Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for Mechanical Design Engineer
A Mechanical Design Engineer is responsible for developing and maintaining designs for mechanical systems. They create models and drawings to facilitate the design and manufacture of products, write technical specifications, and provide technical guidance to manufacturing teams. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Mechanical Design Engineers.
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Main Responsibilities of Mechanical Design Engineer
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Mechanical Design Engineer:
Adapt
Adapt current products to new vehicle platforms driving for commonality and modularity.
Address
Address and manage in a timely fashion safety and quality issues raised by customers or staff.
Analyze
Analyze existing systems and improve designs.
Analyze various manufacturing issues and resolve them in a timely manner.
Answer
Answer technical questions and troubleshoot problems in the field for the Distributors.
Apply
Apply DFM (design for manufacture / assembly) techniques.
Apply engineering knowledge to the design and specification of new products.
Assist
Assist in commissioning and start up.
Assist in the training of new engineering employees.
Assist manufacturing personnel as needed to ensure smooth build of machinery.
Assist Sales team with technical details required in quoting new project.
Assist with construction field reviews.
Author
Author and maintain instrumentation user manuals and related documentation.
Author engineering to define structural special instructions or restrictions.
Build
Build archive libraries of all the existing and new mechanical hardware drawings.
Build new product mockups, models and prototypes for functionality evaluation when necessary.
Capture
Capture, define, validate and verify design requirements.
Carry-out
Carry-out Project / Team Specific activities as defined from time to time by Supervisor.
Collaborate with
Collaborate occasionally with the subcontractors for manufacturing, drafting, etc..
Collaborate on Thermal design.
Collaborate with electrical engineers / designers.
Collaborate with manufacturing to create product assembly tooling, fixtures and instructions.
Collaborate with other engineers across disciplines to deliver brilliant solutions.
Communicate
Communicate effectively with internal and external partners and stakeholders.
Compile
Compile design reports and presentations.
Complete
Complete design projects that improves product manufacturability, ergonomics and yield.
Conduct
Conduct / create Stack-up analysis, DVP&R's, DFMEA, and Cpk / Ppk / Gage R&R..
Conduct, document and track design reviews.
Control
Control own and staff activities to meet Company financial / time targets.
Coordinate
Coordinate designs with other engineering disciplines.
Coordinate feedback from Sales and Production to continuously improve product designs.
Coordinate hardware assembly and conduct testing.
Coordinate mechanical system design with architects and other consultants.
Coordinate the build, test and evaluation of functional prototypes4.
Coordinate with other teams to ensure that construction is going according to design.
Create
Create 3D models using SolidWorks.
Create and / or manage design changes using Arena, Agile or other PDM.
Create and release engineering drawings, written procedures and Bill of Materials.
Create and test prototypes to validate new designs.
Create documentation packages for manufacturing and assembly.
Create drawings and maintain engineering documentation flow.
Create fully engineered products from conceptual designs.
Create necessary drawings and coordinate with vendors to get parts fabricated on budget and on-time.
Create new bills of material and assist with routings.
Create project scope, budget, timeline, etc. for each project that is assigned.
Create SolidWorks models and drawings to facilitate the design and manufacture of products.
Create technical documentation for product compliance (ISO and FDA).
Design
Design and detail all drawings, using company standards.
Design and engineer components, assemblies, and mechanisms in Catia V6.
Design and prototyping intricate mechanical products from concept to final design.
Design assembly and test fixtures as required for manufacturing.
Design control processes and procedures.
Design Flight Test engineering change requests and coordinate with work package owners.
Design mechanical parts, modules and subsystems to support the design of whole systems.
Design oversight of hygiene, usability and operational safety.
Design pneumatic and hydraulic systems using Solidworks.
Design studies to investigate specific life science questions within field of expertise.
Design testing and data collection activities that drive and verify product improvement plans.
Develop
Develop and customize sequences of operations and control diagrams.
Develop and maintain best practices to foster the creative process.
