HowStuffWorks Engineering Guide  Tags: engines engineering auto cars science science_questions science_explanations aviation buildings structures bridges transportation robotics materials equipment tractors  

What does it take to build an ATV? We visited the Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation ATV factory in Rome, Georgia, to find out.

You see backhoe-loaders on nearly every construction site around town. Learn how these amazing machines work and what they are able to do.

You know those loaders used in construction and landscaping that dig up and pick up EVERYTHING? Learn how these incredible machines work!

Diesel locomotives are some of the coolest modes of transport out there. Giant machines like these are just full of technological treats. Explore a hybrid-diesel locomotive -- from engine to engineer controls.

In action movies, elevators regularly plummet to the basement, landing in a spectacular ball of fire. Is this possible? There are some sophisticated engineering techniques at work behind every elevator ride you take.

You probably ride escalators all the time, but do you know how they move, and flatten, and keep the handrail in synch with the steps? Find out exactly what is going on inside an escalator.

We see them all the time, but do you ever think about everything these machines do? A fire engine is a combination personnel carrier, tool box and water tanker. Learn all about this amazing 3-in-1 machine.

Ever gaze in wonder at the huge cranes, bulldozers, backhoes, loaders, shovels and fork lifts on a construction site? Find out all about hydraulic machines, from backyard log splitters to big construction equipment.

Many people fantasize about being able to soar through the sky, but we're not aerodynamic creatures. Could human flight be possible with recent technological developments in personal jet packs?

Magnetic levitation trains, aka Maglev trains, are becoming a popular transportation topic all around the globe. How is it that maglev trains float above the track and achieve speeds of more than 300 mph?

They don't have engines, brakes or accelerators. No, these amazing machines rely on physical, centripetal and gravitational forces to urge thrills, screams and that sinking stomach feeling we all love (and hate). Read more about the science of fun.

Not so long ago, the world's naval forces worked entirely above water. But all that changed with the addition of the submarine to the standard naval arsenal.

Tornado chasers generally stay about a mile away from the tornado itself -- but not IMAX cinematographer Sean Casey. He has built a Tornado Intercept Vehicle and hopes to withstand a direct hit. Check it out.

Tower cranes rise 150 feet in the air and lift up to 19 tons. Plus, they actually build themselves! They're simply amazing. Learn how these structures accomplish such feats.

When the heat sets in, there's nothing like a day at the water park to cool things down -- water parks and their massive wave pools are a huge weekend attraction. Ever wonder what kind of machinery it takes to produce a wave?

Tractor pulls are popular displays of raw horsepower.The trucks used in these competitions use engines that are capable of producing thousands of horsepower. Check out pictures as we explore the inside of one of these incredible machines in this article.

Hydraulic cranes perform seemingly impossible tasks, lifting 70-ton objects with absolute ease. See the simple design behind the Herculean results.

By 2015, 1/3 of military transport vehicles will be autonomous. To promote research in this area, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsors an annual "Grand Challenge" in the Mojave Desert.

Is it possible for a bicycle to cruise in the wake of a big rig? The MythBusters get a bike and a semi and find out.

Roller coasters don't have engines, accelerators or brakes, So what makes roller coaster cars speed up, slow down and loop upside down? Get the inside track on the quintessential thrill ride.

Watch this video showing Dean Kamen on one of the first Segways on HowStuffWorks. Kamen also talk about global over-population and educating tomorrow technology and science students.

A drawbridge is a bridge over a body of water that opens up to allow boats and ships to pass through. Watch this video from HowStuffWorks to learn how it works.