How many of you who are good in Electronics also have Mechnical knowledge aswell?

[EasternTIGERS]

Hi everyone, since I became more interested in Electronics I also became more interested in Mechnical building and engineering aswell and more specifically car engines. I want to know how many of you that are into electronics know just as much on the mechnical side of things, seeing as the 3 can be linked with each other I guess for me mabie its a good time to also learn mechnical stuff too? And if so what mechnical areas do I need to learn? Out of the 2 I find Electronics more challenging but love both equally.

 

[Llamarama]

If car engines are what you want to know about, I would recommend beginning with very simple 1 cylinder sidevalve engines. They are the pits for power and efficiency but they demonstrate the otto cycle quite well. after that its overhead cams (OHC) which improve the engine by allowing much greater compression. the hardest part is translating the upwards push of a push rod to a downwards push of a valve.

From that go to inline 4s which I think are the best for illustrating multi cylinder designs. From then work onto Vee engins etc.

A good website for a whole manner of engines (Internal combustion and many other) is **broken link removed** They have simplified animations with adjustable speed. If you can imagin how it works, the rest just seems to come with experience.

I hope this helps.

 

[shortbus=]

I was a tool and die maker/machinist for 45 years before retiring, Worked on and built cars and motorcycles since I was 14 years old and am finally learning more about electronics than just how to build a kit or replace a component. But I'm going to be a fireman when I grow-up.

 

[Llamarama]

I'm an electronics student/hobbyist, I could solder before I could ride a bike! However over the past year and a half i've become interested in classic British Leyland cars and have restored classic motorbikes with friends for several years beforehand. All very fulfilling hobbies!

 

[Sceadwian]

I don't really see a difference, mechanical or electrical, they're all based on physical laws, they just concentrate on differing portions of them. Engineering isn't separate either and encompasses both and life in general with rules on how best to do things, not just how things work. You really can't learn anything without learning everything, and learning everything no matter how poorly you'll quickly realize how closely intertwined everything is.

 

[Sceadwian]

I should start a Zen school =)

 

[Boncuk]

Combining electronics and mechanics there is no need to learn about combustion engines, although I designed a 7 cylinder two stroke radial model engine many years ago, to help my brother making his final machine engineering degree. (Dipl. Ing.)

It was turbo charged and produced 3DIN-HP at 22.000rpm and a total displacement of 10.5ccm.

I've seen lots of nice and well functioning electronic designs, but looking at the enclosures they looked like crap.

If you concentrate on the mechanical part of a good looking, yet functionable design of an enclosure it will suffice.

Boncuk

 

[keny]

now if you could only use inductance to make a cylinder go down.... how about an inductance engine. (V8 specifically) A magnetic car. It would probably suck pda's, bikes and motorcycles into it, but it would be cool nonetheless, while not using gas.

 

[Pommie]

I originally trained as an electrical/mechanical engineer and worked for 5 years designing HV switchgear (11-25kV, 350MVA). I then went on to be a games programmer and spent a lot of time designing and building development equipment. One of the more complex designs was for an NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) development board with hardware break and trace buffer.

Interestingly, until recently, it was unusual to know all three disciplines, electronic, mechanical and software. Now, a new course is available that consists of all three, infomechatronics. Check it out.

Mike.

 

[Thunderchild]

I've always had the bug for building things not that i ever had the space or equipment to do much but I find i can easily envision what the mecanics side of things should do although I don't know a lot about specific stuff. When I was a teenager I made a trailer for my bike

 

[MrAl]

I should start a Zen school =)

Well said Grasshopper!

Just remember to be one with yourself first


On the more serious side now...

You can simulate mechanical systems in the same manner that you simulate electrical systems if you make a few analogies. For example, current becomes force in the force/current analogy.
This allows you to use an electrical circuit to emulate a mechanical system and you can even see how that mechanical system responds using a circuit simulator.
Another example: mass becomes capacitance, an inductor represents a spring.

We can study the equivalent electrical system and gain understanding of the mechanical system this way.

 

[Pommie]

We can study the equivalent electrical system and gain understanding of the mechanical system this way.

That is a very dangerous way to look at real life mechanical systems. That is like saying statistics, or worse, computer models are accurate. We all know they are as good as the designers/programmers who are normally so far up themselves that .... choose your own ending. SHM is as far as I would trust any analogy.

Mike.

 

[BrownOut]

I am trained in and have worked as an Electrical Engineer, but I have a soft spot for machinery. I have several old tractors and trucks that I maintain. On another thread, someone was laughing at my old, 25 year old pickup, because it only makes 175 HP, but the truth is, that is more than sufficient for me, and I like to keep it going as sort of a rolling museum of transportation technology. So, I spend alot of time underneith it with a pile of wrenches and dirty rags. Same for my tractors. I'm also a certified welder (my first career, long, long ago) and I own a metal fabrication shop. It's not a commerical operation, more of a hobby. In the near future, I hope to combine my electronics and mechanical hobbies, and make a CNC plasma cutting table. I have all the bits, just need to make the time to put it all together.

 

[EasternTIGERS]

That website is fantastic, you are a great helpful person, I loved the CAD Diagrams Thanks you gave me a lot to learn with

 

[EasternTIGERS]

Very true, absoultely based on Physical laws

 

[EasternTIGERS]

Thanks, did you design it on paper then gave your brother the design and he built it physically? what is an enclousure?

 

[EasternTIGERS]

I am trained in and have worked as an Electrical Engineer, but I have a soft spot for machinery. I have several old tractors and trucks that I maintain. On another thread, someone was laughing at my old, 25 year old pickup, because it only makes 175 HP, but the truth is, that is more than sufficient for me, and I like to keep it going as sort of a rolling museum of transportation technology. So, I spend alot of time underneith it with a pile of wrenches and dirty rags. Same for my tractors. I'm also a certified welder (my first career, long, long ago) and I own a metal fabrication shop. It's not a commerical operation, more of a hobby. In the near future, I hope to combine my electronics and mechanical hobbies, and make a CNC plasma cutting table. I have all the bits, just need to make the time to put it all together.

That is interesting, how many hours/days will be invested to get the CNC plasma cutting table up and running? I would love to give you a hand

 

[BrownOut]

So far, zero But I hope to get to it before too much longer. I have a few too many projects at this moment. Many years ago, I built something similar for my oxy/acetelene torch. But it only used mechanical switches, no programmable interface.

 

[EasternTIGERS]

When you build your cnc machine do you have water in and how high would it be? ive seen some factories and some water levels were high some very low? How did you learn so much about electronics and mechnics? I cannot afford school fees, I hope to gain at least half of the skil you have in engineering id be very delighted by that

 

[BrownOut]

It uses no water. The shielding agent is just compressed air. There are many commercial units that use water instead, but I don't konow anything about them. I learned about electronics and mechanics just by fooling aound with them for the last 35 years. Some I learned in the Army. And I went to the university too.