The sector that exhibits the best engineering.
Discussion
I was driving to work this morning and was marvelling as to how much hardcore engineering goes into a run of the mill car and how many millions they spend developing same.
I then compared it to modern day formula 1 and the fact that they do nothing but ram it down your throat how clever they are.
It led me to consider if formula 1 really was the last word in engineering?
others deserve an honourable mention, NASA, Deep sea oil exploration, aviation........
So what sector in your opinion represents the current high point of engineering, and why?
I then compared it to modern day formula 1 and the fact that they do nothing but ram it down your throat how clever they are.
It led me to consider if formula 1 really was the last word in engineering?
others deserve an honourable mention, NASA, Deep sea oil exploration, aviation........
So what sector in your opinion represents the current high point of engineering, and why?
I think it can be overkill with modern cars. Over-engineering isn't necessarily an example of 'good design', and I'm of the opinion most modern cars are over-engineered for what they are.
I'd probably have to say medical science. Aero engineering will never quite be the same since Concorde, trains don't seem to be evolving in the way we were expecting (what happened to MagLev?), space exploration seems to be focusing on ever-more powerful telescopes which are just variations on a theme.
However, medical science never fails to amaze me. When you consider what people can be cured of or stabilised when even a scant few years ago they'd have died or suffered endlessly, you get the feeling that it's evolving at a staggering rate.
Also, it's pretty much the only area of science which still manages to get up the nose of the church, which shows it really is still at the cutting edge. The Vatican doesn't accuse NASA or Boeing of 'playing God', but medical science really does advance our abilities as a race. We can comprehensively repair one of the most complex machines ever created to an ever-more competent degree. It might not sound as fascinating as a supersonic rocketship, but it's far more significant.
I'd probably have to say medical science. Aero engineering will never quite be the same since Concorde, trains don't seem to be evolving in the way we were expecting (what happened to MagLev?), space exploration seems to be focusing on ever-more powerful telescopes which are just variations on a theme.
However, medical science never fails to amaze me. When you consider what people can be cured of or stabilised when even a scant few years ago they'd have died or suffered endlessly, you get the feeling that it's evolving at a staggering rate.
Also, it's pretty much the only area of science which still manages to get up the nose of the church, which shows it really is still at the cutting edge. The Vatican doesn't accuse NASA or Boeing of 'playing God', but medical science really does advance our abilities as a race. We can comprehensively repair one of the most complex machines ever created to an ever-more competent degree. It might not sound as fascinating as a supersonic rocketship, but it's far more significant.
kambites said:
I think the most precise mainstream engineering discipline is hard disk drive design.
I dunno, I reckon the chaps who build the kit for particle physics experiments would give them a run for their money. Things like the LHC have to be incredibly accurately engineered to run the experiments. Huge pieces of kit too.Edited by ewenm on Tuesday 20th March 12:04
ewenm said:
kambites said:
I think the most precise mainstream engineering discipline is hard disk drive design.
I dunno, I reckon the chaps who build the kit for particle physics experiments would give them a run for their money. Things like the LHC have to be incredibly accurately engineered to run the experiments. Huge pieces of kit too.
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I know what you mean about the engineering that goes into humdrum cars now - making a strong, light car that only has to seat two people and can be made out of whatever you want, that can wave two fingers at emissions targets and have a service interval of 20 feet is easy, making a family hatch that needs to be economical, quiet, safe (even in the hands of an idiot), reliable (also in the hands of an idiot), and feel expensive whilst being made out of humdrum stuff is a challenge. In reality they're equally impressive, expensive cars are just more showy about it.
I'd be tempted to go for either oil exploration (lot of money) or medical implants myself - the demands placed on implants durability-wise are extraordinary. Although I've personally seen how satellites are made - very strict criteria there, as if a single part fails during a 15-year or so life you've got £££££ down the drain and some very unhappy investors, as clearly you can't service a geostationary satellite. You've also got lots of fun lightweight materials to play around with, as the going rate for launching a payload into low orbit is something like £10,000 a kilo (I think).
I know what you mean about the engineering that goes into humdrum cars now - making a strong, light car that only has to seat two people and can be made out of whatever you want, that can wave two fingers at emissions targets and have a service interval of 20 feet is easy, making a family hatch that needs to be economical, quiet, safe (even in the hands of an idiot), reliable (also in the hands of an idiot), and feel expensive whilst being made out of humdrum stuff is a challenge. In reality they're equally impressive, expensive cars are just more showy about it.
I'd be tempted to go for either oil exploration (lot of money) or medical implants myself - the demands placed on implants durability-wise are extraordinary. Although I've personally seen how satellites are made - very strict criteria there, as if a single part fails during a 15-year or so life you've got £££££ down the drain and some very unhappy investors, as clearly you can't service a geostationary satellite. You've also got lots of fun lightweight materials to play around with, as the going rate for launching a payload into low orbit is something like £10,000 a kilo (I think).
Polrules said:
I'm in the oil business and some of the pressures & temperatures the kit has to withstand & operate in is impressive. However, Nuclear power makes it look easy - gets my vote.
Strong, yes.precision engineered to the same standards of the other industries mentioned thus far, not sure!!!
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