Tips and Tricks for Passing the FE Exam

Passing the FE Exam will be an important step in the career of a FE Engineer. Writing and clearing the FE Exam will be the first step in obtaining a PE license. You need to be aware of the various nuances of the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam to appear and prepare confidently for the exam. Let us look at a few guidelines for passing the FE Exam.

Who is the FE Exam meant for?

FE Exam is for graduates who are doing their final year engineering degree or who have just completed their engineering degree.

What type of Exam is the FE Exam?

The FE Exam is a computer-based exam, that can be taken at any Pearson VUE authorised test centre.

Multiple-Choice Exam Format

The FE Exam has 110 multiple-choice questions. The exam will be for 6 hours long. You have to sign a non-disclosure agreement. There will be a tutorial for eight minutes. The actual exam is for five hours and 20 minutes. There is a break for 25 mins. You also need to take a brief survey. The FE Review prepares you to face the multiple-choice format.

Mastering FE Exam Syllabus

The syllabus for the FE Exams is listed in the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) website. The syllabus for the respective engineering disciplines are listed separately for the FE Exam and PE Exam. You can look up the syllabus pdf and prepare well for the exam. The FE Exam Review helps you to master the FE Exam Syllabus.

Joining a Prep Program

By joining a prep program, you can become aware of the important topics for the exam. Experienced instructors with both industrial and academic knowledge will be able to guide you towards exam success. Joining a prep program like a FE Review Course helps you to prepare well for the FE Exam.

Buying the Right Books

Purchasing the right books to prepare for the exam will be helpful. The FE Review Manual, 3rd Edition by Michael R. Lindeburg, P.E.will be a useful book for any engineer preparing for the FE Exam. FE Exam Review Course will recommend the correct books to prepare for the FE Exam.

Watch YouTube and Vimeo Videos

There are lots of interesting and educative subject videos on video sharing sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. The engineers can view these videos to get a good idea of the subjects or any specific theory or practical topic.

Do a Group Study

Group study will allow you to collaborate with other students and get a share of their knowledge. Other students may have a skill or expertise that you may not have. So, collaborating helps to share knowledge.

Visit Libraries

Visiting Libraries will help you get access to lots of books and journals that will help you to prepare well for the exam. The variety of books in a library will keep you engaged. The quiet atmosphere at the library will help you to concentrate on your studies.

Connecting with Groups in Social Media

You can connect with engineering groups in Social Media that freely discuss their knowledge. This type of Social Learning will help in synergizing the knowledge of people from around the world. You can ask doubts and get answers from many people in the group. You can post pictures and videos to share your knowledge or doubts. You can initiate a long discussion thread. The Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Review Course helps the students connecting with groups in Social Media.

Hope these guidelines and tips help you to prepare well for the FE Exam. 

Various PE Prep Courses Conducted by School of PE

The School of PE has been conducting PE Exam Prep Courses right from the year 2004. They have been offering specialized coaching in various streams of PE courses.

The various PE Courses taken by School of PE are:

1. PE Civil

2. PE Electrical

3. PE Environmental

4. PE Mechanical

5. PE Chemical

The School of PE adheres to the syllabus prescribed by the NCEES for training students for the PE Exam. The syllabus forms the basis of all types of classes at School of PE. Questions in the final exam will be based on this syllabus.

PE Civil: The PE Civil Course gives extensive training for an Engineer who wants to take the PE Civil Exam. The syllabus covered under PE Civil - Construction include project planning, means and methods, soil mechanics, structural mechanics, hydraulics and hydrology, geometrics, material, site development, earthwork construction and layout, estimating quantities and costs, construction operation and methods, scheduling, material quality control and production, temporary structures, health and safety.

There are other topics included for PE Civil – Geotechnical. The topics include earthquake engineering and dynamic loads, earth structures, groundwater and seepage, problematic soil and rock conditions, earth retaining structures, shallow and deep foundations.

The other topics for PE Civil – Structural are Analysis of structures, design and details of structures, codes and construction.

