The job of a mechanical designer involves producing designs for mechanical devices.
After reading technical documents to learn about a device to be fabricated, a mechanical designer will typically meet with engineers to talk about materials or other factors. A designer will then use computer drafting software to come up with the product’s design. A mechanical designer usually works to create or enhance manufacturing systems and operations.
Mechanical designers normally perform their job in an office setting, looking at specifications and other information to create mechanical designs. Designers normally have a working understanding of mechanical parts in addition to computer-aided design (CAD) software. The job may require travel to job locations or factories to assess physical measurements for machinery and view production processes.
You must hold an associate degree or prominent certification in mechanical design or a related field to hold this job. A mechanical designer must possess solid computer and math abilities. If you hold an associate degree in mechanical design, additional certification is optional but this may increase your pay and prospects, depending on the certification.
Job Duties
Mechanical designers normally start a project by meeting with project supervisors, engineers and clients to understand the goals and the way the product or mechanical system needs to be designed. Once the materials and specifications have been established, designers use CAD software to create and revise digital plans. This may include evaluating and modifying models under various conditions, like high temperature or pressure.
Once an initial design is set, mechanical designers may be accountable for presenting the design to stakeholders. If the design is authorized, designers may then send prints of the final design to the production department. A mechanical designer also typically is responsible for archiving designs and other basic clerical work.
Essential Qualifications
Many two-year colleges and technical schools offer associate degree programs in mechanical design or relevant fields. An associate degree program typically takes 2 years to complete and covers a range of technology, mathematics and engineering subjects.
Most associate degree programs include at least one class entirely focused on CAD. These courses cover CAD concepts, interfaces and techniques where students are usually asked to develop two and three-dimensional designs of mechanical devices.
Mechanical design certifications are often available through technical schools. Earning a certification in mechanical design usually involves passing a final exam.
Salary and Job Satisfaction
According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for a mechanical designer as of May 2018 was $55,920. According to Payscale.com, the salary range for a mechanical designer is $44,000 to $80,000. Those rating their job satisfaction on the website gave it an average of 4 out of 5 stars.
We Can Connect You to Exciting Mechanical Design Job Opportunities
At Superior Resource Group, we often have fantastic mechanical design job opportunities in Wisconsin and beyond, available for job seekers. If you are an experience mechanical designer or are looking to become one, please contact us today to find out how we can help you.