What Is Electrical Engineering?

So, what is electrical engineering? There are a few possible electrical engineering definitions, but the simplest is that electrical engineering is the study, design, development, and integration of any equipment, systems, or devices that use electricity, electronics, or electromagnetism.

This could include a system as simple as a light switch controlling the lights in your room, or as complicated as a circuit designed to work as an electrocardiogram that measures heart function.

Electrical engineering can be found everywhere and spans many different fields and applications. Below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about electrical engineering.

Benefits of Electrical Engineering

There are many benefits to electrical engineering, and they can’t be overstated. Without electrical engineers, not only would we not have lights in all of our homes and offices, but we also wouldn’t have computers and phones, and more importantly, we wouldn’t have the medical devices and equipment we use every day.

From a simple, touchless thermometer to complex pacemakers and scanning equipment, electrical engineering is essential in their design and development. Electrical engineering is the cornerstone of our advancement as a society.

Branches of Electrical Engineering

There are many different types of electrical engineering, and sub-disciplines that engineers can choose to focus on in their studies and careers.

Power Engineering

Electric power engineering involves the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electric power, as well as the machinery that is connected to these power engineering systems.

Control Engineering

Another electrical engineering field is control systems engineering, a discipline that focuses on the design and use of controllers that perform specific functions in a control loop.

Electronic Engineering

The simple electronics engineer definition is that it’s those who design circuits and their various components like capacitors, inductors, and resistors. It’s also referred to as electronics and communications engineering.

Microelectronics

Somewhat more recent advancement in electrical engineering science is microelectronics and photonics. Without this branch of engineering, smartphones, laptops, electronic automotive systems, and other personal electronics wouldn’t be possible.

Signal Processing

One of the branches of electrical engineering is signal processing, which deals with the analysis and design of digital and analog signals like sound, images, and even biological measurements.

Telecommunications Engineering

Telecommunications engineering is responsible for transmitting data across a channel, often through cables, optical fiber, or event space. Examples of these electrical engineering systems are radio, the internet, and any other wireless communication.

Instrumentation Engineering

Instrumentation engineering is the use of instruments to measure and record things like distance, pressure, temperature, flow, and angle, as well as the design of these measurement tools.

Electro-Optical Engineering

This field of electrical engineering draws from multiple other fields of study, such as physics, biomedicine, and materials science. It involves the interaction and distribution of light with certain materials.

Computer Engineering

One of the fundamentals of electrical engineering these days, computer engineering combines electronic engineering and computer science to design computer software and hardware like microprocessors, personal computers, supercomputers, and more.

Distribution Engineering

Distribution engineers install and repair power distribution systems, create new and more efficient systems, and create strategies to optimize the performance of these systems.

What Does an Electrical Engineer Do?

So, what does an electrical engineer do? The basic electrical engineer description is someone who designs, develops, and tests electrical equipment like electric motors, electronic devices, power generation equipment, and more.

Electrical engineer services are far-reaching and their common duties include researching and designing new and fresh ways to use electrical power, designing new circuits and other updates to existing technology, performing complex calculations to ensure accurate results, and coordinating the manufacturing, installation, testing, and integration of electrical equipment, and much, much more.

Electrical Systems Design

One of the key responsibilities of electrical engineers is designing electrical systems. In the construction industry, after the planning phase ends, the electrical engineer can begin creating blueprints, picking out which electrical components will be necessary and how to best incorporate them in the overall design.

Directing Electrical Contractors

On a larger project in the building industry, an electrical engineer is often responsible for managing or overseeing any other electrical contractors involved in the project. They may assign tasks and direct their activity, as well as answer any of their questions.

Fixing Electrical Issues

In any project, things go wrong. Plans, blueprints, and configurations all have to be adjusted, and the electrical engineer on the project is responsible for this, addressing the issues and making the correct changes. In order to get back on track and decrease the chances of downtime, the electrical engineer must make these revisions quickly.

Creating Cost Estimates

Another of the key components of being an electrical engineer on a big project is developing cost estimates before any construction actually begins. This includes the cost of materials and electrical components, as well as the cost of labor and employees.

Overseeing Construction Schedules

In order to create the aforementioned cost estimates, electrical engineers must first create an accurate construction schedule and budget. Knowing how many laborers will be necessary for the project, the timeline, and the budget of the project will keep everything running smoothly.

Systems Testing

Systems tests are an integral part of the construction process, checking to ensure every electrical device and system is functioning as expected. Small issues can be identified to prevent larger ones from ruining the project. An electrical engineer tests the entire system as well as each individual component to make sure it works and is up to code.

The Future of Electrical Engineering

The role of electrical engineering in the future will be even more vast than it is now. MNA Quality Consulting are currently seeing numerous advancements in this field, most notably that of the electric car. As electric cars are optimized and gain popularity, we will likely see similar new technologies, whether that be the continuous updates of personal devices or, on a much larger scale, air travel. The importance of electrical engineering will only continue to grow as our society becomes more and more technologically advanced.

Conclusion

Now that you know all about electrical engineering and its various branches, as well as why electrical engineering is important, it's time to locate a quality electrical engineer and find out how they can help you and your business. Contact our experts at MNA Quality Consulting today to see how we can work together to optimize your business performance.