# Fall 2012 Mechanical Systems and Materials Exam



## mannyhappyPE (Jul 30, 2012)

Saw the thermal thread and figured I'd start a thread too.

My name is Manny and I am taking the test for the second time. Got real close to passing the first time around. I know that I maybe put about 50ish actual hours in of studying. Will be shooting for 300+ this time around.

Who's out there?


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## Rockettt (Aug 14, 2012)

50 hours!? Must have been a last minute thing? Took me probably 150hrs. maybe less some of them hours was less than attentive to my tasks. Took the machine design as well.

Good luck this time around. Get crackin on the books.!


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## Krakosky (Aug 14, 2012)

Took me ~ 350 hours but I also read thru the chapters in the MERM. Good luck!


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## mannyhappyPE (Aug 14, 2012)

Congrats on passing Rocket / Krakosky.

Those 50 hours were spread out, believe it or not, over three months. Maybe I had a false sense of comfort or badassness? Not that it is really a good excuse but I was working two jobs and bought / moved into a house around that time. Looking back I really should probably just have waited until Oct anyway so that I could really study and prioritize the test.

On the bright side, I kinda know what the exam is like now and the fail diagnostic report will help my studying be more focused. The pass rate for retakers doesn't look too hot so I am not sure how I should feel about it.

Anyone else taking the test?


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## Charlie Plumb (Aug 15, 2012)

Good luck man. I'm sure you will get it this time around. Especially if you could get close with 50 hours...

I took HVAC in April and studied about 160 hours and passed. Although I think study time is a very individual deal. I have friends that studied around 120 hours and had no problem with the test and a friend that studied over 200 hours and didn't pass.


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## ikesdsu (Aug 16, 2012)

I agree it all depends on how you can study. I probably studied around 150 hours and passed the second time, but there is another guy in my office who studied 300+ hours and didn't pass. It all depends how you learn.

Even though I didn't pass the first time, I would consider the fact that you have seen the test a big help. I wouldn't worry about the passing percentage the second time. Even though it might make sense that the percentage is so low the second time in the test makers head, I doesn't make sense to me.


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## DETLTU (Aug 24, 2012)

I am taking the October exam with the Mech systems and materials PM section. This will be my 1st time to take the test although it is the 3rd time I have attempted to take the test. I applied for last falls exam but didn't register with NCEES in time. Then I registered with NCEES for the spring exam, but my there was a problem with my change of test form with the state so my registration was rejected. Finally everything is set for this October. I'm currently working and getting an MBA so study time is at a premium for me. I did quite a bit of preparation for the spring test, but when I sat down and started working problems for this fall it seems that most of my prep has melted away. I'll be working as many problems as I can get my hands on betweeen now and October.


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## Anutka2 (Sep 9, 2012)

Hi, thanks for starting this thread. I'm signed up to take the PE (MD) in October. This will be my first... and hopefully last... time. I've just finished reviewing the MERM and I'm looking for suggestions on what to do next.

Krakosky - I saw you passed your exam, congratulations! Did you end up using 6-Minute Solutions? I bought the Mechanical Systems one, I'm wondering if I should get the other 2 also.

I'm about half way through the 6-Minute Solutions and I'm finding that some problems take me about 3 minutes, while others I'm completely stuck on... or they take 20 minutes total. It's not very encouraging. Problems like 3 moment theory or ones that use conservation of energy and momentum don't seem reasonable for 6 minutes... but I realize the fundamentals are important. Anyone else having a difficult time with some of these?

Should I go through all the MERM practice problems again? I did once, when I was going through the chapters, but like everyone said - those problems are really difficult and I ended up reading the solutions for most of them.

I bought the "Mechanical Engineering Design" textbook by Shigley, Mischke, and Budynas - is this the one everyone refers to? Should I go through the practice problems in there too?

Would love to hear more advise from anyone who passed the exam.

Manny - how's your studying coming along?

Thanks for the help!

-Anya


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## Krakosky (Sep 10, 2012)

I recommend buying the other 2 6MS. They helped me brush up on my weaker topics and I did use them during the exam. I never ended up buying the MD 6MS. I only had time to go thru the MERM problems once. If you have the time, go back thru and do the ones on your weaker subject areas. Also take the NCEES practice exam and time yourself. Take time to review all the answers after, even the ones you got right. I found the MERM to be weak/deficient in certain MD topics and used Shigley and online resources to fill on the gap. I made a lot of my own notes and compiled steps on how to solve certain problem types.


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## Anutka2 (Sep 10, 2012)

Thank you, I will buy the other 2 6MS. I just didn't want to get too caught up in doing in-depth HVAC problems since I don't have the ASHRAE codes and don't feel like I'll need them for the morning.

In taking the NCEES practice test as a "real" test - how did you do? Any idea where the 2001 NCEES practice test can be found? I read somewhere that it's expensive... but I can't even find it anywhere.


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## mannyhappyPE (Sep 11, 2012)

Anutka, my studying is coming along a lot better this time around. I am realizing how little I know going into the first exam. This test does a great job at weeding out those who are not yet ready to become licensed.

