Design Engineer

(From Wikipedia)

Design engineer is a general term that covers multiple engineering disciplines: Electrical, mechanical and civil engineering are the basic three. Architectural engineers, in the U.S., and building engineers in the U.K., are also examples of design engineers.

The design engineer is distinguished from the designer/drafter by virtue of the fact that a design engineer sets the direction of the design effort. The design engineer usually leads the project, directing the designer/drafter as necessary. He/she works with industrial designers and marketing to develop the product concept and specifications and directs the design effort from that point. Products are usually designed with input from a number of sources such as manufacturing, purchasing, tool making and packaging engineering. When the design involves public safety, the design engineer is usually required to be licensed, for example a Professional Engineer in the U.S. There is usually an ‘industrial exemption’ for design engineers working on project internal to companies.

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Engineering Design Process

(From Wikipedia)

The engineering design process is a process used by engineers to help develop products. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology defines the engineering design as

“… the process of devising a system, component or process to meet desired needs. It is a decision-making process (often iterative), in which the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering sciences are applied to convert resources optimally to meet a stated objective. Among the fundamental elements of the design process are the establishment of objectives and criteria, synthesis, analysis, construction, testing, and evaluation.”
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