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Should I become a mechanical engineer?
I have an idea for a new food product that will change the game. How do I go about making a business? Should I become a mechanical engineer?
I'm still young and I don't see the company I'm envisioning existing for at least 5 to 10 years. It is something in demand and very good for the world, that I can't find any other company doing. I originally wanted to major in economics, but should I switch to mechanical engineering, so I could learn devise a patent? Could I contract a company to devise a method that I could then patent, or would I have to devise the method myself? Also, how expensive would contracting be? I have no interest in mechanical engineering, and love economics, but if it's what I have to do, I'd consider switching. Or would economics still be useful and I could just hire or work with a mechanical engineer?
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Interesting question. I'll try and offer a few ideas. Firstly, a mechanical engineering degree is certainly not a 'soft' degree and if one has no interest in engineering and mechanics it could be very hard to keep up the committment required. As to your ambition, if it involves pioneering a new workflow or process (perhaps more efficient, or effective than the current ones?) a knowledge of economics and the control of manufacture would probably be the most useful. And, as you say, get in the 'boffins and tech-heads' to actuually implement the nuts-and bolts of the thing. The process would more likely be you 'selling' the idea to a company, and the company then funding the development. R&D and prototyping, and then production costs can easily run into millions of pounds (dollars) for even quite simple projects. Very few are entirely self-funded. A word of caution re. patents. In practice, taking out a patent is often useless unless you have the money to defend it. If the idea is great, and a big company want it, they'll take it. They will modify it in some way to introduce some uncertainty and then it will be your solicitor versus their solicitor in a long and expensive fight to prove ownership of 'intellectual property'. You will run out of money first! If you have a great idea, I would suggest approaching companies who may be interested with a good presentation, stressing the cost/commercial benefits (not being explicit about the technical side at all) rather than than the patent office. It sounds to me you are more of the entrepreneur/commerce camp than an engineer. Hope there is a point or two in my reply to help? You can't have too much data when you are making a choice!
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