Let's see who can solve this

How realistic is it to become a product manager as a mechatronics engineer? Maybe an ai product manager? Is there any other easier or better route?

I'm in my last year of highschool studying mechatronics and I need software to practice writing g-code like EMCO Industrial Training Software or something similar to it that's free. Every site that I visited only offers a 30-day free trial which is not ideal for me. So if anyone knows where I could find a software that's completely free I would much appreciate it.

Hello

Can anyone give me names of companies in Lebanon (North or Beirut) which work on automation or mechatronics (plc, Microprocessors...), and have mechatronics and automation engineers currently working or seeking for new engineers to work also

Hey all I’m a mech E student at SNHU in my second year looking for someone to collab with or a group to start with making some cool projects and working on some cool stuff! No limits to skill level or who you are as long as ur passionate and interested I’m down!

Anyone interested in learning some new things and making cool things, domain doesn’t mattter could be med tech could be robotics could be industrial, just something build resumes, meet new people, and work on something awesome!

Comment or dm if interested

Edit: anyone that wants to join a small group of ppl lmk, not looking for too many. Preferably close to Boston/NH

Hi i was hoping if someone could give me some advice on which option to pick as i have pros and cons on both choices. with mechatronics no major i get alot more freedom to pick courses i want. With mechatronics with computer engineering there is more emphasis on embedded systems and bit more programming. Main negative i have heard about no major is that you're too broad and wont be specialized in anything. Any advice would mean alot thanks

I'm from germany and currently in 11th grade and considering this because I like math and physics. I've heard that not being able to specialize in one thing, but rather combining mechanics, electronics, etc, it's harder to compete for jobs with more specialized people and have a deeper understanding of subject matter. The problem is that learning a large variety of things is what makes me interested in this in the first place.

Is the job market for this major good? Is a high salary (70k€-80k€+ with experience) possible? And what other majors should I research if the amount of topics is more important for me than high proficiency in a few topics?

Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics at HAW Hamburg. Is switching worth it?
Hey everyone!
I am now in my semester of Mechanical Engineering at HAW Hamburg. I study in German. I am 20 years old. I moved abroad after finishing high school in my home country. I have met the C1 requirement for admission.
I originally wanted to study Mechatronics. However I forgot the B1 requirement and I missed the chance to take an accepted English exam, such as TOEFL or IELTS before the enrollment deadline.
Now that the semester has begun I have acknowledged that I cannot switch to Mechatronics until the next winter semester. That would mean spending one year in Mechanical Engineering before changing majors. Both bachelor’s programs last seven semesters.
From what I understand I could have about 7 of 10 courses recognized if I switch even though some of those courses belong to the fourth semester of Mechatronics.(and i'll be late simultaneously in some courses in the first 2 semesters). I still need to take an exam before applying to switch.
I am now trying to decide if switching is worth it in the run.
I do not dislike Mechanical Engineering. I could see myself staying in it. However I am interested in Mechatronics because it combines engineering, electronics, control systems and automation.
I have also thought about finishing my bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and then doing a master’s in Mechatronics or a related field. I am not sure how realistic that path would be or whether it would put me at a disadvantage compared with someone who has a bachelor’s in Mechatronics.
Another thing I have been thinking about is the job market. Mechanical Engineering attracts students and this sometimes makes me wonder about competition and job opportunities. I know that popularity does not always mean career prospects but it is still something I think about.
So I would really appreciate your opinions, from people who have studied or worked in either field:
1. Career prospects: Does Mechatronics offer an advantage over Mechanical Engineering in terms of job opportunities, salary or future demand?
2. Bachelor’s vs. Master’s: Would it make sense to finish Mechanical Engineering and specialize in Mechatronics later. Is having a bachelor’s in Mechatronics a meaningful advantage?
3. Switching majors: If you were in my position would you switch winter semester even if it meant potentially extending your studies?
4. Long-term flexibility: Which degree gives you flexibility to work in different engineering fields especially with the increasing importance of automation and robotics?
I just want to hear experiences and perspectives from people who know more, about these fields.
Since I am 20 I do not mind spending an extra semester or two if it truly helps me in the long run. At the time I do not want to switch just because I think one degree has better prospects without knowing the real differences.
Thank you in advance for any advice!

