# Preparation for the ME PE exam



## Aerofrank (Oct 15, 2012)

To Whom It May Concern:

I'm contemplating on re-taking the Mechancial PE exam next year (2013). Here's my dilemma;

I'm basically an Aerospace Engineer (by profession). I received my Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1974 and took some post-graduate work in Aeronautical Engineering and Applied Mathematics through the Naval Postgraduate School. I'm currently working on completing my Masters Degree in Aerospace Engineering (2013). I have over 25 years of working experience (Military and Civilian), working as a AE, ME, Elect and Systems Engineer. NCEES once had an Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineer test;however because there were less engineers taking the exam, they discontinued it.

I don't mind pursuing the Mechanical exam,except for the following:

1. I have no experience in the HVAC field and I don't have any idea of what study material would

prepare me for the HVAC problems. I have no experience in project management as well, this

includes manufacturing subjects.

I would feel more confortable in taking the Materials and Systems (Machine Design, Vibrations, Dynamics etc), rather than the Thermodynamics, Fluids and heat transfer afternoon protion of the exam. I don't want to carry alot of books into the exam, so my questions to you are:

1. What study material (especially for Project Management and HVAC), would you recommend I

acquire for the morning as well as the afternoon portion of the exam? Note: I already have the

Shigley text (Classic fifth edition), Crane 410, Cameron Hydraulics, Steam and Gas Tables,

Beer and Johnson's Engineering Mechanics and Strength of materials. compressible Fluid Flow

and Aerodynamics by Anderson. I'm assuming most of the other subject matter can be covered

in the MERM.

2. Would anyone recommend Dr. James Lamm's Mechanical Dvds, for exam preparation, or just

the MERM? Note I'm semi-retired and on a fixed income (Military and Social Security).

As I mentioned before I don't want to bring a library to the exam, just the material I feel will help me get through the exam. Please provide any recommendations for studying and passing the morning and afternoon portion(Materials and Systems) of the exam;which helped you pass. Your response would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and good luck on passing in October of 2012.

Aerofrank


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## mannyhappyPE (Oct 16, 2012)

Congrats on going back to school and pursuing licensure. I myself am retaking in a couple of weeks because I did not pass the first time (April 2012).

As far as I know, having and understanding the MERM will get you 90% of the way there.....If you are like me, passing will depend on how many problems you expose yourself to before hand. Get as many practice tests and practice problems you can afford. As you work problems, you'll get a feeling what you know and don't know and what references you will need to supplement the MERM.

I'd like to see what else everyone else has to say as well.

Good luck!


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## mizzoueng (Oct 17, 2012)

Good luck studying! I would suggset the Thermo/Fluids side. Most problems are set up so that anyone who has done T/F of any variation can figure it out. Most are set up at turbine problems, but there are still a lot of fluids problems involving pumps and the occasional compressor.

The M/D depth is not as easy as you think. I thought so as well last October and I failed horribly. The assumption going in was that the test would cover materials and machine design. It covered much much more than that and ended up being a giant grab bag of just about everything.

HVAC is fairly simple if you have a basic understanding of how to use a psych chart. After that, it is a mass/enthalpy balance. Just about all T/F and HVAC problems can be reduced to a mass/enthalpy balance.

Buy a sample test and see what you think. Look at what you have been doing in the last year or so and see how it fits with the test materials.


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## sumpnz (Nov 13, 2012)

I just took that exam a couple weeks ago. Like you most of my experience has been in aerospace, though now I'm in heavy trucks.

There was only a couple HVAC related questions on the morning section, and none in the afternoon section. I'd never done anything HVAC related before studying for the exam, and I found them reasonably easy to solve thanks to the prep class and study materials.

Bring MERM and Shigley. That's about all I used.


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