failure analysis: finding out how things work, why they might malfunction or how they can be improved, and what may have happened in a particular incident. When the stakes are high, we use all the necessary tools and techniques to find the answer. Joining us would give you the opportunity to work on and learn about a tremendous variety of equipment within a number of different industries and applications.

Our Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Practice consists of three engineering centers: Materials & Corrosion Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Polymer Science & Materials Chemistry.

Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Team

The Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Practice has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of materials and mechanical processes and products. Something may fail or not work properly and our clients need to know why. It may be a piece of heavy machinery, a medical device, or a plastic plumbing fitting in a home. A manufacturing company might be encountering problems with ensuring that their next product meets applicable standards. Our expertise spans a variety of industries, including transportation, heavy industry, energy, consumer products, medical, among many others.

When an incident occurs, we often conduct site inspections to collect vital information. Hand calculations may be enough to obtain a rough estimate of the stresses in the failed part. More detailed analyses may require finite element analysis, which could involve extremely complex models. Scanning electron microscopy is used to examine fracture surfaces. Sophisticated materials characterization tests can be performed on polymers. When needed, we can instrument the equipment in question to measure strain, acceleration, temperature, and other relevant data, and we can recreate conditions that led to an accident.

Whatever the problem, we go back to engineering fundamentals and the scientific method. We review the available evidence, formulate one or more theories about what might have happened, and set about devising tests to prove or disprove these theories. Our conclusions are always based on sound engineering principals.

 

Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Capabilities