An engineer and technological progress

Nobody can deny our leading position in many fields of world science and technology. Any of world's experts will recognise our country's leading position in the field of metallurgy, metal-working, welding, etc.

Our country produces and exports to many countries metal-cutting lathes, forge presses, computers, rolling mills, helicopters, high-power excavators, sea-going vessels, locomotives, electric motors, steam and hydraulic turbines, electric generators, tractors, motor cars, radio equipment, measuring instruments and a lot of other products.

There is nothing surprising in it. Our country possesses not only rich natural resources but a great potential of scientists and engineers, engineer-designers and inventors. A highly-qualified engineer is a leading figure in the technological progress.

Our country constantly improves the system of higher education, provides high quality of specialised training and broad education. The higher technical educational establishments now train more and more specialists in such fields as electronics and radio-physics, automation, computing technology, instrument making, robotics, etc. A great increase is expected in the number of economists and specialists in the theory and practice of management and the scientific organisation of labour.

Engineers, graduates of polytechnic institutes are given a deep knowledge of such fundamental sciences as mathematics, physics, chemistry. They are well-trained in subjects of their speciality. Apart from general educational and fundamental sciences, students take advanced courses in economics, management science. They are well-trained in statistics, cybernetics, programming, electronic equipment, ecology problems, etc. Some new subjects are constantly introduced. With the ever wider use of computer technology in various areas of science and production, graduates of higher technical institutes are given a substantial training in such subjects as applied mathematics and cybernetics. In the electronic age with its advances in the field of compu­ters, microelectronics and cybernetics, the engineer must be able to make use of computer technique and mathematical methods in decision-making, in drawing long-range and current plans, in programming, etc.

Any good engineer must have a scientific attitude, imagination, initiative and good judgement. He must constantly engage in self-education, always search for some new methods of improving the quality, reducing the cost of any production. Thus, any really good engineer is a thinking engineer with habits in organisation of production.

Engineers in our country are also active public figures of our society. That is why our higher technical establishments include in their curricula fundamentals of social sciences: culture history, philosophy, political economy, sociology, languages.

The higher school system is establishing a variety of courses giving engineers a chance to get additional specialisations. As a rule, such courses are attended by highly qualified engineers. Special training is now available to all those who wish to gain knowledge in laser technologies. After all, lasers are employed in thermal treatment, welding and metal cutting, in surgical operations and in dozens of other areas.

Students also undertake their practical training at the advanced enterprises. It is a great advantage that every student knows two to three years before he graduates where he will be employed. This makes it possible for him to take into account the specific qualities of his future employment and, consequently, to master his future job in advance.

The educational system is based on the unity of the study process, research and practical training. Apart from theoretical studies, students carry out lab tests, work at designing bureaus, take industrial training at enterprises.

Science turns into a direct productive force. Application of science in the productive forces is already very important. Our country has taken on a course toward intensifying the economy. An important role in this process will be played by engineers.

Thus at present, engineer occupies a prominent position in modern production processes. His efforts are directed at using human and other resources to achieve certain goals in the most efficient manner.

Task 1. Fill in the gaps in the sentences with the words given below:

qualified, fields, making, trained, advanced, surgical, account, self education

1. A highly _____ engineer is a leading figure in the technological progress.

2. The higher technical educational establishments now train more and more specialists in such _____ as electronics and radio-physics, automation, computing technology, instrument _____, robotics, etc.

3. They are well _____ in subjects of their speciality.

4. Apart from general educational and fundamental sciences, students take _____ courses in economics, management science.

5. Lasers are employed in thermal, welding and metal cutting, in _____ operations and in dozens of other areas.

6. He must constantly engage in _____, always search for some new methods of improving the quality, reducing the cost of any production.

7. This makes it possible for him to take into _____ the specific qualities of his future employment and, consequently, to master his future job in advance.

Task 2. Translate the following words and word combinations into English:

зварювання, виробляти та експортувати, багаті природні ресурси, потужні екскаватори, приладобудування, інструменти для вимірювання, курси з наукового менеджменту, глибокі знання з фізики та математики, кібернетика та статистика, комп’ютерна техніка, математичні методи в моделюванні рішень, довгострокові та поточні плани, покращити якість, застосовувати лазери, виконувати лабораторні тести.

Task 3. Match the following words and word combinations.

programming	cамоосвіта
electronic equipment	політична економіка
graduates	організація виробництва
applied mathematics	кібернетика
cybernetics	програмування
microelectronics	електронне обладнання
self-education	випускники
organization of production	мікроелектроніка
political economy	прикладна математика

Task 4. Combine the words and translate the word combinations into Ukrainian:

metal-	motors
sea-going	-designer
forge	excavator
rolling	-cutting lathes
electric	instruments
steam and hydraulic	vessels
measuring	presses
high power	turbines
engineer	equipment
radio	mills

Task 5. Find the derivatives of the following verbs in the text ‘Engineer’:

to measure, to produce, to give, to operate, to improve, to compute, to graduate, to study, to take, to educate.