The idea is to let players experiment with different jet engine architectures, from conventional turbojets and turbofans to ramjets and scramjets.

You can build an engine and investigate its performance using a dyno and wind tunnel.

I’m interested in feedback from people who know their propulsion systems:

\- What engine parameters would you want to control?
\- What performance metrics would make the simulation more useful?
\- What would make you come back and build another engine?

The game is live and playable in the browser:

https://jetenginesim.com

I’m the developer, and I’m keen to keep improving it based on feedback.

I’m currently working as a web developer, but I’m noticing that AI is taking over more and more of my work. I barely write code myself anymore. It’s becoming mostly about writing specs, architecture design and talking to clients.
The problem is that I don’t really enjoy the client communication side of things, and my people skills aren’t the best either.
So I’ve been thinking about switching to electrical engineering / industrial automation, maybe becoming a PLC engineer. I like the idea of still doing some programming and designing, but also working hands-on with installations, testing and troubleshooting.
My main concern is whether AI will eventually take over most of the programming and engineering work in this field too.
For those working in industrial automation, how much is AI already changing your job?

Hey all, posting here because this is a pretty niche role and figured this community would have the right people.

We’re an early-stage startup building AI tools for industrial automation. As we expand into more customer types, we’re bringing on more people to help with QA, testing the AI’s outputs for technical accuracy and keeping up with the scope of what we’re covering.

This is a part-time, remote role, built for someone currently studying or recently graduated in electrical engineering or mechanical engineering (mechatronics track). You’d be reviewing AI-generated answers related to PLCs, sensors, controls, and robotics for accuracy, flagging what’s wrong or incomplete, and helping build out test datasets and demo environments.

What matters most:

• Real coursework or hands-on exposure to electrical/mechatronics engineering (PLCs, sensors, controls, robotics)
• Fluent English, spoken and written. All the work happens in English
• Detail-oriented, patient with structured review work
• Comfortable saying “I don’t know, let me check” instead of guessing

Fully remote, part-time, paid. If this sounds like your kind of thing (or you know someone it fits), drop a comment or DM me and I’ll share more details.

I’m designing a drone for a competition and have already completed the frame design. Now, I want to integrate the electronics and avionics into the CAD model.

My idea is to obtain the schematics and 3D models of the various electronic components, such as the flight controller, ESCs, motors, battery, telemetry module, and camera. I would then position these components within my existing CAD assembly and establish their electrical connections using the schematics.

Ideally, I want those electrical connections to be represented in the 3D CAD assembly as well, so that I can visualize both the physical layout and the wiring between components in a single model.

Is this workflow possible using any CAD software or an ECAD-MCAD integration tool? If so, what software would you recommend, and how can I achieve this without designing a custom PCB?

Hi guys, I'm a mechatronics eng student and lately I'm losing my passion and feel like I'm losing control and I'm feeling so overwhelmed by the amount of skills/things I have to learn. Every single day there's a new thing coming up, and I have to finish the old first to catch up on these new things but by that time newer or more advanced things will already be there.

I just dk I reached a point where I start thinking is it even possible to learn all of that, cuz when I look at fresh graduate CVs and look at their experiences and skills sections I just feel sm behind when did they even get the time to learn and make all of that.

And what's worse about mechatronics is that I need to focus on so many things at once, and this is driving me crazy. I do follow a roadmap but still lately I feel like that's a lot to do

I just want to know how yall overcome this feeling, how do you keep believing that you can still make it, how do you organize ur life, please I would appreciate any advice you have

Hi everyone,

When testing multi-axis sequences or sensor triggers, running code directly on unverified hardware often leads to burned driver keys or broken mechanical stops.

To solve this during our R&D iterations, I built a web-based Digital Twin / Simulator for our PC Soft PLC engine (Beeptoolkit). It allows you to simulate and verify Deterministic Finite-State Machine (DFSM) scenarios directly in your browser without any hardware attached.

