Mechanical engineering technicians assist engineers in design and development work by making sketches and rough layouts of proposed machinery and other equipment and parts. In planning and testing experimental machines, they record data, make computations, plot graphs, analyze results, and write reports. When a product is ready for production, mechanical engineering technicians prepare layouts, and drawings of the assembly process and of parts to be manufactured. They estimate labor costs, equipment life, and plant space. Some test and inspect machines and equipment in manufacturing departments or work with engineers to eliminate production problems.
Most engineering technicians work regular hours in laboratories, offices, and industrial plants.
Service representatives usually spend much of their time working in customers' establishments. Employment Engineering technicians held about 726,000 jobs in 1990. About two-fifths worked in manufacturing, mainly in the electrical and electronic machinery and equipment, transportation equipment and machinery industries. Over one-fifth worked in service industries, mostly in engineering or career services companies who do engineering work on contract for government, manufacturing, or other organizations. Persons with college courses in science, engineering, and mathematics may also be able to qualify for some positions with additional training and experience.