For MD Depth, how much HVAC and TF?

[CASADOCS]

I am gathering the material and I am going to focus on the MD Depth, how much should I focus on TF and HVAC for the breadth AM part of the exam? In college, we did not go into HVAC and Thermodynamics was only a quarter's worth. Looking at the MERM, the 101 and MERM Companion books, these subjects seem a bit foreign to me since I have mainly focused on MD since I graduated in the early 90's.

 

[navyasw02]

Do the Six Min Solutions HVAC breadth section ONLY. That will be enough to get you through the HVAC. For T&F, I did the 6 min solutions breadth and also I did all the NCEES practice depth T&F sections and I felt very confident with the material on the actual exam.

 

[Master slacker]

Thermo was only taken for a single quarter? Damn. :huh:

Work all the TF and HVAC problems you can, regardless.

 

[Relvinim]

All I did for the TF and HVAC was the breadth sections of the 6MS for both and the morning sessions of the Lindberg PE Sample exam and NCEES 2008 Sample Exams. I felt ok with the Fluids but a little shaky on the Thermo and HVAC. Fortunately lot of the problems on the actual exam were basic enough that I felt I prepared enough.

 

[CASADOCS]

All I did for the TF and HVAC was the breadth sections of the 6MS for both and the morning sessions of the Lindberg PE Sample exam and NCEES 2008 Sample Exams. I felt ok with the Fluids but a little shaky on the Thermo and HVAC. Fortunately lot of the problems on the actual exam were basic enough that I felt I prepared enough.

Thanks for the inputs, keep 'em coming.

BTW, what is the difference between the three SMS books? Do they all have the same breadth sections and only differ with regards to the depth sections or are the breadths problems different from each other? What about compared to the NCEES current separate editions vs. the, say, 2008/2001 editions?

 

[DynaMechEng]

All I did for the TF and HVAC was the breadth sections of the 6MS for both and the morning sessions of the Lindberg PE Sample exam and NCEES 2008 Sample Exams. I felt ok with the Fluids but a little shaky on the Thermo and HVAC. Fortunately lot of the problems on the actual exam were basic enough that I felt I prepared enough.

Thanks for the inputs, keep 'em coming.

BTW, what is the difference between the three SMS books? Do they all have the same breadth sections and only differ with regards to the depth sections or are the breadths problems different from each other? What about compared to the NCEES current separate editions vs. the, say, 2008/2001 editions?

There are three SMS Mechanical books that I'm aware of (Mechanical Systems, Thermal/Fluids, & Refrig/HVAC). The mechanical systems book ONLY has mechanical systems problems (bearings, gears, mechanics, etc.). Same goes for the other two books, respectively. Each of these books has a breadth section and a depth section.

So if your depth area is MD (as mine was), you still need to buy the other two books for their breadth sections, as your MD book won't have any Thermal/Fluids or Refrig/HVAC problems.

As I recall from the October exam, there were a LOT of T&F/R&HVAC problems.

 

[Chris B]

I passed the MD module in Oct 2010. I spent a lot of my time upfront on the TF and HVAC because I was less familiar with the material. My fluids prof was heavy on the theoretical and light on the practical, so it took me time to learn some of the fluids fundamentals. I do MD type work for my day job, so it took me less time to fully review that material.

My only reference for TF and HVAC was the MERM, the respective practice problems and the NCEES 2008. I did borrow the ASME steam tables from my work library, but I never used it in the exam. While doing TF and HVAC practice problems, I focused on problems and material I thought likely to be on the Breadth portion. For example, I skipped problems that required ammonia tables and nuclear power cycles.

I think the MERM TF and HVAC problems over-prepared me for the Breadth portion in these areas. The only other problems I did were from the NCEES 2008; I didn't do the TF and HVAC Depth problems from this book since it seemed like a waste of time.

In the end, you need to gauge how much time to spend based on your knowledge. I remember a good number of TF and HVAC questions on the exam. Maybe it seemed like more because I am less familiar with the material.

Good luck.

