What inspires you?

NASA inspires me.
I am working on my ME, but am an "engineer without the degree" at my job. Every course I complete makes me a better engineer. The science really opens my eyes.
I have a AS degree in CAD design. That is what got my foot in the door.

So, regarding the personality: You've heard animal people say that have a kinship with animals? I have a kinship with machines.

I was a car guy until I found out how magnificently superior aircraft and space vehicles are. Now THAT is top shelf engineering.

Money and pussy... In that order!

Your mom

...also art, music, nature, math, women, and I've had some very inspirational moments when very very far from sober

Originally Posted by nikkeiS2K

I am not sure who said it on the forums (cowmoo32 comes to mind), but I heard that if you become an engineer chances are you will be working on HVAC systems. I don't know about you, but this seems rather depressing if that is the case. Engineering is a general area that empasses many areas of our life, so I am sure most engineers don't want to end up going into this industry.

Actually, engineering offers a bunch of career paths. I'm currently in HVAC, but I've been a plant engineer in a coal fired power plant, and a plant engineer in a bourbon distillery. Everything you see (that is not natural, with the exception of corn, but that's another story) has been touched by an engineer. An engineer was involved in the design and production of the keys you are using to type your reply to this, not to mention the computer you are using.....

I enjoy the work I do in the building industry. It allows me to see the factories where things are made, and how they are made. It allows me to design and install HVAC systems that ensure that proper ventilation and comfort are provided to the people that spend 40+ hours per week in these buildings. It also allows me to work with the mechanics that install the piping and ductwork and equipment that makes all this happen. Some of them have been around long enough to know more than I do about what works, and what doesn't work.

I've been practicing engineering since 1984, and I learn something new every day. I couldn't imagine a better life for me than this.

The automotive industry is very competitive for engineers. When I graduated, I was not the type (and am still not) that could work in the corporate environment of the automotive industry. I chose a different path, and am very happy with my choice.

Money and dreams

Originally Posted by BBBoy323i

Regarding just cars? Well to me it's all about personality and making a car your own. I really respect what others have done to their car as long as its not too stupid.

YES this interests me a lot to. the way that people "mod" there cars is a HUGE reflection of the type of person that they are.

Originally Posted by Big Rick

Money and pussy... In that order!

Nothing

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

Your mom

Sounds like you could be "Big Rick's" second inspiration.

manufacturing and robotics inspire me.

actually specifically the science behind lasers and optronics inspire me.

Originally Posted by SonicBoom

I was a car guy until I found out how magnificently superior aircraft and space vehicles are. Now THAT is top shelf engineering.

But the beauty of engineering cars is that they are targeted towards the widest range of users possible - everyone from a 16-yr old beginner to a grandma to a soccer mom to an enthusiast to a total novice. Anytime automotive engineers introduce a new safety, emissions or performance enhancing technology, we take this into account in the underlying engineering Whereas aircraft, space vehicles and ships are meant for usage by highly trained personnel. Cars have the greatest outreach in terms of sheer numbers and penetration. IMO that's one of the things that make engineering cars interesting. I'm a car guy and I'm motivated by the performance and engineering of cars, but I'm not really turned on by things that fly or sail.. I've thought about why, and maybe this is why.. Different strokes for different folks!

Originally Posted by sammk

But the beauty of engineering cars is that they are targeted towards the widest range of users possible - everyone from a 16-yr old beginner to a grandma to a soccer mom to an enthusiast to a total novice. Anytime automotive engineers introduce a new safety, emissions or performance enhancing technology, we take this into account in the underlying engineering Whereas aircraft, space vehicles and ships are meant for usage by highly trained personnel. Cars have the greatest outreach in terms of sheer numbers and penetration. IMO that's one of the things that make engineering cars interesting. I'm a car guy and I'm motivated by the performance and engineering of cars, but I'm not really turned on by things that fly or sail.. I've thought about why, and maybe this is why.. Different strokes for different folks!

It is considerably more difficult to design for a user base that can range in intelligence from high IQ to dumb as a box of frogs. Especially when its you that gets the sh*t if the dumb ones do something typically dumb and get messed up as a result. Give me a one (maybe two) off space shuttle to develop any time.

Originally Posted by RayPooley

It is considerably more difficult to design for a user base that can range in intelligence from high IQ to dumb as a box of frogs. Especially when its you that gets the sh*t if the dumb ones do something typically dumb and get messed up as a result. Give me a one (maybe two) off space shuttle to develop any time.

