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List of engineering branches: Difference between revisions

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Interdisciplinary and specialized fields: recent edits forgot to include applied engineering - interdisciplinary field of mgt, eng, and tech
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| Involves the properties of matter and its applications to engineering
| Involves the properties of matter and its applications to engineering
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*[[Ceramic engineering]], the theory and processing of raw oxide material, and advanced material that are polymorphic, polycrystalline, oxide, and non-oxide ceramics
*[[Ceramic engineering]], the theory and processing of raw oxide material (e.g. alumina oxide), and advanced material that are polymorphic, polycrystalline, oxide, and non-oxide ceramics
*[[Crystal engineering]], the design and synthesis of molecular solid-state structures
*[[Crystal engineering]], the design and synthesis of molecular solid-state structures
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Revision as of 05:30, 29 December 2010

Engineering is the discipline, art and profession that applies scientific theory to design, develop and analyze technological solutions. In the contemporary era, engineering is generally considered to consist of five major basic branches: chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and industrial engineering.[1] There are numerous other engineering subdiciplines and interdisciplinary subjects that are derived from concentrations, combinations or extensions of the major engineering branches.

Chemical engineering

Chemical engineering comprises the application of physical and biological sciences to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms.

Subdiscipline Scope Major specialties
Materials engineering Involves the properties of matter and its applications to engineering
  • Ceramic engineering, the theory and processing of raw oxide material (e.g. alumina oxide), and advanced material that are polymorphic, polycrystalline, oxide, and non-oxide ceramics
  • Crystal engineering, the design and synthesis of molecular solid-state structures
Process engineering Focuses on the design, operation, control, and optimization of chemical processes
Molecular engineering Focuses on the manufacturing of molecules.

Civil engineering

Civil engineering comprises the design, construction and maintenance of the physical and natural built environments.

Subdiscipline Scope Major specialties
Geotechnical engineering Concerned with the behaviour of geological materials at the site of a civil engineering project
  • Mining engineering, the exploration, extraction and processing of raw materials from the earth
Structural engineering The engineering of structures that support or resist structural loads
Transportation engineering The use of engineering to ensure safe and efficient transportation of people and goods
Environmental engineering The application of engineering to the improvement and protection of the environment

Electrical engineering

Electrical engineering comprises the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.

Subdiscipline Scope Major specialties
Electronic engineering The design of circuits that use the electromagnetic properties of electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes and transistors to achieve a particular functionality.
Computer engineering The design and control of computing devices with the application of electrical systems
Power engineering The generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, and the design of devices such as transformers, electric generators, electric motors, high voltage engineering and power electronics.
Optical engineering The design of instruments and systems that utilize the properties of electromagnetic radiation.

Mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering comprises the design, analysis and usage of heat and mechanical power for the operation of machines and mechanical systems.

Subdiscipline Scope Major specialties
Vehicle engineering The design, manufacture and operation of the systems and equipment that propel and control vehicles
Thermal engineering Concerns heating or cooling of processes, equipment, or enclosed environments
Acoustical engineering Concerns the manipulation and control of vibration, especially vibration isolation and the reduction of unwanted sounds

Industrial engineering

Industrial engineering is the design and analysis of logistical and resource systems.

Subdiscipline Scope Major specialties
Manufacturing engineering The ability to plan the practices of manufacturing, to research and develop the tool, processes, machines and equipment, and to integrate the facilities and systems for producing quality products with optimal expenditure.
  • Component engineering, the process of assuring the availability of suitable components required to manufacture a product.
Systems engineering Focuses on issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, automatic control of machinery for complex engineering projects
Safety engineering Focuses on assuring that a life-critical system behaves as needed even when pieces fail.

Interdisciplinary and specialized fields

Discipline Scope Major specialties
Applied engineering The application of management, design, and technical skills for the design and integration of systems, the execution of new product designs, the improvement of manufacturing processes, and the management and direction of physical and/or technical functions of a firm or organization.
  • Automation/Control Systems/Mechatronics/Robotics
  • Computer-aided Drawing & Design (CADD)
  • Construction
  • Electronics
  • General
  • Graphics
  • Manufacturing
  • Nanotechnology
Biological engineering The application of engineering principles to the fields of biology and medicine.
Mechatronics A hybrid of mechanical and electrical engineering, intended to examine the design of automation systems.
Nuclear engineering The application of nuclear processes to engineering
Agricultural engineering The application of engineering principles to agricultural fields such as farm power and machinery, biological material process, bioenergy, farm structures, and agricultural natural resources
  • Bioprocess engineering, the design and development of equipment and processes for the manufacturing of products from biological materials
  • Food engineering, concerns food processing, food machinery, packaging, ingredient manufacturing, instrumentation, and control.
  • Aquaculture engineering, the study of cultured aquatic species and the production systems used in their culture.
Nanoengineering The practice of engineering on the nanoscale

References

  1. ^ Julie Thompson Klein, Robert Frodeman, Carl Mitcham. The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity. Oxford University Press, 2010. (pp 149 - 150)