Mechanical design comes in many forms: from precision components to large-scale factory equipment, from one-off custom machines to mass-produced products. Yet the foundational knowledge required is essentially the same. By learning the basics below, you can build the core competence needed to design machines and products.

First, you should understand the four major areas of mechanical engineering:

• Strength of Materials
• Dynamics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Thermodynamics

Strength of Materials and Dynamics are essential for creating machines and products that do not fail. For moving machines in particular, knowledge of Dynamics is indispensable. Fluid Mechanics is necessary for designing products that involve the flow of fluids—such as automotive manifolds, turbines, and valves. Thermodynamics is required for designing heat-generating products such as engines.

In addition to the four major fields, you also need:

• Technical Drawing
• Machine Elements

Technical drawing translates design specifications into drawings. Because many people involved in development will review these drawings, you must follow standardized rules so that anyone can understand them.

Machines are assemblies of machine elements—shafts, bearings, bolts, gears, and other standardized or structural components. These elements are used across a wide range of products.

Next, designs must be transformed from drawings into actual manufactured items. A drawing alone is meaningless if it cannot be produced. To design machines and products that can be manufactured, you must understand:

• Manufacturing Processes
• Materials

Manufacturing includes various methods such as cutting and forming, each with its own characteristics. You need a working knowledge of available processes.

Material selection is equally important for achieving the required performance. For mass-production, materials must also be readily and consistently sourced. Each material has distinct properties, and many lightweight yet durable materials have emerged in recent years. You don’t need to be a specialist, but you should understand the characteristics of commonly used materials

To learn the mechanical properties of materials, you should study:

• Metallic Materials
• Plastics (Resins)

Mass-produced products such as consumer electronics and automobiles are manufactured in factories. Your designs must be suitable for stable, repeatable production, so basic knowledge of:

• Assembly
• Production

is also required.

In many companies, specialists handle manufacturing and production. As a designer, you should at least understand enough to communicate effectively with them.

In recent years, AI-assisted design has advanced rapidly. Tools such as CAD for drafting and AI-based simulation are increasingly used.

As you can see, becoming a fully capable designer requires a broad range of knowledge. However, you don’t need to learn everything at once. Acquire what you need step by step.

Experienced designers have a wide understanding of these fields. Beginners generally learn under their guidance, but you should not expect veterans to teach all foundational knowledge. In real design environments, dedicated training time is often limited. When you need knowledge, it is important to take initiative and learn on your own.

Finally, beyond technical knowledge, communication is also crucial for any designer.

I believe that “the quality of design equals the quality of communication.”

Design cannot be done alone—it requires coordination with related departments and partner manufacturers. When your company lacks certain technologies, collaboration with external partners becomes necessary, which naturally involves communication. Many engineers find communication challenging, but this is something you should work to improve as you grow as a designer.