Not too long ago, people would have doubted the possibility of self-driving cars, voice-controlled lightbulbs, data-gathering hairbrushes, and automated waste collection. Now, we live in a digital world where the Internet of Things (IoT) makes everything around us more efficient, from smartphones to smart homes to smart cities.
What paved the way for IoT? The advancement in connectivity, sensor technology, and cloud computing platforms are sure answers. But what many people often overlook is that centuries before the internet was born, one discovery led to the invention of these modern technologies — electricity.
Indeed, our world runs on electrical energy, and without it, we would not be enjoying the comfort and luxury we do now. Among those we need to thank for the technology we use every day are electrical and electronics engineers. Unlike what some think, electrical and electronics are distinct from each other. And no, these professionals do more than merely harness electricity or tinker with electrical devices. They are at the forefront of improving our way of life by helping advance medical science, renewable energy, aerospace, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
What are the roles and duties of electrical and electronics engineers? How do these jobs differ from each other? Is there an overlapping of tasks and responsibilities, and what are these? In this article, we will define electrical and electronics engineering. We will also examine their differences and discuss how they cross over.
Defining Electrical Engineering Vs Electronic Engineering
Electrical engineering is the branch of engineering that focuses on electrical technology, its practical applications, and its functions. It involves studying, designing, testing, and manufacturing electrical equipment, such as communication and navigation systems, power generation machinery, and electric motors. Electrical engineering comprises a wide range of fields, including computer engineering, transmission systems, and electronics.
Ancient civilisations experimented on electricity thousands of years ago. The Greek mathematician and philosopher Thales performed the first known research on the subject. However, electrical engineering is a newer branch compared to civil and mechanical engineering.
In 1831, British scientist Michael Faraday produced electricity using a crude generator. The invention applied electromagnetic induction, which he discovered. But electrical engineering as a discipline did not emerge until the mid-19th century, when James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish physicist, summed up the fundamental laws of electricity.
Electronics is a branch of electrical engineering that studies the flow of electrons in a vacuum or semiconductor. It focuses on how to use this knowledge to build technology. Over the years, the field of electronics has branched out into several sub-categories, including digital circuits, instrumentation, optoelectronics, radio frequency systems, remote sensing, signal processing, and telecommunications. It led to the development of lasers, microchips, fibre optics, and transistors. These devices, in turn, made possible the manufacture of computers, cellular phones, ATMs, televisions, digital cameras, and an array of industrial and military products.
Some of the most notable personalities in electrical and electronics engineering are Thomas Edison, who invented the electric light bulb, Nikola Tesla, who built the AC induction motor, and George Westinghouse, who developed alternating current. Additionally, Guglielmo Marconi came up with the radio, and Philo T. Farnsworth made the first television.
What is the Difference?
Both electrical and electronic engineering design equipment and software, and both utilise electricity around a circuit to run devices. Because of this, it is easy to assume that there is not much difference between the two. The truth is, the two branches are significantly unique from each other.
Generally, you can tell the two apart by the kind of circuit they use. Electrical engineering primarily uses electrical circuits that have no processing capability. These circuits power machines with electricity. Electronic engineering uses electronic circuits, which can interpret signals or instructions. These circuits execute a task according to pre-set commands. For instance, a smoke detector contains an electronic component that instructs the system to sound an alarm if it senses fumes.
Electrical engineering covers the supply and flow of power in broad terms. Most electrical engineers are responsible for large-scale production, delivery, distribution, storage of electricity through mechanical equipment. They work with high-voltage systems with heavy currents and circuits where electricity moves from one location to another.
Electronic engineering focuses on the creation of electronic devices that have smaller circuits with decision-making capabilities. Most electronic engineers work on robotics, AI, computation, and telecommunications, developing, designing, testing, and integrating components with decision-making capabilities into computer hardware systems and other technologies. Unlike electrical engineering, these circuits are low-voltage with a low-strength current.
In a nutshell, electrical engineering is a broader and more wide-ranging field, while electronics engineering is more restricted and specialised. The two professions share many commonalities, but their tasks differ in scope.
Where Do They Cross Over?
There are many areas and aspects wherein the duties of electrical and electronics engineers overlap, and the two branches share many core responsibilities. These include research, design, creation of systems and equipment. Both electrical and electronics engineers develop software, make mathematical calculations, provide guidance and advice, monitor existing and new products, and prepare budgets for clients. Even though there can be a lot of cross over in electronics careers there are separate electrical and electronics recruitment companies who offer niche electronics job vacancies.
Electrical and electronic engineers work hand-in-hand for many of these applications to function. Most modern technologies and appliances combine both electronic and electrical circuits. Take, for instance, your washing machine, smart television, coffee maker, even smart speakers like Alexa and Google Assistant. A microwave oven, for example, has an electrical circuit that includes a plug socket, fuse, on/off switch, and a transformer. An electronic component called a magnetron produces the microwave needed to heat food. To power the magnetron, the transformer converts household electricity into a higher voltage. The process boils electrons and generates microwaves.
The smartphone is another illustration of how both types of engineers work together. Electronics engineers build and assemble the parts of the mobile device. Electrical engineers transform digital data produced by the phone into signals which satellite relays transmit.
Simply put, electronics engineers create the internal components of a device, and the electrical engineer integrates it into a larger interconnected system. Furthermore, electrical engineers monitor and ensure the proper utilization of electrical equipment while electronics engineers inspect and repair malfunctioning parts.
No matter the similarities and differences, both electrical and electronics engineers are equally valuable professions.
