Pipe Stress Engineering 3

[UK7096]

Hello all!

I am new to this forum and am seeking career advice.

I am a recent university graduate having gained a distinction in Mechanical Engineering. I was offered a job as a graduate stress engineer within the aerospace industry following a successful summer placement with a reputable company (which I subsequently accepted).

However, although I have taken this position within the aerospace division, my ultimate aim is to pursuit a career as a pipe stress engineer. My main interests during my studies were stress analysis and thermo/fluids. I have been using software such as Catia V5, Patran and Nastran for the past few months.

Would anybody be kind enough to offer any advice or guidance as to how I could make a successful transition to pipe stress?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

 

[BigInch]

Learn up on CaesarII and Autopipe, in that order.

Independent events are seldomly independent.

 

[C2it]

If you are based within travelling distance of London you could write to the Manager of Piping Engineering and Plant Layout for the largest employers; KBR, CB&I, Bechtel and Amec.

There are similar and associated companies in Manchester and Aberdeen.

Good luck to you.

 

[UK7096]

BigInch and C2it thank you for your advice. Living in the north of England, may I ask, which companies are based in the north west that would be interested in a semi-skilled engineer? Although I am a recent graduate I do have the best part of a years project experience.

Thanks in advance

 

[MJCronin]

I URGE YOU..

DO NOT PURSUE A CAREER INVOLVING PIPE STRESS ANALYSIS.....!

If you have done complex, REAL aerospace stress analysis using FEA computer codes, you will find that performing piping stress analysis for most typical large and small engineering firms is definitely a step down in prestige, career advancement and pay....

Realize that:

- The stress engineer is always holding someone up.... the design cannot be finished, can't go out the door or the support designers cannot start....because the pipe stress engineer is always holding them up..!!

- There is no time for the necessary design iterations or for pipe re-routing in high thermal stress conditions. !

- The client will change his design conditions, temperatures, materials, code of record or something and expect you to maintain the same end date !

- The client's engineering advisor, because he is middle aged, cranky and mid-eastern, will pick apart your work endlessly !

- You will, as is the nature of the work, need to make some subjective assumptions. Every two-bit, community college designer on the project will challenge those assumptions

- You will work with two-year college hacks who only know how to input piping geometry into CAESAR-II. One of these clowns will become your supervisor.

- No one performs dynamic analysis of piping systems because "we don't have money in the budget for that"

- MBAs hate the stress engineer.....

I can go on......but you get the picture......."Are you done yet """

 

[BigInch]

Then on the other hand, no jobs are forever (esp these days) and an extra skill set or two can be an immense help at what can often be critical times.

Independent events are seldomly independent.

 

[UK7096]

MJCronin, I appreciate you alternative view of pipe stress analysis. It is helpful to hear about the negatives aswel as the positives. However,I have found that the hourly rate for oil and gas pipe stress contractors far exceeds that of aerospace. Perhaps there are much fewer jobs in pipe stress; I honestly don't know.

I will continue to research and gain a full insight into this new line of work.

In your opinion, is it common for pipe stress analysts to be out of work between contract for extended periods of time (within the UK) or is the work fairly constant?

Please, any opinions here would be a massive help to me at this time!

Many thanks

 

[SNORGY]

MJCronin,

Brilliant.

And...

MBAs hate *all* engineers. As far as I am concerned, the feeling is mutual.

 

[LittleInch]

Pipe stress analysis will generally be in a bigger process design firm with all the issues MJ Cronin advises. Pipeline stress analysis however is a sub set of this and is more highly valued and tends to be more part of a team rather than a separate discipline. It could easily lead to FEA type modelling of complex elements and if you're actually interested in it then that's a bonus as many seem to feel trapped once they get a reputation / experience based on stress analysis. It is usually a check though so there's never too much in the way of design, but good efficient stress analysis people are rarely out of work.

My motto: Learn something new every day

Also: There's usually a good reason why everyone does it that way

 

[BigInch]

In fact I need one or two right now.

Independent events are seldomly independent.

 

[UK7096]

Once again thanks for the comments, they are genuinely appreciated.

LittleInch, I had no idea that Pipeline stress is a sub set of pipe stress! I am leaning towards the idea of carrying on with my current position and honouring my contract. In the mean time I will tech myself how to use the relevant software and get a good understanding of the industry.

I have little doubt that I will make the transition at some point; but right now I do not have enough experience to justify this to a potential employer. They may think that I need re-training in ALL aspects of engineering projects (when this is not the case).

My aim is to keep digging around in order to find a contact within the industry that could steer me in the right direction.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those that offered advice on this thread!

 

[DSB123]

UK7096,
Listen to MJCronin's words. He is spot-on. Although you could do what a lot of "Pipe Stress Engineers" do and sign up for a six week course on the subject and then call yourself a Pipe Stress Engineer. Some think it is that simple. Beleive me it's not!! After 35 years as a Pipe Stress Engineer you will still not have covered every possible problem on Pipe Stress Engineering. As you say the Oil and Gas sector Contract Rates are good at the moment in the UK but unless you know someone then it is difficult to get into the cliche - especially in Aberdeen.