types of engineering

Examples of Engineering in History

By Bill Rollins 21 June, 2023 4 mins read

Many historical examples of engineering include ancient monuments as well as modern technology. Imhotep is credited with the construction of the Saqqara step pyramid by ancient Egyptians. Imhotep built the step pyramid in Saqqara in the third millennium BC. The Egyptians deified him later. You might have heard of the ancient Egyptian engineer Imhotep, but did your know that he was also considered a deified god.

Ancient engineering monuments

Many ancient engineering monuments stand as a testament to the skills of human beings. Ancient Egyptian civil and military engineers can be seen in the pyramids of Egypt, ziggurats from Mesopotamia, as well as Pharos of Alexandria. Acropolis, the city of Indus Valley civilization, and other ancient engineering monuments are examples. The Colosseum and Acropolis are monuments left by Roman and Greek ancient engineers. Mayan civil engineers built impressive structures such as the drainage systems and aqueducts at Teotihuacan in Mexico. The Turkish engineering monument, Al-Jazari, was constructed with five water pumping machines for the kings of the Artuqid dynasty. Other engineers, such as Mechanics created the concepts of gears and escapement mechanisms.

Early mechanical engineering

The 5th century BC in Mesopotamia is the beginning of mechanical engineering. The field has expanded greatly over the years, encompassing everything from automobiles to energy conversion to microelectromechanical systems. History of mechanical engineering shows that it wasn't always as simple as it is today. No matter if you are interested or not in manufacturing equipment, automobiles, or energy conversion, mechanical engineers have shaped many aspects our lives.

Early electrical engineering

After World War I ended, the relationship between engineers and government became more complicated. Radio communication was used in wartime to communicate with others, but the government had to regulate this new technology. The United States government took control over all wireless stations in 1917. They claimed that radio spectrum was too valuable not to be controlled. The result was a boom in technology that changed the way we communicate today. Today you can witness the history of electricity both in New York City as well as elsewhere.

Early radio technology

Radios were first used for simplex communication in the early 1900s. People would send messages by sending Morse Code, which is similar to the code that was used for writing. These communications were not able to be communicated over, as they were one-way. Despite the limitations of early radios the idea of sending electricity over great distances was groundbreaking. The invention of long-distance telephone lines would not be possible until a new technology was created.

Electric generators from the beginning

The early electric generator was a marvel of engineering that made it possible to produce electrical power with a small amount of work. During the 1880s, hydraulic mines in the Sierra Nevada started experimenting with hydroelectric power. Almarian Decker (1893), a former engineer at the Brush arc light Company who had moved to California due to tuberculosis in 1880, combined generation and transmission in Redlands' first three-phase alternate current power plant.

Early electric engineering in the west

The 19th century is the beginning of electrical engineering's history. This was the time of Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, two of the most important people in the industry. They were among the first engineers to specialize on electricity as it spread quickly. The growth of the electrical industry began to change the world, and governments became large employers of electrical engineers. While the TVA was the most famous of government initiatives in this area, local governments also provided service and power.

Santa Clara early electrical engineering

Santa Clara University's School of Engineering, which was established in 1912, began to offer bachelor's degrees. Later, the school added master's and doctoral degrees to its offering. The school now serves all of Silicon Valley. It offers a diverse range of programs in electrical engineering, including advanced degree programs. It offers many opportunities for continuing education and networking. It is the sole national professional organization that focuses on electrical engineering.

Electrical engineering in England at the beginning

Electrical engineering was born in England. Many of the pioneers of the field came from the UK, including George Stephenson, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and Thomas Telford. In 1821 Michael Faraday demonstrated that electrical energy could be converted into mechanical energy. This made the field more solid. The UK had many other key contributors to the field's development, in addition to these pioneers.

In the United States, early electrical engineering

Although electricity wasn't a new technology it was considered necessary by many jurisdictions. Governments began to assume responsibility for providing power and communication to its citizens and became major employers of electrical engineers. This area is best known for the TVA, but other examples exist. Government control of power supply and communication was the norm, even outside the USA. Electrical engineers realized the importance of developing their field with technological advances.

FAQ

Engineering is difficult to learn?

It depends on what you mean by 'hard.' If you mean tough, then yes. If you mean boring, then no. Engineering isn't difficult because it involves a lot of maths, physics, and calculations.

If you're looking to learn how something works, do it! Engineering doesn't require you to be an expert.

Engineering is fun, as long as it's something you like.

One could argue that engineering is easy if you understand everything. However, this is false.

The reason why people think engineers are boring is that they haven't tried anything else yet.

They just keep doing the same old thing every day.

There are many options for solving problems. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. You can try them all to find which one is best for you.

Which engineering discipline is the most difficult?

It is difficult to design an engineering system that can withstand all failure modes, but is flexible enough to accommodate future changes.

This is why there are so many iterations and testing. This requires an understanding of the system's behavior when things go wrong. You need to ensure that you don't just solve one problem, but that you design a solution that addresses multiple problems simultaneously.

What does a Chemical Engineer do, and what are their responsibilities?

Chemical engineers employ math, science engineering, technology, as well as business skills to develop chemical processes and products.

Chemical engineers are able to specialize in many areas, including pharmaceuticals and food processing.

They work closely together with scientists and other researchers to solve technical difficulties.

What is an Aerospace Engineer's Job?

Aerospace engineers apply their knowledge in aeronautics. Propulsion, robotics, flight dynamics, and flight dynamics to create aircraft, spacecrafts, satellites. Rockets and missiles can also be designed by them.

An aerospace engineer can be involved in creating new aircraft types, new fuel sources, improving existing engine performance, and even designing space suits.

Which type of engineer gets the best salary?

The answer would be software engineers because they are the ones who write code for computers. Software engineers have a lot more freedom about the projects they choose to work on. Software engineers are able to work in any industry. However, they often choose to work for technology companies such as Google and Microsoft.

Statistics

Job growth outlook through 2030: 9% (snhu.edu)
14% of Industrial engineers design systems that combine workers, machines, and more to create a product or service to eliminate wastefulness in production processes, according to BLS efficiently. (snhu.edu)