Corrosion Protection
Since the moment in history when humanity has learned to shape and change the environment around itself in order to improve the quality of life, the paradigm on Earth had changed. Not only would mankind survive what mother nature would throw at it, but it would thrive by raising constructs to provide for its needs. Be it shelters, transportation, infrastructure and later on services, they have all served the same purpose of furthering human dominance on the planet. In order to achieve this, humanity not only needed the skills and capability to tackle these kinds of projects but also the materials. Wood, stone, copper, iron, steel, composite materials – they all have their own advantages and disadvantages which engineers must be aware of. While wooden materials have to be protected from rotting and molding, steel structures geographically located in humid climate have to have protection against corrosion.
Corrosion occurs due to the chemical reaction between the material and the environment. Corrosion protection packaging must be considered during the design stage of the construction process.
There are mainly three methods to avoid it – coatings, corrosion inhibitors and cathodic protection.
Coating is the barrier between the material and environment preventing the steel from degrading. There are two main types of coatings – painting and plating.
Corrosion inhibitors are another important way to prevent corrosion. These are based on the introduction to the material of a specific compound – inhibitors. Inhibitors have a high efficiency and with a very small amount dramatically slow down the deterioration of the material.
Cathodic protection is the electrochemical protection which is based on the application of the cathodic current. It is effectively used for preventing not only general type of corrosion but such effect as pitting corrosion as well.
While choosing the type of corrosion protection, one should take into consideration not only the durability and quality of the chosen method but also the cost efficiency and the payback period and also aesthetic and visual qualities.
Tips in pursuing careers every mechanical engineer needs to know
Aside from being good at math and science, as a mechanical engineer you need to know how to pursue your career in the mechanical industry correctly. It doesn’t matter if you are just a fresh graduate or if you’ve been working for a while now, there are some tips and strategies that you could muster to help you develop your profession in mechanical industry. Here are some career tips that every mechanical industry needs to know:
Be business-minded
First of all, you need to be business-minded. Most of the companies nowadays are looking for an engineer who thinks like a businessperson because they wanted their mechanical engineers to be involved when it comes to strategy and planning. A mechanical engineer who knows how to get around the income statements and balance sheets is a keeper for a company. Young engineers nowadays need to know more when it comes to understanding the total costs of producing products in the company would affect their decisions.
Think outside of the box
Always think outside of the box because, in today’s industry, you need to know all of the software as well as the electronic components related to the career that you are going to choose. There will also be times that your boss will ask for you to think outside of the technical discipline. Therefore, you must educate yourself about the field that is relevant to your area and specialties.
Be cooperative
A professional engineer must know how to be a team player, and he must also know how to collaborate with different professionals that gather together to complete a project or solve a big issue. With that being said, the communication skills are also essential when it comes to technical expertise.
Be obedient to the rules
It is highly advisable that you follow the rules most of the time to ensure that your boss will recognize you. You have to make sure that all of your decisions and strategies that you are going to conduct are according to your employer’s values and regulations because there are best practices and design procedures that you always have to follow.
Make yourself be part of the innovation pipeline
Make sure that you open your mind to new ideas even if the sources are not from your group. Some companies recognize engineers that are always open to new ideas for innovation, regardless of where the idea had originally come from.
Make your boss be successful
If you tend to make your boss’s company successful, you will also benefit your career. Some engineers are intimidated because their managers have the ability to fire, hire and promote other people. However, if you tend to think of the future of your boss, not only will he eventually help you to a higher level, but your career in the mechanical industry will also improve.
Keep in touch with your alma mater
It is important that you stay connected to the university where you have graduated. There are technical societies that you could join if you wanted to increase the reach of your networking. As much as possible, write technical papers because it will help you in enhancing your skills and it will also improve the reputation of your company 
as well.
Always be eager to learn
There are still new things that you might want to learn about, and knowledge is your primary weapon in surviving and improving in the mechanical industry. As a mechanical engineer, it is important that you are always moving and growing.