The Civil – Transportation covers topics such as Traffic Engineering (Capacity Analysis and Transportation Planning), Horizontal Design, Vertical Design, Intersection geometry, roadside and cross-section design, signal design, traffic control design, geotechnical and pavement, drainage, and alternative analysis. Adhering to the PE syllabus is a good part of the PE Review course.

PE Electrical: PE Electrical Engineering include subjects such as General Power Engineering, Circuit Analysis, Rotating Machines and Electromagnetic Devices, and Transmission and Distribution (High, Medium, and low Voltage). The PE Electrical is taken by an engineer after completing the FE Electrical exam. So, the PE Review Course for PE Electrical follows the syllabus of NCEES.

PE Environmental: The syllabus for the PE Environmental includes water, solid waste, air, site assessment and remediation, environmental health and safety, associated engineering principles. Those engineers who have completed the FE Environmental will help in passing the PE Environmental exam. The PE Exam Review of the PE Environmental course sticks to the NCEES syllabus.

PE Mechanical: The PE Mechanical syllabus includes basic engineering practice, mechanical systems and materials, hydraulics and fluids, Energy/Power systems, HVAC Refrigeration – principles and applications. If an engineer has taken the FE Mechanical Exam then he/she will be familiar with the fundamental syllabus for Professional Engineer Exam.

PE Chemical: The PE Chemical syllabus covered by School of PE includes Mass/Energy balances and thermodynamics, heat transfer, kinetics, fluids, mass transfer, plant design and operation. If an engineer has passed the FE Chemical exam, then he/she will have a good knowledge of the basic PE syllabus. The PE Exam Review Course of PE Chemical follows the NCEES syllabus.

The syllabus listed by NCEES is conducted by experienced instructors at School of PE. These instructors have both academic and industry experience. The syllabus is covered either in the online or ondemand modes. The School of PE recommends the Reference Manual written by Michael R. Lindeburg, P.E. as an aid for preparing for the exam.

How to design and build a temporary structure to help the proposed project at the construction site?

During the time of building construction, there are certain structures which are created to aid the proposed structure. Even though given the temporary nature of these structure, the requirement for its safety level is high. But it suffice to say that these structures should follow certain rules and regulations for meeting their temporary requirement. 

National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is a national nonprofit organization which develops, administers and scores the NCEES FE Exam and NCEES PE Exam for professional licensure for engineers and surveyors. A Professional Civil Engineer having passed this exam is aware of standards and codes for constructing a safe temporary structure within budget. A professional engineer ensures the following steps are followed in the building of these temporary structures.

Listing all the needed temporary structures: Find out the various temporary structures that would be required to assist for constructing the proposed structure according to the approved plans. 

Define the purpose of the structures: Be clear about the need for these structures and their presence justify the construction needs.

Designing the temporary structures: Design the temporary structure for safe load carrying capacity within the budget. Some of these structures don’t come under project lump sum cost and they are to be managed by the construction company. 

Clearly list the required accessories for temporary structures: Have a clear list of the various materials that would be used for constructing temporary structures in order to support the project for early completion.

Temporary structure should be integrated with the building dimensions: Design the temporary structure in such a way that they aid in the building process. 

Structural design approved by the professional engineer: Structural design of the temporary structure must be approved by the professional engineer before beginning to build it. 

Structures meet OSHA regulation and project specifications: Make sure to build a temporary structure that should satisfy OSHA Regulations and project specifications. 

Dismantle temporary structures after successful project completion: It is usually the construction company’s responsibility to dismantle any temporary structures build for aiding the proposed project. 

In Conclusion: It could be said that the temporary structures play a vital role in creating complex construction projects. A Professional Civil Engineer must be able to design safe and economical temporary structures to support the project construction. NCEES Exam test the design skills of a professional civil engineer related to the temporary structures. 

How to choose right asphalt mix design for highway projects

The highways have been connecting the entire country with its every advancement in pavement techniques. The quality highways are not only durable with less maintenance. There are two main asphalt mix procedures – Marshall and Hveem.  To achieve proper pavement surface it requires the right mixture of bitumen and mineral aggregates based on traffic volume. An engineer taking a PE Exam brushes up the basic information about asphalt pavements in transportation engineering. While constructing the highway/road, following steps should be considered for effective pavement construction. 

