Any engineers out there?

Question

What is the different between mechanical engineer and mechanical designer? What degree do I need to become a mechanical designer?

Answer 1

To be billed out as an engineer, you'd need to have an engineering degree or have become a PE (which, contrary to many people's understanding, doesn't require a degree).

A "designer" is not a well-defined term and a designer does not neccesarily have a degree or maybe not an eningeering degree. For instance it could be a chemist or physicist who has been working in a MechEng setting and become proficient at developing designs, installations, and operational issues. Or it could be someone who came through non-degreed technical positions (some from the military) and who have picked up enough theory from some classes or reading or on-the-job to design more straightforward systems and equipment.

A company would have its own policies for education requirements for a "designer". There is no statuatory or common law that a designer have a degree.

Answer 2

There is a difference between title and job. A title is just that and nothing more. "Grand Poo-bah" is also a title.
But...
Engineer is a term defined by all 50 states as a science professional. Most states will not allow an individual to bill themselves with the title of "Engineer" without a PE license. I'm saying it doesn't happen, but agencies deal with those that only rise above the radar threshold.

Designer is a term with no such legal backing.

Answer 3

It could just be a matter of terminology, but a designer would probably be a bit higher-level than the engineer.

Maybe the designer has more responsibilities. The "designer" creates the drawings and the "engineer" makes small changes to them or something like that. It varies from company to company.

Both are engineers and both probably have a BSME for their degree.

Answer 4

The designers I've worked with typically have an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology or something similar. Their primary responsibility is the production of engineering drawings and bills of materials, but they also do other design-related tasks such as component research, manufacturing liaison, etc.