PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials Practice Exam
Work original PE Machine Design and Materials problems on stress, fatigue, fasteners, welds, gears, bearings, springs and vibration, read the full worked solution, then sit an 80-question timed mock in the CBT format: two sections of 40 and an 8-hour clock.
80 questions in two sections of 40, 8 hours of exam time, with a score by knowledge area and a worked solution for every problem.
Or start with a free 10-question drill- 142 original PE Machine Design and Materials problems with worked solutions
- 7 free drills: every knowledge area plus a mixed set
- 61% of first-time examinees passed in January–June 2026
A grinding operation produces pump shafts specified at 1.000 ± 0.003 in. A capability study shows the process mean at 1.0010 in. with a standard deviation of 0.0006 in., normally distributed. What is the process capability index Cpk?
PE Machine Design and Materials exam format
- Questions
- 80 questions in two sections. After about 40 you review and submit the first section; you cannot return to it
- Time
- 9-hour appointment: 8 hours of exam time, a 50-minute scheduled break, an 8-minute tutorial and a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement
- Question types
- Mostly multiple choice with one correct answer, plus multiple correct, point and click, drag and drop and fill in the blank. No partial credit
- Units
- Both SI and U.S. Customary units
- References
- Closed book. NCEES supplies its electronic reference handbook on screen; no design standards are supplied for PE Mechanical. One NCEES-approved calculator
- Pass rate
- 61% first time (401 examinees) and 39% on a repeat attempt, January–June 2026
- Fee
- $400 per attempt to NCEES, year-round at Pearson VUE test centers
- Results and retakes
- Pass or fail in about 7 to 10 days, with a diagnostic report if you fail. One attempt per quarterly testing window, at most three in 12 months
What’s on the PE Machine Design and Materials exam
The 6 knowledge areas of the NCEES specification effective October 2025, with the number of questions each carries. Our full mock draws its 80 questions in proportion to the middle of each range. Every knowledge area has a ten-question drill with a worked solution after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Knowledge area | Topics in the specification | Questions | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Basic Engineering Practice | 1A Engineering Terms, Symbols, and Drawings · 1B Project Management and Economic Analysis · 1C Design Methodology · 1D Physical Properties of Materials | 11–1713 in our mock | 10-question drill |
| 2. Mechanics of Materials | 2A Axial Loading · 2B Shear and Transverse Loading · 2C Bending · 2D Buckling · 2E Torsion · 2F Combined Loading · 2G Static Failure · 2H Fatigue Failure · 2I Thermal Stresses and Interference Stresses | 17–2620 in our mock | 10-question drill |
| 3. Mechanical Attachments | 3A Bonds · 3B Non-threaded Fasteners · 3C Threaded Fasteners | 9–1410 in our mock | 10-question drill |
| 4. Power Transmission | 4A Gears and Gear Trains · 4B Bearings · 4C Belts, Chains, Clutches, Brakes, and Power Screws · 4D Shafts and Keys · 4E Motors and Engines | 9–1410 in our mock | 10-question drill |
| 5. Mechanical Components and Assemblies | 5A Pressurized Vessels and Piping · 5B Hydraulic and Pneumatic Components · 5C Beams, Trusses, and Frames · 5D Springs · 5E Vibrating Systems · 5F Basic Machines and Mechanisms · 5G Basic Mechatronics | 16–2418 in our mock | 10-question drill |
| 6. Supportive Knowledge (Machine Design and Materials) | 6A Manufacturing Methods · 6B Fits and Tolerances · 6C Codes and Standards · 6D Computational Methods · 6E Instrumentation, Testing, Inspection, and Quality · 6F Chemical Processes | 8–129 in our mock | 10-question drill |
What the Machine Design and Materials exam tests
- Mechanics of Materials carries the most questions (17 to 26): axial, shear, bending and torsion, buckling, combined loading with principal stresses, static failure theories, fatigue and thermal and interference stresses.
- Mechanical Components and Assemblies (16 to 24 questions) covers pressure vessels, hydraulics, beams and frames, springs, vibration, mechanisms and basic mechatronics.
- Machine Design and Materials has the lowest first-time pass rate of the three PE Mechanical exams. Questions use both SI and U.S. Customary units.
Common questions
How many questions are on the PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials exam?
80 questions. The appointment is 9 hours: a 2-minute nondisclosure agreement, an 8-minute tutorial, 8 hours of exam time and a 50-minute scheduled break. The exam is split into two sections; after about half the questions you review and submit the first section, and you cannot return to it. This exam uses both SI and U.S. Customary units.
What is the passing score for the PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials exam?
NCEES does not publish a passing score. Results are reported as pass or fail, typically 7 to 10 days after the exam. If you fail, NCEES sends a diagnostic report that shows your performance in each knowledge area against the average of passing examinees.
Is the PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials exam open book?
No. It is closed book with an electronic reference: NCEES supplies its PE Mechanical reference handbook on screen as a searchable PDF, and you can study the same handbook free from your MyNCEES account. You bring one NCEES-approved calculator. No design standards are supplied for PE Mechanical.
How often can I retake the PE exam?
NCEES allows one attempt per testing window (January–March, April–June, July–September, October–December) and no more than three attempts in any 12-month period. Some licensing boards have stricter rules. Each attempt costs the $400 exam fee.
Are these official NCEES questions?
No. NCEES does not release its exam questions. These are original practice problems written to the October 2025 exam specifications, with every number recomputed by an independent reviewer and a worked solution for every answer.
What is the PE Mechanical Machine Design and Materials pass rate?
61% of first-time examinees passed in January–June 2026 (401 first-time takers), and 39% of repeat examinees (140), according to NCEES. It is the lowest first-time pass rate of the three PE Mechanical exams.
Ready for exam day?
80 questions in two sections of 40, 8 hours of exam time, with a score by knowledge area and a worked solution for every problem.
Or start with a free 10-question drillMore PE Mechanical practice
One PE Mechanical pass covers every full practice exam below.
Exam format, fees, specifications and pass rates checked November 2026: NCEES PE Mechanical: Machine Design and Materials CBT exam specifications (October 2025) · NCEES: PE Mechanical exam and pass rates · NCEES Examinee Guide (November 2026) · NCEES: PE exam.
Original independent practice problems written to the published NCEES exam specifications. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).