Fluid power engineer

Fluid power engineers supervise the assembly, installation, maintenance, and testing of fluid power equipment in accordance with specified manufacturing processes. They create designs with schematics and assembly models, make drawings and bills of materials for components, and analyse equipment.

The following job titles also refer to fluid power engineer:

fluid power assembler
fluid power technology engineering consultant
fluid power engineering operator
fluid power engineering inspector
fluid power engineering expert
fluid power technology engineer
fluid power maintenance supervisor
fluid power engineering adviser
fluid power assembly supervisor
fluid power technology engineering expert
fluid power testing engineer
fluid power engineers
fluid power technology engineering specialist
fluid power engineering specialist
fluid power technology engineering adviser
fluid power maintenance engineer
fluid power engineering supervisor
fluid power engineering consultant
fluid power engineer installer
hydraulic fluid power engineer
fluid power assembly engineer
fluid power tester

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as fluid power engineer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Fluid power engineer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to fluid power engineer.

container equipment design engineer
rotating equipment engineer
packing machinery engineer
agricultural equipment design engineer
industrial tool design engineer

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of fluid power engineer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of fluid power engineer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of fluid power engineer.

Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
Hydraulic fluid: The various types, qualities and applications of hydraulic fluids used in metalworking processes such as forging and moulding, consisting out of mineral oils and water.
Mathematics: Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.
Principles of mechanical engineering: Understand principles of mechanical engineering, physics, and materials science.
Technical drawings: Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
Hydraulics: The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.
Engineering processes: The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
Fluid mechanics: The characteristics and properties of fluids, including gases, liquids and plasmas, at rest and in motion, and the forces on them.
Mechanical engineering: Discipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.
Cad software: The computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.
Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

These skills are necessary for the role of fluid power engineer.

Provide technical documentation: Prepare documentation for existing and upcoming products or services, describing their functionality and composition in such a way that it is understandable for a wide audience without technical background and compliant with defined requirements and standards. Keep documentation up to date.
Use a computer: Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.
Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
Use computer-aided engineering systems: Use computer-aided engineering software to conduct stress analyses on engineering designs.
Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
Use technical drawing software: Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.
Read engineering drawings: Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
Use cad software: Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
Execute feasibility study: Perform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a project, plan, proposition or new idea. Realise a standardised study which is based on extensive investigation and research to support the process of decision making.
Approve engineering design: Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of fluid power engineer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Material mechanics: The behaviour of solid objects when subjected to stresses and strains, and the methods to calculate these stresses and strains.
Quality and cycle time optimisation: The most optimal rotation or cycle time and over-all quality of a tool or a machine’s processes.
Cae software: The software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.
Reverse engineering: The process of extracting knowledge or design information from anything man-made and reproducing it or anything else based on the extracted information. The process often involves disassembling something and analysing its components and workings in detail.
3d modelling: The process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of an object via specialised software. The product is called a 3D model. It can be displayed as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering or used in a computer simulation of physical phenomena. The model can also be physically created using 3D printing devices.
Pneumatics: The application of pressurised gas to produce mechanical motion.
Blueprints: Must be able to read and understand blueprints, drawings and plans and maintain simple written records.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of fluid power engineer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Manage supplies: Monitor and control the flow of supplies that includes the purchase, storage and movement of the required quality of raw materials, and also work-in-progress inventory. Manage supply chain activities and synchronise supply with demand of production and customer.
Execute analytical mathematical calculations: Apply mathematical methods and make use of calculation technologies in order to perform analyses and devise solutions to specific problems.
Provide cost benefit analysis reports: Prepare, compile and communicate reports with broken down cost analysis on the proposal and budget plans of the company. Analyse the financial or social costs and benefits of a project or investment in advance over a given period of time.
Create a product’s virtual model: Create a mathematical or three-dimensional computer graphic model of the product by using a CAE system or a calculator.
Determine production capacity: Determine how many parts or tools can be manufactured by one machine during one production cycle.
Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
Use cam software: Use computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programmes to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpieces.
Plan manufacturing processes: Determine and schedule production and assembly steps. Plan manpower and equipment needs taking ergonomic considerations into account.
Provide advice to technicians: Offer help and advice to service technicians in case of machine malfunctions and other repair tasks.
Monitor production developments: Monitor parameters to keep an eye on the production, developments and costs within your area of control.
Design prototypes: Design prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.
Determine production feasibility: Determine if a product or its components can be produced by applying engineering principles.
Set up the controller of a machine: Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.

2144 – Mechanical engineers

 

 

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References

1. Fluid power engineer – ESCO