Technical Competency 1.2: Materials, Operations, and Design Constraints in Interdisciplinary Engineering Projects

Engineering is a technical discipline that merges sciences with practical applications to improve the physical world around us. To be proficient in engineering, one needs a strong theoretical understanding of scientific principles and exposure to real-world constraints across diverse engineering products, processes, and services. Technical Competency 1.2, which is part of the Competency-based Framework (CBA), focuses on an engineer's ability to integrate knowledge and methods from various disciplines related to materials, operations, projects, and design in order to solve complex engineering problems. This article provides an overview of technical competency 1.2, defining each of its components through practical examples and providing guidelines on best demonstrating your competency in your P.Eng. licensing application.

Description of Technical Competency 1.2: 

The description of Technical Competency 1.2 as outlined in the Competency-based Assessment (CBA) guidelines published by the majority of Canadian professional engineering regulators using the 34-competency framework is as follows:

"Demonstrate knowledge of materials, or operations as appropriate, project and design constraints, designed to best fit the purpose or service intended and address interdisciplinary impacts."

The other regulators that use the 22-competency framework, such as Alberta (APEGA), Engineers Yukon and Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (NAPEG) define the above competency as follows:

"…demonstrated ability to identify and define technical and design constraints. You must demonstrate that you can work within those constraints to achieve a favorable technical outcome. Address any interdisciplinary impacts of your work (i.e., impacts on other engineering and technical disciplines)…".

Understanding Materials & Operations from an Engineering Context

The selection and use of materials are at the core of many engineering projects. A project's success often depends on choosing the right materials that not only meet technical requirements but also fit project constraints like cost and availability. In some cases, even if a material is readily available, inexpensive to obtain, and meets technical requirements, it may still not be the best choice due to other limiting factors, such as efficiency targets or legal requirements that restrict the use of specific materials in certain applications. Therefore, it is crucial for engineers to evaluate materials comprehensively, considering their broader impact on the public, the environment, and the project itself. 

Among the key considerations is also understanding how a material performs throughout the project lifecycle. Engineers typically consider several factors when evaluating project materials, from ease of fabrication, installation, operations, and maintenance to eventual decommissioning and safe disposal. This understanding is critical to ensure compliance with regulations, codes, and standards and to avoid unforeseen issues that could cause project delays or failures when projects later go into the operations stage. In specific applications, additional testing may be performed to validate the material's performance under normal and extreme operational conditions. 

For example, an automotive engineer may select carbon fiber for high-performance vehicles to strike a balance between performance, risk, and cost. Its lightweight properties enhance fuel efficiency and acceleration while providing the necessary strength for safety. Similarly, aluminum may be chosen for its corrosion resistance and its ability to absorb crash energy in critical areas such as crumple zones. 

Similarly, a structural engineer may select specific materials for enclosures, such as concrete, steel, or wood, that can withstand environmental loads like moisture, wind, and temperature changes. For example, selecting moisture-resistant materials and incorporating hygrothermal principles helps prevent condensation and deterioration inside building envelopes. Engineers must evaluate how these materials perform over time, develop maintenance plans to extend their lifespan and integrate their design with structural systems to ensure overall building integrity and energy efficiency.

Similarly, while designing overhead electricity distribution lines, utility design engineers may select specific types of wood, such as western red cedar, for utility poles due to its strength and ability to resist decay. These poles, combined with conductors like aluminum alloys with steel reinforcing, are designed to withstand harsh conditions, including heavy icing and wind loads. Engineers use materials that provide durability under extreme weather to improve storm hardening and ensure minimal maintenance while supporting efficient electricity distribution across large distances.

Concept of Interdisciplinary Engineering 

As we just learned, engineering concerns integrating physical sciences with real-world applications, which is not possible without structured and formal collaborations with interdisciplinary stakeholders. Technical Competency 1.2 highlights the importance of understanding and coordinating with professionals of other disciplines to ensure that all aspects of the project are aligned.  

When demonstrating experience to the engineering regulator to highlight competency in interdisciplinary impacts, it is crucial to emphasize how the applicant has approached engineering problems holistically. This involves considering not just technical feasibility but also environmental sustainability, economic viability, and social responsibility. When incorporating requirements from conflicting stakeholders, the focus should be on the ability to find the "best fit" solution that best balances competing constraints. For example, a transportation planning engineer working on a fleet electrification plan should outline how the "best fit" solution was obtained when weighing the immediate impact of infrastructure upgrades to the local community against the long-term benefits of improving the environment and complying with evolving net-zero regulations. It is important to highlight the process adopted to engage with the public to explain any potential fare changes due to the initial costs and emphasize the long-term benefits, such as lower emissions and better service. Another example could be an operational technology engineer working to integrate advanced digital technologies in manufacturing, where increased automation could conflict with labor considerations or require upfront costs that need to be justified by long-term efficiency gains.

Conclusion

Technical Competency 1.2 is one of the 34 competencies in the CBA framework that focuses on the applicant’s ability to apply knowledge of materials, operations, and design in practical engineering projects. It's important to take note of the regulator's use of the phrase "best fit for purpose,” which emphasizes the importance of optimization beyond simply meeting technical requirements or finding a cost-effective solution. This competency ensures that the engineer has attained significant experience in understanding and balancing conflicting multidisciplinary requirements to develop engineering solutions that are optimized for their intended purpose.