 

[CASADOCS]

I passed the MD module in Oct 2010. I spent a lot of my time upfront on the TF and HVAC because I was less familiar with the material. My fluids prof was heavy on the theoretical and light on the practical, so it took me time to learn some of the fluids fundamentals. I do MD type work for my day job, so it took me less time to fully review that material.
My only reference for TF and HVAC was the MERM, the respective practice problems and the NCEES 2008. I did borrow the ASME steam tables from my work library, but I never used it in the exam. While doing TF and HVAC practice problems, I focused on problems and material I thought likely to be on the Breadth portion. For example, I skipped problems that required ammonia tables and nuclear power cycles.

I think the MERM TF and HVAC problems over-prepared me for the Breadth portion in these areas. The only other problems I did were from the NCEES 2008; I didn't do the TF and HVAC Depth problems from this book since it seemed like a waste of time.

In the end, you need to gauge how much time to spend based on your knowledge. I remember a good number of TF and HVAC questions on the exam. Maybe it seemed like more because I am less familiar with the material.

Good luck.

Thanks all for the replies, with kids, wife, chores, (life in general LOL), I am trying to establish a realistic game plan to tackle this feat.

Chris B. So far my plan of attack is similar to yours. I do recall somewhat faintly some TF and and HVAC, but my professors too where somewhat theoretical and as a result, applied practice was limited which is essential for working out exam problems. I am going to have to do the same as you did.

By MERM "respective problems" are you referring to the ones within the MERM or the MERM companion book? Any pointers regarding what MERM/MERM companion problems to select and which ones ignore (nuclear, ammonia, etc...)?

Also, I've been told by some to avoid taking the Mark's Handbook because they've found that the Merm and Shigley's (and Miscke) machine design book (I have the 1989 5th edition) where sufficient. Did you use a dictionary and do your ecommend a specific one? What do you think of the above?

Thanks again!

 

[Chris B]

I passed the MD module in Oct 2010. I spent a lot of my time upfront on the TF and HVAC because I was less familiar with the material. My fluids prof was heavy on the theoretical and light on the practical, so it took me time to learn some of the fluids fundamentals. I do MD type work for my day job, so it took me less time to fully review that material.
My only reference for TF and HVAC was the MERM, the respective practice problems and the NCEES 2008. I did borrow the ASME steam tables from my work library, but I never used it in the exam. While doing TF and HVAC practice problems, I focused on problems and material I thought likely to be on the Breadth portion. For example, I skipped problems that required ammonia tables and nuclear power cycles.

I think the MERM TF and HVAC problems over-prepared me for the Breadth portion in these areas. The only other problems I did were from the NCEES 2008; I didn't do the TF and HVAC Depth problems from this book since it seemed like a waste of time.

In the end, you need to gauge how much time to spend based on your knowledge. I remember a good number of TF and HVAC questions on the exam. Maybe it seemed like more because I am less familiar with the material.

Good luck.

Thanks all for the replies, with kids, wife, chores, (life in general LOL), I am trying to establish a realistic game plan to tackle this feat.

Chris B. So far my plan of attack is similar to yours. I do recall somewhat faintly some TF and and HVAC, but my professors too where somewhat theoretical and as a result, applied practice was limited which is essential for working out exam problems. I am going to have to do the same as you did.

By MERM "respective problems" are you referring to the ones within the MERM or the MERM companion book? Any pointers regarding what MERM/MERM companion problems to select and which ones ignore (nuclear, ammonia, etc...)?

Also, I've been told by some to avoid taking the Mark's Handbook because they've found that the Merm and Shigley's (and Miscke) machine design book (I have the 1989 5th edition) where sufficient. Did you use a dictionary and do your ecommend a specific one? What do you think of the above?

Thanks again!

I agree that time management is key; my wife was getting tired of night after night of studying. Another thing I wish I had done was tab my MERM as I was studying. I spent too much time looking for sections that would have been tabbed already. Tabbing helped immensely in the exam.

I would also ignore the higher level math sections and advanced power generating systems. As I was going through the problems, I made a judgment call on whether it was too advanced for the breadth section. I then marked that section as: Review Further if Time Permits.

The MERM problems are in the separate book "Practice Problems for the Mechanical Engineering PE Exam" by Lindeburg, which is a companion to the MERM. My MERM edition (12th) did not have any practice problems.

I did not get a dictionary. For books, I brought the MERM, MERM Index in a 3 ring binder, Shigley 5th, Machinery's Handbook, Unit Conversion Book, ASME Steam Tables (didn't use) and Roark's Formulas for Stress & Strain (didn't use).