What to Expect in a Design Engineer Interview at Axiscades

For any aspiring Design Engineer, landing your dream job can often feel like navigating through a maze.  

You’ve spent time perfecting your design engineer resume, building up your design engineer skills, and researching design engineer salary expectations, but when it comes to the interview, there’s still uncertainty.  

What kinds of questions will they ask? Will they dive deep into the technical aspects of thermodynamics, or ask about your proficiency in tools like CATIA and NX? 

Interviews, especially at a company like Axiscades, can be challenging, with questions ranging from the fundamentals of mechanical design to software proficiency.  

This blog is here to help you prepare by sharing real-time Axiscades interview questions that have been asked to candidates applying for design engineer jobs.  

Let’s get started 

 1. What is the Law of Thermodynamics? 

The Laws of Thermodynamics govern the principles of energy transfer. The most fundamental law, the First Law, states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another. This is also known as the law of energy conservation. 

2. What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics? 

The Second Law states that entropy, a measure of disorder, always increases in a closed system. This explains why heat flows from hot to cold and why processes like engines can never be 100% efficient. 

3. What is the function of a Governor in an engine? 

A Governor regulates the speed of an engine by controlling the fuel supply, ensuring that it operates at a constant speed even under varying loads. 

4. What is the use of a Bearing? 

Bearings reduce friction between moving parts in a machine, allowing smooth rotation or linear movement. They are essential for minimizing wear and tear and improving efficiency in mechanical systems. 

5. How can you maximize engine efficiency in cold conditions? 

To maximize engine efficiency in cold conditions, it's essential to use a proper warm-up strategy, ensure the right viscosity oil is used, and reduce friction through proper lubrication. 

6. What can you do to reduce engine overheating? 

To reduce engine overheating, ensure the cooling system is functioning properly (radiator, coolant), reduce engine load, and maintain proper airflow around the engine. 

7. Which cycle is used in petrol and diesel engines? 

• Petrol engines operate on the Otto cycle. 

• Diesel engines operate on the Diesel cycle. 

8. Can you explain the Otto Cycle? 

The Otto Cycle is the thermodynamic cycle used in petrol engines. It consists of four stages: intake, compression, combustion (power), and exhaust, typically involving a spark ignition process. 

9. Can you explain the Rankine Cycle? 

The Rankine Cycle is the fundamental thermodynamic cycle used in power plants. It involves the conversion of heat into mechanical work through four stages: heat addition, expansion, heat rejection, and compression. 

10. What is knocking in engines? 

Knocking is the unwanted combustion of the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder, occurring before the spark ignites. This can cause engine damage and reduces efficiency. 

11. What are the characteristics of fluids? 

Fluids are characterized by properties like viscosity (resistance to flow), density, pressure, and compressibility. These properties determine how fluids behave under different conditions. 

12. Which software are you comfortable using? 

This is where you mention the software you have proficiency in, such as CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, or any other relevant design tools. 

13. How would you rate yourself out of 10 in CATIA and NX? 

Here, you would give a self-assessment of your skills in both CATIA and NX, explaining your proficiency and any relevant experience with these design tools. 

14. What is a wave linker in NX? 

A wave linker in NX allows the linking of geometry across different parts in an assembly, enabling associativity and updates when the linked part changes, making design updates more efficient. 

15. What are the basic principles of thermodynamics? 

The basic principles include the First Law (energy conservation), the Second Law (entropy increase), and the Third Law (as temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a perfect crystal reaches zero). 

16. What is the heat treatment process? 

Heat treatment is a process used to alter the physical and sometimes chemical properties of a material. This process involves heating and cooling metals in a controlled manner to improve their strength, hardness, or ductility. 

17. What is Entropy? 

Entropy is a measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. In thermodynamics, it represents the energy that is unavailable for doing work and always tends to increase in a closed system. 

18. What is the Center of Gravity? 

The center of gravity is the point at which the entire weight of an object appears to be concentrated. It plays a crucial role in design, especially in ensuring stability in structures or vehicles. 

19. What is a conventional machining process? 

Conventional machining processes include techniques like turning, milling, drilling, and grinding, which use physical tools to remove material from a workpiece to shape it into the desired form. 

Conclusion 

Remember, interviews are not just about answering questions—they’re an opportunity to demonstrate how you solve problems, think critically, and add value to a company.  

Use these design engineer interview questions to prepare, and you’ll be one step closer to your ideal job as a Design Engineer at Axiscades. 

With Skill-Lync's Post Graduate Programs, you'll build a rock-solid foundation in all these critical concepts, making you interview-ready in no time. Plus, our Career Experts offer hands-on support through mock interviews, resume workshops, LinkedIn profile optimization, and much more! 

Sign up for a FREE course demo today, and let’s start your journey toward landing that dream job!