saltedplug, excellent comments. I've worked in 'engineering my entire career life. Before retiring a few years ago, I did 3D design work of large petro-chemical plants, oil refineries and the list goes on and on. We used the term 'good engineering' to refer to well thought out design, economy of space, economy of resources, ie the actual piping, valves, vessels, pumps etc. I have been on many sites and many projects from inception, detail design, through to commissioning. I've seen the actual (I'll call them blue -prints) or final Isometrics to turn into a Frankenstein clusterfuck in the actual built product.
Here is an example. By economy of design we in the profession mean strategic layout of all pieces of the unit. Efficiency for maintenance, field personal to service the equipment while actually running to shut down during scheduled maintenance and emergency egress and ingress for operators and personal. One of the worst examples I have ever seen of EPCM (Engineering Procurement Construction Management) fuck-ups was inside the third floor of a water Co-generation Plant For ATCO power. I'm talking large, 36" and larger valves with the accompanying piping infrastructure. The valves stems and the valve handles protruded into the walkway (Manway) so that to get around a person had to literally climb over each valve assembly. Fatal of course for personal in any kind of emergency egress. But they worked. What was it? It was fucking, kludge design by some dipshit, asshole contract engineer who didn't give a flying fuck about good design work because once his paycheck was in the bank he could fuck off back to Texas or butt-fuck Alberta or wherever the fuck he came from and let the poor bastards who actually worked on plant site to cope. I've seen shit like that so many times I could fill a 500 page book. How much would it cost to make it right? Don't even fucking think about it.
THAT'S poor design. The valves sure looked purdy though, all lined up like that; ready to break, maim and kill.
I think we use the word 'engineering' as a catch all phrase to mean that a pipe passes smoke from the bowl to the button in the cleanest, smoothest, no back eddies, no corners to bump around, no unnecessary restriction of the airflow, to the button and into the smokers mouth. That takes a certain amount of actual understanding of flow dynamics as applied to engineering of the end result we are all searching for. A well engineered and if possible, eye pleasing result to boot. I have beautiful pipes well pleasing to the eye, that smoke like shit. I have common, plain pipes that don't pass any beauty contests but by gawd they smoke like something designed by the hand of God himself.
That's good air flow dynamics at work.Or; as we use the phrase; good engineering. Of course we all in some way seem to miss the most important part the form, drilling and shaping of the stem. Don't even think of getting me fucking started on the stem
When I craft a pipe I'm sure a lot of people are laughing up their sleeves at the sight of them thinking they don't actually look real purdy...YET!
But by gawd, I craft all my pipes paying attention to my 40 years of engineering knowledge and flow dynamics so that THEY GOD DAMN WELL SMOKE A WHOLE FUCKING LOT BETTER THAN THEY PERHAPS LOOK...PURDY FOR NOW!
And that my fine, smoke breathing, friend is good pipe engineering.
Chris
