The design engineering and manufacturing community is currently enmeshed in an ideological debate over sourcing and procurement. There’s vigorous — and at times emotional — argument surrounding strategies for insourcing, outsourcing, near sourcing or keeping it in-house. The argument really shouldn’t focus on the fervent and at times politically-tinged abstractions of what flag flies over […]
Automotive/Transportation
$40 Billion Shipping Channel
The Chinese businessman hired to plan and perhaps build a Nicaraguan rival to the Panama Canal said the ambitious project is backed by experienced consultants and is not a joke, turning away skepticism that he can deliver the $40 billion shipping channel. “We don’t want it to become an international joke, and we don’t want […]
Quantum Engines Must Break Down
Our present understanding of thermodynamics is fundamentally incorrect if applied to small systems and needs to be modified, according to new research from University College London (UCL) and the University of Gdańsk. The work establishes new laws in the rapidly emerging field of quantum thermodynamics. The findings, published today in Nature Communications, have wide applications […]
Roach Biobot Autopilotted by Kinect
North Carolina State University researchers are using video game technology to remotely control cockroaches on autopilot, with a computer steering the cockroach through a controlled environment. This is a demonstration of the Automatic Roboroach with steering by Kinect (a motion sensing technology by Microsoft for Xbox 360 video game console). Read:Video Game Tech to Steer […]
The Search for a Seakindly Fuel Efficient Vessel: Motion at Sea
Part 2 – Motion at Sea General Principles of Motion Fig. 1 shows the 6 ways in which a vessel can move in a seaway. Comfort at sea will depend on how large these movements are, the frequency of movement and the accelerations. Slow movements can be less disturbing to crew than fast movements and […]
Testing Instruments for Mars
A film director looking for a location where a movie about Mars could be shot might consider the Atacama Desert, one of the harshest landscapes the planet has to offer. Due to the accidents of its geography, Atacama is the driest place on Earth. Some scientists believe there was no rain to speak of in […]
Photos of the Day: Concrete Canoes
The artwork is shown on the inside of the concrete canoe entry from Utah State university before the National Concrete Canoe Competition in Homer, Ill., Saturday, June 22, 2013. The American Society of Civil Engineers National Concrete Canoe Competition is held annually in June to provides students with a practical application of the engineering principles […]
Engineers Float Concrete Boats
Does concrete float? For the hundreds of civil engineering students at the annual National Concrete Canoe Competition, the answer is “yes.” View: Photos of the Day: Concrete Canoes Teams representing 23 schools vied last week to design, build and race canoes made of concrete. Some vessels were as long as 22 feet and weighed as much […]
Engineers Without Borders
Working together to meet global infrastructure needs through practical engineering solutions ITT Corporation has announced a partnership with Engineers Without Borders USA, an organization that partners with communities around the globe to develop sustainable solutions for basic infrastructure needs. ITT’s initial $10,000 contribution will help fund ongoing EWB-USA initiatives and support a current infrastructure project […]
Statistical Tolerance Analysis
Dimensional tolerances specify allowed variability around nominal dimensions. We assign tolerances to assure component interchangeability while meeting performance and producibility requirements. In general, as tolerances become smaller, manufacturing costs become greater. The challenge becomes finding ways to increase tolerances without sacrificing product performance and overall assembly conformance. Statistical tolerance analysis provides a proven approach for […]