Very true! That would allow you to focus on the cutting-edge tech rather than avoiding user errors..

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

It was me. A lot of mech engineers end up doing building mechanical work (plubming, hvac, sprinkler, etc) and 90% of them get into the major expecting to be working on cars and motorcycles. It happens, but you have to be the best of the best.

There are small racing start ups too. A lot of Cornell MechEs work for SpaceX and smaller numbers with Deltawing and F1.

If anything, I'd say more racing engineers go into NASCAR than big three (GM, Ford).

OP just got its license.

Originally Posted by wildirish317

Actually, engineering offers a bunch of career paths. I'm currently in HVAC, but I've been a plant engineer in a coal fired power plant, and a plant engineer in a bourbon distillery. Everything you see (that is not natural, with the exception of corn, but that's another story) has been touched by an engineer. An engineer was involved in the design and production of the keys you are using to type your reply to this, not to mention the computer you are using.....

I enjoy the work I do in the building industry. It allows me to see the factories where things are made, and how they are made. It allows me to design and install HVAC systems that ensure that proper ventilation and comfort are provided to the people that spend 40+ hours per week in these buildings. It also allows me to work with the mechanics that install the piping and ductwork and equipment that makes all this happen. Some of them have been around long enough to know more than I do about what works, and what doesn't work.

I've been practicing engineering since 1984, and I learn something new every day. I couldn't imagine a better life for me than this.

The automotive industry is very competitive for engineers. When I graduated, I was not the type (and am still not) that could work in the corporate environment of the automotive industry. I chose a different path, and am very happy with my choice.

For sure engineering offers a variety of paths than one can take. I should have been more clear when talking about engineering, but what I meant to say was mechanical engineering, which cowmoo32 responded to my post already. If someone is a mechanical engineer I assume that they want to work on something automotive related, but it seems like a huge let down if they are most likely going to work on HVAC systems don't you think? When I think of a person that works on HVAC systems I tend to think of a janitor or someone that just needs to go to trade school, but I guess I had the wrong idea.

I am trying to break into a software engineering role, so I am an engineer in the sense that I "design and develop things," but everyone knows that software engineers are not considered as real engineers lol. I enjoy what I do everyday and it gives me a little bit of freedom and a chance to use my creativity on selected projects. I got into this field doing what I excepted to do everyday: code. I feel like if you are majoring in mechanical engineering you kind of expect to do one thing, but in reality end up doing another (from how others talk about it). As for other types of engineering (Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Computer), I think they also end up doing what they expect to do.

Originally Posted by nikkeiS2K

I am trying to break into a software engineering role, so I am an engineer in the sense that I "design and develop things," but everyone knows that software engineers are not considered as real engineers lol.

Software Engineering is a misnoma. Developing software is not engineering in any sense of the word. I worked for Otis Elevator for 13 years and worked my way up from the drawing board to the R&D Engineering department designing and testing elevator equipment as a Design Engineer. Mechanical Engineering, of course. In the run up towards the end of my time at Otis I was involved in developing CAD systems for the drawing office. This engaged some Pascal programming skills that I learned as part of my degree course.

Redundancy, and a collapse of the manufacturing sector in the UK, saw me leaving and going in a completely different direction. I got a job as a junior COBOL programmer in a corporate bank. I eventually left the bank 13 years ago and have been in the software business ever since. Currently developing web and desktop systems built around Microsoft's .Net Framework. Object Orientated, of course, using C# language. There have been a few other languages along the way: Perl, BASIC, Visual Basic, VBScript Java, JavaScript. They come and go. Its been a nightmare trying to keep up.

But its not just about programming. Systems architecture and database modelling are a huge part of the solution. You need to understand these things as well.

So it is doable. Just don't expect any aspect of your engineering background to be of any use to you. Its a new world entirely.

Originally Posted by RayPooley

So it is doable. Just don't expect any aspect of your engineering background to be of any use to you. Its a new world entirely.

My background is entirely in programming. I was just complaining about how mechanical engineers seem like the only engineers who go into the workforce doing something complete different than anticipated.

Originally Posted by nikkeiS2K

My background is entirely in programming. I was just complaining about how mechanical engineers seem like the only engineers who go into the workforce doing something complete different than anticipated.

You said "I am trying to break into a software engineering role" which implied, to me at least, you were doing something other than software. Anyway, what platform are you coding in?