Friends of mine who have passed suggested I work the easy problems and leave the hardest ones for last. From my experience last April, I was able to solve ~32 questions in both the morning and afternoon in about 2.5 hours. I had plenty of time to go back and spend on the problems that I didnt understand and check other ones. I guessed on about 5 in both sections because I had NO idea what they were talking about. For this reason I am focused more on understanding rather than speed.

What are you currently studying?


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## Anutka2 (Sep 11, 2012)

Thanks for the test taking tip. I will practice that when I sit down for a full practice test of the NCEES questions.

Just a few days ago I finished reviewing all the chapters that I wanted to cover in the MERM. "Finished" isn't exactly accurate, I'm realizing now that I learn and remember very little in just reading the material. I did the example problems as I read through and some of the additional practice problems (I have MERM 11, so those are all in 1 book), which I found to be very difficult. Manny - are you working through those too?

Right now I'm going through the 6MS for MD. I ordered the other 2 yesterday and waiting for them to arrive. I'm finding some of the 6MS problems challenging also, and they take me well over 6 minutes. After about the midway point in that book, problems seem to be getting a lot more difficult and obscure.

I'm planning to review Shigley's book next. Any suggestions on how to approach that? I don't think I'll be "reading" anymore textbooks ever again.

Manny, are you working through the MERM now?


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## mannyhappyPE (Sep 11, 2012)

I am not working through the MERM and probably wont until I finish going through all of my other reference material. I inadvertently look at the example problems in the MERM while working out practice problems anyway. I've skimmed through most of the chapters but I read the thermo and HVAC chapters thoroughly as that is what really burned me on the exam. Everyone keeps telling me that secret to passing is to work as many problems as you can.

Not sure if this has been addressed or not but keep in mind that you may have limited real estate on your table. I had half of an 8 foot table to work on. Essentially a 4' x 3' space and the floor around me. You will have the test booklet, your answer booklet, your calculator, and your primary references out at a minimum. You can see that having too much stuff out might mean you are going to be piling things on top of each other. Try and be selective with what you have out and be neat about your backup references. I had them in a bag but I saw a bunch of egg creates and wheeled suit cases. I think the civils usually end up bringing the most stuff. Some people showed up with just the MERM and a calculator ??? go figure.

My Primary References:

MERM 12 edition

My custom binder of formulas, graphs, charts and sample problems

My Backup references are:

6MS MD, Thermo / Fluids

NCEES practice test

Lindeburg practice test

Fundamentals of machine component design by Juvinall (I've barely used this so far, didnt need it on the test)

Book of "Tables and Figures to accompany Thermodynamics" (I've barely used this so far, didnt need it on the test)

I may repurchase Shigley's machine disign (sold it back in college because im a dummy) if what I have doesnt pan out (didnt have it when i took it, didnt need it)


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## mannyhappyPE (Oct 30, 2012)

hate waiting


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## Magnus (Oct 30, 2012)

What's your gut feel, think you passed?

I took it for the first time and feel pretty good about my chances of passing. Only 2-3 problems in each session where I ended up guessing at the answer.


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## mannyhappyPE (Oct 30, 2012)

wow, sounds like you nailed it.....

The first time I felt like if I was gonna pass or fail, it wasn't gonna be by much.

This time, I felt like I had a much greater command over the problems. Definitely studied hard this time around. Gut feel is that I did not hit it out of the park, but I know I did better than last time. Soooooo, hope I can eek it out.


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## DETLTU (Oct 31, 2012)

I took the test this past Friday. I started to post the day before the test that I wasn't feeling very good about it. I didn't find much time to study for the exam in the weeks leading up to it. I pretty much decided that I would plan on taking the test again next fall when I am done with my MBA.

When I took the test, I was surprised that it didn't seem as bad as expected. I told a friend that I would put my chances at about 25% that I passed. I thought going into it that I basically had no chance, but I worked almost all of the problems and only guessed on a few in both sessions.


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## NYMechEng (Nov 15, 2012)

This was my second attempt. The first time I studied on my own (no review class, and focused on reading/ understanding concepts). I felt that I either passed or failed with a close margin, and I had some issues with "time management". I had to guess 3 in the morning and about 8 in the pm on the April 2012 test. This second attempt for the October 2012 exam, I was more prepared, and will say I had used less time on each problem. I only had to guess at 1 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, but not due to running out of time. I think I got it this time. This time around I took a review class and focused on working practice problems. This helped me quite a bit.


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## mannyhappyPE (Dec 11, 2012)

Who thinks itll be tommorow at 9:00AM est (That will mark day 47 which is the same amount of time as the april test i think)


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## NYMechEng (Dec 12, 2012)

For NY, I'd not expect results right away. Usually lags about a week later. 5 days last fall, and 4 in the spring.

I'm guessing maybe Friday afternoon, but think next week is more reasonable (based on past history).


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## mannyhappyPE (Dec 13, 2012)

PASSED! as I expected....it was about 9:00 AM, just wrong day


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