Develop and manage prototype component suppliers, including quoting and ordering.
Develop and validates electronic enclosure design of a complex nature.
Develop certification plan for project in coordination with BAS Biggin Hill resources and timelines.
Develop design strategies to address a wide variety of commercial vehicle platforms.
Develop detailed layout to check machine tolerance and ensure clearances.
Develop products to improve performance, quality, and regulatory compliance while reducing costs.
Develop system narratives (writing, organizing the document, develop images).
Develop working knowledge of product family in assigned area, with awareness of system design.
Direct
Direct customer interface and coordination.
Document
Document results in reports and laboratory notebooks.
Document, implement and test mechanical design requirements for production.
Drive
Drive corrective and preventive actions with appropriate and detailed follow up.
Ensure
Ensure Integral BIM / Revit Standards are being followed.
Evaluate
Evaluate and implement automation possibilities for manufacturing processes.
Evaluate new materials for product improvements.
Execute
Execute projects assignments as assigned by manager.
Execute with an emphasize on results oriented, solution based, engineering driven design solutions.
Follow up
Follow up on parts orders in the plant for prototypes and first article customer orders.
Generate
Generate instrumentation drawings including electrical and interface schemes.
Generate simple and cost effective solutions to engineering problems as they arise.
Identify
Identify new work opportunities with Client and other professionals.
Identify robust system architectures that are scalable, manufacturable, and serviceable.
Implement
Implement continuous improvement in order to maximize efficiency in the design process.
Improve
Improve alignment and stability for illumination sources.
Interact with
Interact and communicate with customers as project dictates.
Interact with teams of engineers working in other disciplines and other system components.
Interface with
Interface with outside suppliers.
Interface with outside vendors for component selection, manufacturing, and assembly instructions.
Introduce
Introduce and support continuous improvement initiatives.
Lead
Lead and own the mechanical design of our robot and harvesting tools.
Lead design reviews with relevant stakeholders.
Lead product and process development activities of diabetes management products.
Liaise with
Liaise with vendors to ensure prompt service and quality of workmanship.
Maintain
Maintain a professional drawing system.
Maintain BIM / Revit and design files.
Maintain confidentiality in handling sensitive information or documents. (.
Maintain familiarity with various industrial codes such as ASME and API.
Manage
Manage and coordinate product development projects as a product lead.
Manage the Reliability and Maintainability issues for assigned jobs to meet Quality requirements.
Mentor
Mentor and share work experience knowledge for the benefit of other employees and the office.
Monitor
Monitor and report on the quality and progress of work on site.
Participate in
Participate in technical reviews of requirements, specifications, designs and codes.
Participate on and lead teams as required.
Perform
Perform and document engineering tests under general supervision.
Perform an 'In House' engineering run off, debug and resolve any problems before customer run-off.
Perform calculations, analyses, and engineering testing to verify the designs.
Perform calculations to size and specify process, service and utility piping systems.
Perform detailed mechanical design of precision production tooling used to assemble products.
Perform hand stress calculations.
Perform preliminary structural analyses of your designs.
Perform process characterization, design verification, and Test Method Validation (TMV) activities.
Perform structural and thermal FEA on Lidar packages.
Perform various other duties as assigned by the managers.
Plan
Plan and perform statistical analyses to characterize the process and design interactions.
Prepare
Prepare and distribute all project related documentation and correspondence.
Prepare and present launch and gate reports for management.
Prepare budget costs and produce designs to meet agreed budget.
Prepare complete packages of tender information.
Prepare customer approval drawings.
Prepare documentation for stage gate development activities and efforts.
Prepare engineering calculations, equipment sizing, equipment selection and specifications.
Prepare necessary component / assembly drawings.
Prepare product reports by collecting, analyzing and summarizing information and trends.
Produce
Produce construction documents and plans to pass along to other teams.
Produce detailed specifications of the product from data analysis gathered from testing.
Produce quality drafting / designs of building mechanical systems using AutoCAD, Revit & BIM.