Limiting permeability: While constructing asphalt pavement, it is important to ensure that the paved surface is compacted as per the required density as per specification. 

Capacity to carry traffic loads: The designed mix for the road should be able to handle more traffic and traffic loads during peak hours. A PE Review Course refreshes topics related to traffic volumes and pavement design topics in PE Civil Transportation Engineering class.

Resistance to permanent deformation: With time, weather and environmental condition the mix should be able to withstand any form of disintegration. The design mix should be capable of withstanding against environmental factors. A PE Exam Review brushes upon various asphalt design mix procedures and their usage.  

Sufficient layer thickness: It is important that there is an adequate layer thickness of each course of material while constructing the roadways. When the layer thickness is not appropriate then the pavement is likely to break, crack and ravel. To prevent such type of failures, it is important to ensure that the right layer thickness is to be maintained.

In Conclusion: While constructing a highway it is very important to ensure that the above steps are taken into consideration. The design mix created for the highway should prevent the failures caused by various factors. A Professional Engineer Exam Review Course helps the aspirants to refresh their basics of transportation engineering for passing the PE Civil Exam.

How to avoid electrical hazards while repairing equipment using OSHA safety precautions

Shock caused by electrical accident could range from mere tingle to death due to electrocution. Electricity has become a part of our daily life that we take it for granted. Simple precaution will greatly help in preventing fatal incidents due to electrocution. Occupational Safety & Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, has brought out a publication on “Controlling Electrical Hazards” which provides precautionary steps to take during electrical work. 

The three factors that cause electrical accidents are:

1. Equipment that are unsafe for use
2. Electrical accident prone work environment
3. Work practices without any precaution

OSHA discusses about the various protection steps that are to be taken to safe-guard from electrical hazards. While repairing a faulty high voltage consuming electrical equipment. Professional Engineer Exam Review skims through OSHA safety topics in your refresher class.

Make sure to switch off the power source: The main power source for the equipment should be switched off even if it is a low voltage power supply. This makes sure that there are no electrical accidents while doing maintenance work.

Check for insulations: Make sure that there are no faulty insulation errors in the electrical wiring. Please ensure all insulation tapes correctly adhered to electrical wire splicing.

Check if Insulation on conductors are properly color coded: The grounding conductors are solid green or green with yellow stripes. Make sure the wires that are conductors and non-conductors of electricity are properly differentiated as per their color code such as black or red for “hot wires” and green white or gray for grounding wires. Professional Engineering Exam Review Course gives the aspirant exam takers a quick scan of safety issues related to electrical hazards and ways to prevent those. 

Check for exposed electrical devices are guarded: Make sure to cover up the exposed electrical equipment parts with protective covers to prevent incidents in project site.  

Check for grounding of Electrical equipment: Make sure proper grounding is provided to reduce the risk of electrical hazards. When equipment are well grounded this creates a low-resistance path which connects it to the earth. Earth is a non-conductor thus limits the risk of electric hazards. PE Exam Review gives an overview of how grounding reduces electrical risk. 

Check for proper circuit protection devices: It would be helpful to use circuit protection devices such as fuses, circuit breakers, ground-fault circuit interrupters and arc-fault circuit interrupters. These devices on event of too much current flow would break the circuit. These devices are designed to protect the conductors and equipment.  

In Conclusion: While doing maintenance work with high voltage equipment, it is important to follow the above steps to ensure a safe maintenance work. By knowing the OSHA safety regulations we can prevent electrical incidents on project sites. PE Exam Review Course helps aspirants to get ready for the PE Exam by providing a review on all important topics. 

How to select a right Professional Cost Estimator for a building construction project

It is common knowledge that Corporates involved in the construction industry to perform a cost estimation on a building they intend to build. They also have to make sure that the building is completed within the estimated time and budget. A Civil Engineer with the intention to sit for the PE Exam should be aware of the role of cost estimation in a construction project. A PE Review quickly brushes up various vital and important numerical problems that appear in the PE Civil Exam for successfully passing PE Exam.

