Free, Informative Services for Engineers

Technology advances at a rapid pace, so it's more important than ever for engineers to have access to resources that keep them informed on the latest industry trends. Fortunately, various websites strive to educate people in the engineering field and give engineers a place to collaborate with others in the industry. While most engineering websites charge a fee, some free and informative resources are available for all engineers to use.

TheEngineeringDaily.net is a Web-only magazine designed for engineers. The website provides numerous free services for engineers, including:

• An innovative and comprehensive job search website
• Informative articles and guides
• Challenging brain games
• A forum to discuss pertinent topics in the engineering industry
• An outlet for engineers to post industry-related articles they have written

Engineering.com also provides a variety of free services to engineers. According to a post by John Hayes, a content creator for Engineering.com, engineers solve some of the biggest challenges facing the world. Engineering.com strives to provide an environment where engineers can collaborate freely online. The website offers valuable resources and services to engineers, including:

• Blogs
• Videos
• Message boards
• CAD file sharing
• Task management
• Online design meetings
• Collaboration and project management
• Job board
• Email service
• Calculators
• Engineering articles
• Games and puzzles
• CATIA education center
• Mobile apps

In addition to its main website, Engineering.com recently launched a microsite dedicated to electronic engineering. Engineering.com Electronics features articles, videos, and job boards specifically for electronic engineers.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Engineers Without Borders-USA (EWB-USA), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) came together to form Engineering for a Change (E4C). E4C is a global alliance that represents more than 500,000 members, including engineers and technologists, throughout the world. The website provides engineers with free hour-long webinars, industry news articles, and member forums designed to keep you connected to other engineers in your industry and keep you updated on current industry trends.

Free social networking websites are designed specifically for engineers. EngineeringExchange.com is an online community for engineers with over 11,000 members worldwide. In addition to connecting with other engineers, you can use the websites to share blog posts or videos, review job boards, or browse through a resource section filled with 3-D CAD models. (Of course, you can also check out the Nexxt Engineering community.)

Networking with other engineers is a great way to stay informed about what's happening within your industry, get opinions on a difficult problem that you're trying to solve, and watch educational videos. Regardless of your area of expertise, using some of the free services for engineers that you can find online has numerous benefits.

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