PE Mechanical: Machine Design & Materials follows the NCEES specification effective October 2025: 80 questions across 6 knowledge areas. Mechanics of Materials (17–26 questions) and Mechanical Components and Assemblies (16–24) together make up roughly half the exam, with Basic Engineering Practice, Mechanical Attachments, Power Transmission, and Supportive Knowledge covering the rest.
70–107, across 6 topics
Effective October 2025
8 or 8.5 hours testing; 9 or 9.5 hours for the appointment
Ranked by question count weighted against the spec's own difficulty rating — not question count alone, since a smaller topic rated harder can be worth more study time than a bigger, easier one.
Axial Loading · Shear and Transverse Loading · Bending · Buckling
Pressurized Vessels and Piping · Hydraulic and Pneumatic Components · Beams, Trusses, and Frames · Springs
Gears and Gear Trains · Bearings · Belts, Chains, Clutches, Brakes, and Power Screws · Shafts and Keys
Every topic in the official NCEES spec, with its question range and share of the exam. Study Scheduler allocates your study hours in this same proportion automatically.
Mechanics of Materials, worth 17–26 of the exam’s 80 questions, followed closely by Mechanical Components and Assemblies at 16–24.
Machine Design centers on how parts carry load and fail — mechanics of materials, attachments, power transmission, and components — while Thermal & Fluid Systems centers on thermal and fluid principles and the equipment built on them: pumps, piping, turbines, boilers, and heat exchangers.
For how many hours to budget, week-by-week study plans, and how Study Scheduler weights your plan — see the full PE study guide.
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