UNIT 2

METALS

Metals are materials most widely used in industry because of their properties. The study of the production and properties of metals is known as metallurgy.

The separation between the atoms in metals is small, so most metals are dense. The atoms are arranged regularly and can slide over each other. That is why metals are malleable (can be deformed and bent without fracture) and ductile (can be drawn into wire). Metals vary greatly in their properties. For example, lead is soft and can be bent by hand, while iron can only be worked by hammering at red heat.

The regular arrangement of atoms in metals gives them a crystalline structure. Irregular crystals are called grains. The properties of the metals depend on the size, shape, orientation, and composition of these grains. In general, a metal with small grains will be harder and stronger than one with coarse grains.

Heat treatment such as quenching, tempering, or annealing controls the nature of the grains and their size in the metal. Small amounts of other metals (less than 1 per cent) are often added to a pure metal. This is called alloying and it changes the grain structure and properties of metals.

All metals can be formed by drawing, rolling, hammering and extrusion, but some require hot-working, Metals are subject to metal fatigue and to creep (the slow increase in length under stress) causing deformation and failure. Both effects are taken into account by engineers when designing, for example, airplanes, gas-turbines, and pressure vessels for high-temperature chemical processes. Metals can be worked using machine-tools such as lathe, milling machine, shaper and grinder.

The ways of working a metal depend on its properties. Many metals can be melted and cast in moulds, but special conditions are required for metals that react with air.

Add to your active vocabulary:

property — властивість

metallurgy — металургія

separation — розділення

dense — щільний

arrangement — розташування

regularly — регулярно, правильно

to slide — ковзати

malleable — ковкий, здатний деформуватися

bent — гнути

to fracture — ламати

ductile — еластичний, ковкий

to draw — волочити, тягнути

wire — дріт

lead — свинець

iron — залізо, чавун

grain — зерно

to depend — залежати

size — розмір, величина

shape — форма, формувати

composition — склад

coarse — грубий, крупний

treatment — обробка

quenching — закалка

tempering — відпуск після закалки, нормалізація

annealing — відпал, відпуск

rolling — прокатка

to hammer — кувати (напр. молотом)

extrusion — екструзія

metal fatigue — втома металу

creep — повзучість

stress — тиск, напруження

failure — пошкодження ,порушення

vessel — сосуд, котел, судно

lathe — токарний верстат

milling machine — фрезерний верстат

shaper — строгальний верстат

grinder — шліфувальний верстат

to melt — плавити, розплавлятися

to cast — відливати, лити

mould — форма (для виливки)

General understanding:

1. What are metals and what do we call metallurgy?

2. Why are most metals dense?

3. Why are metals malleable?

4. What is malleability?

5. What are grains?

6. What is alloying?

7. What is crystalline structure?

8. What do the properties of metals depend on?

9. What changes the size of grains in metals?

10. What are the main processes of metal forming?

11. How are metals worked?

12. What is creeping?

Task 2.1. Find the following words and word combinations in the text:

1. властивості металів

2. відстань між атомами

3. правильне положення

4. дуже відрізняються за своїми властивостями

5. кристалічна структура

6. розмір зерен

7. форма зерен

8. закалка

9. відпал

10. волочіння

11. прокатка

12. ковка

13. екструзія

14. структура і властивості зерна

15. гаряча обробка

16. втома металу

17. повзучість металу

18. плавка і виливка в форми

19. способи обробки металів

Task 2.2. Complete the following sentences:

1. Metals are...

2. Metallurgy is...

3. Most metals are...

4. The regular arrangement of atoms in metals...

5. Irregular crystals...

6. The properties of the metals depend...

7. Metals with small grains will be...

8. .... controls the nature of the grains in the metal.

9. Alloying is...

10. All metals can be formed by...

11. Creep is...

12. Metals can be worked using...

Task 2.3. Explain in English the meaning of the following words:

1. malleability

2. crystalline structure

3. grains

4. heat treatment

5. alloying

6. creep

Task 2.4. Translate into English:

1. Метали – це щільні матеріали тому, що в металах між атомами мала відстань.

2. Метали мають кристалічну структуру із-за правильного положення атомів.

3. Чим менші зерна, тим твердіший метал.

4. Закалка і відпал змінюють форму і розмір зерен в металах.

5. Легування змінює структуру зерен і властивості металів.

6. Метал деформується і руйнується із-за втоми і повзучості.

UNIT 4