How to start designing to standards?

[Dinga17]

Hi all, I have recently graduated from university as a mechanical engineer. For my first year after (and throughout uni) I had been doing general drafting work. Now I am beginning to do actual engineering design and am required to design to Australian standards. Particularly AS4100 and AS1170.

I am just after some tips, guidance and general chat about how everyone else started designing to standards and I guess practicing the correct calculation procedures and checks for designing. After doing a few years of just drafting I will admit I have forgotten some stuff that I learnt at uni, is this normal?
What I would love if anyone could point me towards some information/worked examples discussing and showing the use of AS4100 and AS1170. I presume the confidence in performing calculations using these standards comes with time and experience.

Thanks in advance for any help, guidance and general discussion on this topic.

 

[dhengr]

Dinga17:
You should have gotten a smattering of these codes and stds. at the Uni., and now you have to get copies of the main ones and read and study them, so you start to understand what’s in them and how they apply to your work, and so you become proficient at using and following them. Your company will have most of these, and maybe provide individual copies of some of them for regular use. Some of this initial learning should be on your own time, since you should know some of this to be employable. You finally learn, and partially memorizing them by using them daily. Look at some old calcs. (from various senior engineers), plans and specs. from earlier projects, to see how the codes/stds. are applied and how a good set of calcs. is set up and laid out, and how they look and flow. Obviously, for calcs., they should show the logical analysis, design and checking process for individual members, sub-systems, entire bldg. or machine, etc., so that someone else can follow your thought process, confirm your loads, assumptions, etc. They are needed if and when the bldg. or machine needs change or modification. I’m always amazed that someone will spend several million dollars on a bldg. and then not keep a couple sets of calcs., plans and specs. for future use. Develop a relationship with a few mentors who you can go to with questions on codes, analysis and design methods and office procedures, etc. But, go to them with intelligent, well thought out questions, fairly well developed problems, maybe a few ideas for possible solutions, etc., so that you do look like you’ve given the problem some serious thought. Good luck.

 

[mfgenggear]

you start by asking the Engineer who will be checking your work. and you should have lead to help you along.
don't try to do this on your own. ask many many questions, and dengr had many good suggestions.
study the specifications over and over.