What you can test interactively in the simulator:

- Real-time 0–3.3V ADC voltage triggers (simulating NPN/PNP inductive and analog sensors).

- Multi-channel logic outputs (controlling step/dir drivers, MOSFETs, and relays).

- Sequential state timing and transition matrices across up to 240 automats.

- Instant feedback loop visualization without code compilation routines.

I’d love for you to give the browser simulator a spin and share your thoughts on the workflow!

Live simulator link.

Hello guys, I'm studying mechanical engineering. I am graduating this year (5th year) but I didn't really enjoy mechanical engineering... I liked mechatronics and automation engineering much more.

I enjoy programming (plc, Microprocessor,...)

My question is: if I wanted to continue my masters in mechatronics or in automation, what are the requirements? Knowing that I'm not really into electronics and electricity subjects since I've studied mechanical not electrical engineering... this will be a problem for me?

I want your advices please.

Hey everyone,

I finished my BSc in Mechatronics and recently started my Master's in Electromechanical Engineering (Robotics/Mechatronics and Mechanical Construction track) in Belgium.

Right now, my biggest struggle is the "jack of all trades, master of none" feeling that comes with Mechatronics. We touch mechanics, electronics, embedded coding, control theory, and PLCs, which is cool in school, but when I look at real job descriptions, I feel like I'm competing against pure Mechanical, Electrical, or Software grads without having deep expertise in one specific thing. I really want to use my Master's projects, internship, and thesis to commit to one clear direction and actually get good at it.

The problem is, every time I look at the main paths in front of me, I run into a reason to hesitate—especially with how fast AI is changing entry-level work and the fact that I'm still learning the local languages (Dutch/French) and will rely mainly on English when I graduate.

This is how I'm currently seeing my options, though I'm still a student and might be reading the market completely wrong:

• Embedded Systems & Electronics: During my BSc, this was my main focus (my thesis was building a TinyML computer vision sorting system on microcontrollers), and I genuinely enjoy electronics and hardware. It also seems like one of the most English-friendly fields in Europe. What worries me is that when I built my thesis project, I saw firsthand how easily AI tools like Claude can generate thousands of lines of working C/C++ code now. When I look at job boards, almost every embedded role asks for 3–5+ years of experience, and I barely see any true junior openings. It makes me wonder if AI has shrunk the need for junior embedded engineers.
• Mechanical Design: Even though my Bachelor's was Mechatronics, we had a lot of mechanical classes (Mechanics 1–3, Machine Design 1–2, Manufacturing 1–2), and my Master's has a strong focus on FEM, Machine Elements, Mechanical Vibrations, and Manufacturing. I really like working in 3D CAD and designing physical mechanisms. However, I keep hearing that entry-level Mechanical Design is super overcrowded because almost every mechanical engineering grad wants to go into design. I'm also not sure if generative design and AI tools in CAD are going to reduce the number of junior design engineers companies need to hire.
• Industrial Automation & PLCs: I taught PLC lab sessions (TIA Portal) during my Bachelor's, and I don't think AI is going to replace physical factory automation anytime soon. The catch for me here is the language barrier—from what I've seen, working in PLC commissioning or factory automation usually requires fluent local language from day one to communicate with technicians on the floor, which I won't have at a high enough level yet when I finish my degree.

Again, this is just how it looks from where I'm standing as a student, and there's a good chance my assumptions about AI, competition, or how these roles actually work in industry are off. If I'm overthinking this or looking at any of these fields the wrong way, please correct me. I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts or any advice from those of you working in the field. Thanks!

Hello guys, I'm studying mechanical engineering. I am graduating this year (5th year) but I didn't really enjoy mechanical engineering... I liked mechatronics and automation engineering much more.

I enjoy programming (plc, Microprocessor,...)

My question is: if I wanted to continue my masters in mechatronics or in automation, what are the requirements? Knowing that I'm not really into electronics and electricity subjects since I've studied mechanical not electrical engineering... this will be a problem for me?

I want your advices please.