"legal" engineers

["Hardwick, Robert C" <Robert.Hardwick@PSS.Boeing.com>]

In the interest of completeness, I'll add my knothole view:  The PE
certificate is necessary only for certain engineering functions.  One
important point is that PEs are issued by individual states.  So if the
industry is regulated by a federal authority, say the FAA, then the PE
system is not used.  The FAA has their own system.

As pointed out earlier, typical examples of devices which require a PE's
signature are building structures, bridges, building fire protection and
HVAC.  Private consultants usually need a PE to market themselves as
"Engineers".  Some people who do a lot of finite element model
consulting call themselves "computer consultants" to limit liability.  

Many of my colleagues have gotten their PE cert. either for the
experience (gives you a reason to study up on rusty subjects) or to feel
more versatile in the marketplace.  The subject matter on the tests does
reflect the industries that require the license.  Questions which
require detailed knowledge of the discharge coefficient of a particular
brand of sprinkler nozzle do seem a bit arcane to an aerospace engineer!

Can anyone tell us whether automobile manufacturing requires a PE's
signature at some point in the design?  (I describe it this way because
a FAA authorized engineer (DER) doesn't have to sign off each detail
drawing on an airplane, just a top collector.)

robert hardwick, seattle usa