SOP Sample for MS in Mechanical Engineering in Canada

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

[NAME] M.S. in Mechanical Engineering

The amazing connection between man and machine continues to define our civilization. In the contemporary professional space, I behold Mechanical Engineering to be the most promising field for me as I wish to be a gear of today's evolving world. Thus, I want to pursue a master's degree from your esteemed university which I believe will enhance and brighten my skills.

My role model and influencer, my father, is a professor of Mathematics; therefore, I always had an interest in critical thinking and problem-solving. Besides, my sister has pursued a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in the United States of America, and she has always motivated me to learn more and acquire further education. Since childhood, my favourite subjects were mathematics and science, which shifted my focus towards statics, dynamics, mechanics, and kinematics; therefore, I pursued my bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, which I believe was one of the smartest decisions I have taken so far.

I completed my bachelor's in October 2020 and joined [COMPANY_NAME] on 15th December 2020. [COMPANY_NAME] is a pioneer and global leader in manufacturing a variety of quality pinions and crown wheels meeting the requirement of International Standards and specifications. I worked as a trainee design engineer for a few months on software like CATIA and AutoCAD. I worked with my team members and gave valuable inputs in the brainstorming sessions which resulted in effective and compact designs. For instance, the stand for keeping the pinion jobs carried only 80 pinions at a time but, when I optimized the previous design, a total of 128 jobs were stored on that stand within the same dimensions. After experience in design, I shifted towards actual fieldwork, and recently, I am working in the gear cutting department. I do testing of the pinions and crown wheel on German machinery and check whether the jobs are within their limits. I am becoming proficient in mantling and dismantling the parts of the chamfering machine, whose settings needed to be changed according to the dimensions of the pinion. I am always fond of mastering new skills and exploring new things. As I am a quick grasper, punctual and well-organized, I always get appreciation from experienced employees which I think is a golden blessing for me.

In my four years of engineering, I excelled in each and every course and scored an overall CGPA of 8.08. The undergraduate courses in Engineering Mechanics, Engineering Graphics, Theory of Machines, Machine Design, Material Science, DOM, FEA, CAD/CAM, and many more provided me with the required skills in design and engineering. Besides, I independently audited online courses on AutoCAD, CATIA, ANSYS, and MATLAB which aided me in the design and simulation of my final year project.

In the final year of my bachelor's, I led a team of four students and implemented the final year project which was 'Designing and manufacturing compact and robust Electric Mini Forklift'. The prototype has a payload capacity of up to 300 kilograms and elevation up to 5 feet, for application in small-scale industrial workshops and warehouses. While selecting the features, we were mindful of the commercial and operational possibility, as the forklifts available in the market are expensive and have a higher payload capacity, thus unsuitable for small-scale operations. We tested and validated the operational characteristics of the prototype, and then applied for a patent for the same. Industrial surveys helped us a lot in understanding the challenges faced by industrial workers concerning material handling safety and logistics involved. This was not a straightforward project. Initially, we faced both financial and technical challenges. Finding a sponsor was tough so we went to industries with the sponsorship proposal but we were denied. Eventually, after careful review by our college authorities, our project successfully bagged institutional support. Technically, the design had to be robust and sustainable, as we hope to commercialize. Therefore, designs of existing forklifts were analysed for the failure criteria of the components to make the design sturdy. This project has further improved my abilities to design a system, process, and components to meet specific needs within realistic constraints.

In the third year of Engineering, I made a mini-project in the field of mechatronics and automation with my teammates. After several brainstorming sessions, the topic we decided was 'Automatic opening and closing of the door using an RFID sensor'. In this project, I got to know the new mechatronics concepts of Arduino UNO, RFID sensors, and servo motors. This project flourished my leadership skills and also increased my interest in automation and further in my final year project I implemented some sensors which made the Electric Forklift multitasking.

As a junior student, I also presented a seminar on the topic 'Flame Propagation in Cryogenic Engines' as rocket engines were having a great impact in the field of space exploration. I researched various engine components and analysed the directions of flame propagation. After certain observations and reading plentiful research papers, I came to know that the engine dynamics need to get upgraded for increasing engine efficiency. In the primary injection process, if the gases are injected few milliseconds earlier then, the efficiency would probably increase. However, I realized that more research can optimize and make some advancement in engine behaviour. This experience helped me learn the purpose behind these aerospace industries, and interpret factors that influence mechanical properties.

At the end of my second year, there was one month break which I completely utilized by doing an internship for enhancing my skills. I joined as an intern at [COMPANY_NAME] who manufactured the chassis of a vehicle for well-known clients in my country. Here, I had to assist the senior Design Engineer to help design and validate components and product assemblies to be manufactured once they adhered to the design specifications. This internship helped me to understand the relationship between classroom learning and professional practice, recognize problems and determine solutions.

Apart from academics, my involvements in extra-curricular activities were extraordinary; I was event manager at [ORGANIZATION_NAME]. In my sophomore year, an event named 'Assemblix' wherein the students had to assemble the dismantled parts of the clutch plate was managed by me and the chief guest admired me a lot for hosting such a great event. Furthermore, in the third year, I organized a gaming event in the mechanical department and the event got successfully implemented after which I improved my leadership and decision-taking skills. Moreover, I represented my college at the university-level sports tournaments in Football and Carrom. I won the first prize in the inter-college Carrom championship and all these activities have helped me to gain a new perspective, demonstrate strong ethics and team spirit towards my peers.

Considering my career goals, I wish to join [UNIVERSITY_NAME] which is one of the leading educational institutions in Canada. The course curriculum includes Mechanical forming of metals, Mechatronics, Manufacturing of composites, Industrial Automation which are pretty much helpful for strong background. Apart from the strong foundation courses offered, diverse elective programs will provide me greater insight into different industrial domains. Also, implementing theoretical concepts on the capstone project while working with real time data would greatly help in future endeavours and make me job ready.

Studying at your university would surely help me refresh all my analytical skills gained through my experience so far and try to work out on more practical knowledge gained at the University. I am sure that your University will fulfil all my interests in the subjects so far and clear the path for a great career ahead.

Sincerely, [NAME]