Here are few steps on how a Cost Estimator is selected and how an estimation is arrived at for a building construction project.

Pick the Right Cost Estimator for the Project

There are many ways a Cost Estimator can be engaged to perform the building cost estimation. They could be contractual, an individual selected from among the construction team, or externally employed short term Estimator or project-specific estimator.

Clear Guidelines for Cost Estimation Fair Practices

Construction companies wishing to bid for a construction contract will make sure that Cost Estimator is well aware of all the common and fair practice traits of cost estimation. The cost estimation should be ethical with integrity, of sound judgment, right professional attitude, and accurate. A PE Review Course is a quick recap of various topics that NCEES has marked in its Professional Engineering Exam specifications as pertinent topics for an engineer to be aware of to become a Professional Practice Engineer. The topic cost estimating forms a part of the initial steps involved in Construction Project Plan. 

Cost Estimation Involves Multiple Levels

There are nearly 5 levels of Cost Estimation. At each level the Cost Estimator gathers the required historical, current and future data to draw up the cost estimation for the building. This ensures that project does not run into budget crisis for unpredicted production costs.  

Rudiments of Cost Estimate

The Cost Estimate is based on the following basic items such as Quantity Takeoffs, the expected number of labor hours, the expected labor rates for project completion, Cost of raw and other required relevant materials for the building, and equipment costs. In case, if the company is subcontracting a task in the project, then, it should also include quotes from the subcontractors for the relevant tasks. 

Advantage in Knowing about Emerging Trends

It is an added advantage to be well-versed in the emerging trends such as use of computers and specialized application for performing complex cost estimation on the building. A well-done cost estimation stands a higher chance of being accepted by the Organization placing a bid for the construction project. A Civil Engineer taking the PE Exam Review can take it up as an interest to become aware of current trends in the cost estimation procedures. 

Proper Units and Unit Prices

A Cost Estimator should make sure that proper units and unit prices are followed while performing the cost estimation of the construction project. A well-planned and structured estimate is capable of ensuring a successful project within budget. 

Reasons to get a Professional Engineer Exam License for Career Success

In any profession just a basic degree is not sufficient. Companies who give a job and clients who give a project look out for engineers who hold a PE License. Getting a PE License tests the engineer on key subject areas and skills.

There are many advantages of having a PE. There is a prestige that PE are treated in par with licensed professionals in other disciplines. Colleagues and peers also respect a person with a PE Exam. Engineers with a PE are viewed as being a member of an elite group of professionals.

License also shows that you are committed to the profession. And it also shows good leadership and management skills in the engineer. Companies and seniors will promote an engineer who has shown promise by getting a PE license.

Only licensed engineers have the authority to sign and seal engineering drawings. Licensure has also become very popular among government organizations and educational institutions. You can start your own business if you have a PE license. Or you can channelize and focus on a specific branch of engineering that you want to master. If the industry you are working in is cost cutting by reducing the number of staff then you will be saved because you hold a PE license. Engineers with a PE license earn more than their counterparts. They are also placed higher up in the organizational ladder.

As the Professional Engineer Exam is a very tough exam with lot of rules and regulations, those who pass the PE Exam are regarded with much respect. If the engineer is involved in building a structure for public use, then having a PE license is a legal requirement.

According to a 2010 survey by National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), those with a PE license earn an annual median salary of $99,000. Those without a license earn $94,000 a year. As per a 2012 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers and American Society of Mechanical Engineers, those with a PE license earn a median salary of $100,000. Those without a PE license earn $95,500.

The path taken by an engineer with PE license is commendable and shows their commitment. First, they complete an engineering program for four years that is ABET accredited. After completing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, which is an eight-hour exam that tests the engineer on engineering basics, the engineer is called Ëngineer-in-Training or Engineering intern. Some graduates take FE Exam while doing graduation, and others take it after finishing graduation. Some states allow the engineer to take the FE Exam during graduation and other allow only after graduation. An EIT has to work under a PE for four years to learn all the ropes of engineering.

Because of this rigorous training, education, and path which the engineer takes up, the engineer with a PE certification is highly valued. So, it is very important to get a PE license for career and professional success.