Progress
Progress mechanical systems through design gates via trade-off studies, analysis, and design reviews.
Provide
Provide alink to your portfolio or attach pictures of products you have designed.
Provide Construction Administration services.
Provide guidance on fixture / tooling design requirements for the site.
Provide technical feasibility assessments.
Provide technical guidance to manufacturing team.
Read
Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, and computer-generated reports.
Read, understand and write technical specifications.
Real
Real opportunities for growth, development and career progression.
Redesign
Redesign products for special applications or special functions.
Report
Report out status and risks to system lead in a concise manner.
Review
Review customer requirements and recommend parts, layouts, etc..
Review customer's specifications and use as a design tool.
Review mechanical drawings and designs to ensure quality and manufacturability.
Review to check for adherence to ASME guidelines and other applicable.
Seek
Seek peer review on design and development direction.
Select
Select and integrate automation components such as sensors, drives, safety components, etc..
Select and optimize industrial components, focusing on power system components.
Select, size and optimize industrial components, focusing on power system components.
Size
Size mechanical equipment such as motors, gears, actuators, hydraulics, conveyors and piping.
Submit
Submit quotation requests to vendors for feasibility evaluation of components and designs.
Support
Support development of installation and maintenance instructions.
Support electromechanical designs through modelling and finite element analysis.
Support fabrication, procurement, cleaning of parts.
Support prototype builds and engineering product verification to ensure compliance to requirements.
Support statement of work and bids for new customer requests.
Support the production of the final product by troubleshooting process and component problems.
Support warranty and product failure reviews, including documenting corrective actions.
Take
Take the initiative on other roles and tasks the company needs to succeed.
Test
Test prototype assemblies and first article vehicles.
Translate
Translate voice of customer (VOC) feedback into engineering design requirements.
Travel
Travel to customer site for commissioning.
Travel to customer sites when require.
Troubleshoot
Troubleshoot automated machines and prepare maintenance procedures.
Troubleshoot mechanical issues with system components, PCB's, and cables.
Troubleshoot production line issues and quality issues as required.
Understand
Understand assembly methods and customizes part design for simple, rapid assembly.
Use
Use SolidWorks to create and modify mechanical architectures, 3D designs, and 2D drawings.
Use specialized software Solidworks and AutoCAD to create models and drawings of products.
Use the data to drive design iterations.
Verify
Verify calculations and create 3D design models using FEA / CAE software.
Verify calculations and create design models using FEA / CAE software.
Work
Work on and prioritize own work, and meet agreed timescales.
Work with aircraft techs for drawing deviations.
Work with and manages external component suppliers / manufacturers.
Work with cross-functional teams to design the most manufacturable product.
Work with customer on changes and specifications.
Work with external vendors to integrate off-the-shelf hardware with custom-designed components.
Work with fabricators, using DFM principles to achieve economical designs.
Work with manufacturing partners to bring the vehicle into production.
Work with manufacturing to consider high volume assembly processes in design concepts.
Work with other departments / internal customers to ensure quality and cost effectiveness.
Work with suppliers to ensure components meet design requirements & diagnose design problems.
Work with the Director of Simulator Products Engineering to establish the processes of design.
Work with the engineering team to design and develop sophisticated automated systems.
Work with vendors to achieve design cost and schedule targets.
Write
Write technical publications and support documents.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Mechanical Design Engineer:
Design
Manufacturing
Machine Design
FEA
MS Office
3D Cad
Catia
Gd&T
Manufacturing Processes
BSME
Geometric Dimensioning
Medical Devices
Product Development
Automotive
Product Design
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Mechanical Design Engineer:
Written and oral communication skills
Problem-solving attitude
Interpersonal skills
Team player
Attention to detail
Organized
Self-starter
Leadership
Time-management
Integrity
Professional ethics
Provide input to technical solutions
Respect
Self-motivated
Creative
Detail-oriented
Organizational capacity
Positive attitude
Work independently with little direction
Deep passion for innovation
