How to “Think Like an Engineer”

 

If you really want to learn, you have reached to the right place.

 

I am fortunate to be an Engineer. I have 50 years of professional experience in design, engineering  & consultancy services for large, medium & mini integrated Steel Plants in the  knowledge based companies.

During course of my journey from a fresh engineering graduate in 1970 to an hard core professional engineer at present I had vide ranging experience for setting up steel plants from concept to commissioning. Based on my experience of last 50 years, I have found that there is acute shortage of quality engineers in core disciplines. Even if fresh engineers from core branches are available they require extensive training for 2-3 years to take up assignment in the field of technology (know how), process engineering, design & engineering, operation, maintenance, manufacturing, production, procurement, logistics, technical marketing, construction, erection testing and commissioning, Techno Economics , Finance  and costing. Even then they do not have a comprehensive idea about the complete overview of the project being undertaken by them.

Engineering thinking is different than scientific thinking.

How the engineering thinking shall be applied holistically step by step for setting up any industry, project which is fool proof, optimum, which takes care all the aspects from all the angles and after commissioning of the project so that there is nothing left to chance.

Our  formal engineering education system shall inculcate a holistic engineering thinking in the minds of young engineers so that they are trained in such a manner to tackle any kind of engineering challenges in future with ease. This holistic approach means that once any engineer applies the basic engineering considerations given in this paper to any project/venture/ system then he is sure that he has not left any major technical glitch.