Additive Manufacturing is gradually gaining inertia throughout the different branches of industry. However, one of the mains obstacles is the endurance and performance the parts deliver – the need to strengthen 3D printed parts is paramount. Since the most commonly used material in 3D printers is a form of polymer or plastic, the limitations in …
Surgical interventions are now relying more and more on 3D printing to gain a deeper insight into complex operations and devise surgical interventions. All the while AM is becoming cheaper and more accessible, assisting with the testing of new materials and adapting current techniques to the diverse array of opportunities out there. It is no …
While R&D divisions often provide the most exciting news, several don’t survive a purge or a pivot in their missions. Once the big engineering programs are over or the technology no longer matches the parent company’s newest strategic plan it can be good night and god bless. It turns out that the latter is the …
Machine learning has become a pioneering field of research in recent years. Since 2014, many big companies have invested in large data/machine learning departments complemented by serious investment in research. According to Arthur Samuel, machine learning gives computers the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed – Artificial Intelligence (AI) by any other name. How …
Machine Learning in Mechanical Design Engineering Read More »
The dimensioning of materials to suit our needs has soared in the last decade through the use of composites. There are other materials though, human made and industrially manufactured, that showed up later and are gaining a solid inertia of their own. Amongst the most researched, Metamaterials (or MMS) stand out as ones which have …
Should you become a freelance mechanical engineer? Entrepreneurship can be very lucrative therefore it is no wonder many mechanical engineers think about freelancing/or building their own businesses. The latter has a tangible model and can be achieved provided the investment and the risk management is in place. The former is a little trickier with many …
What’s it like to be a freelance mechanical engineer? Read More »
In order to gain insight into our work it makes sense to look at other projects, how they work, what they achieve, etc. Different projects can offer a critical perspective, bring something fresh to the table and an opportunity to improve. It can be fulfilled within the office and it usually is the case. However, …
Mechanical Design Models and confidentiality. Don’t get ripped off. Read More »
Being an international agent can be as rewarding as it is challenging. Financial benefits to satisfying wanderlust, strong assets on a resume to a different work culture, there are many reasons to go international. Yet, many would state that engineering desk jobs don’t require or provide international mobility. Some would add that an international adventure …
5 Reasons Mechanical Design Engineers Should Go Global. Read More »
We know times can be hard and academic jobs in short supply with senior professors settling into the most sought after positions. Moreover, cutbacks suffered by many universities impact their hiring and in the end, many PhD students end up either going for a PostDoc or looking to join the workforce. We previously spoke about …
Let’s look into engineering workplace culture. Mechanical engineering is a very challenging profession: between keeping up with deadlines, managing creativity and practicality, working in teams on concepts and bringing them to fruition. As a consequence one barely has time to stay on top of their speciality and have a social life that involves something other …
3D printing, which is technically referred to as Additive Manufacturing (AM), is all the rage in the manufacturing industry these days. Therefore, we decided to take a look into the origins of the this rapid prototyping and the promises it has yet to deliver. The road to 3D printing While AM gained momentum back in …
When The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt came in 1984, readers weren’t sure how to treat it: was it a management help book, a drama with a thorough technical background, or a technical story with a drama background? What members of public was it for? What was its purpose? Should it be taken as a hard …
We previously spoke about why mechanical design engineers should seriously consider adding international experience in their resume. But how can this be achieved? It is certainly easier said than done, but we do have some ideas to get you started. Start as early as possible through internships While you are studying, either after a semester …
Whatever career you choose, the chances are you will initially struggle with many common issues that every job seeker faces. The market, wages and the nature of the tasks you can do vs what is requested, are just a few of them. However, there is another set of issues that many people fail to pick-up …
How YOU could be holding back your mechanical engineering career Read More »
As a dashing and aspiring mechanical design engineer, there are several things that can go wrong. This may be during you initial job hunt or your first work experience. Looking back there may be things you could and should have done differently. Therefore, here are few tips on how to avoid self-sabotage when it comes …
How To Avoid Hindering Your Career in Mechanical Design Engineering Read More »
If we look at science and engineering the presence of women in robotics is relatively low. However it is improving and if the issue is reviewed on a curve basis, we can clearly see a higher percentage of women in non-traditional positions. Certain fields however, such as aerospace engineering and robotics, are still displaying poor …
In many situations mechanical designers will rely on their library of parts and case studies to work on a new mechanical part – this saves time, money and brain power. But what about the drastically new ones? What about the entry-level designers? Most importantly, what if one is working in a different industry that doesn’t …
One can easily be in awe when witnessing the performance of robotics in outer space. It is proof of the progress and long way we, as a species, have come. Such marvelous inventions represent the most advanced state of our technology and can help a future that doesn’t lie outside the planet’s atmosphere. Surely we …
One of the new trends within the additive manufacturing sector is bioprinting (otherwise known as 3D printed biomaterials) which has shown promising results when looking to duplicate living tissue such as skin, bone and internal organs. The principle is similar to 3D printing by laser, layer-by-layer and extrusion. The materials used in the process are …
3D Printed Biomaterials, and the first 3D printed organ Read More »
Productivity within the mechanical engineering sector is not the same as that in for example supply chain management or factory production. The design process in particularly can be hectic and it is the variable that most impacts results. It is more about the process than the final result, even when working on a quantified intelligent …
5 ways to be a More Efficient Mechanical Design Engineer Read More »
The International Space Station is perhaps the most visual success in the world of space exploration. It is one of the few locations in space where we, as a specie, are represented with both men and women. More precisely, the story of women working in the International Space Station is a rich and interesting one. …
The primary source of human inspiration is nature. To a generation that grew up with cartoons and games all around them, maybe it is not so much the case. This leads to fun discoveries and innovative solutions, such as the one made Jesse Silverberg (Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering) and Nan Yang (Laboratory for …
As far as science-fiction and the human stare towards the universe go, populating Mars has always been a big theme. While technology is working towards making it a goal, the lack of financial insight and the concrete planning of the project keeps it a dream. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, previous owner of PayPal and …
Machine shapes based on the human form is an old idea, dating from Hephaestus in ancient Greek mythology and spanning through the civilizations and centuries. We see it in Jewish folk tales such as Golem’s and Davinci’s drawings, in Arabic illustrations and English novels. Nowadays, the advances in science and technology, from dynamics to real-time …
When it comes to judging a good mechanical design, there is a fine line between resonating with the artistic aspect and assessing the practical one. What can start as an assessment request or a brief advice can easily escalate to a cavalcade of fancy words clashing with engineering terms. Requirements This is the immediate and …
Job hunting is upon freshly graduating students and people hoping the start of this year will bring them a better position. Here are our top 5 tips to make the hunt less frustrating when seeking your dream mechanical design job: Adapt your resume and cover letter Get over this annoying part as quick as possible …
According to Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and other tycoons of the aerospace sector, reusability is the next and compulsory technology in the world of spacecraft design – well, if we want to sustain a human presence in space. Therefore, it is no surprise that NASA has picked up the baton and is now investigating the …
There is no doubt that entrepreneurship and innovation continues to prosper with new ventures and projects emerging on a regular basis. Most people would recognise silicon clusters and incubators, consulting companies and supporting venture capitalists but there is more, much more out there. One rising concept that aims to nurture and guide young entrepreneurs is …
You know a trend transitioned from a hobbyist tool and news candy to solid production asset when aeronautics and aerospace officially start using it. Additive manufacturing (also referred to as 3D Printing) crossed that milestone some time ago for several industries. The aero field is now making additive manufacturing the way of tomorrow and as …
Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace Industry Read More »
So you have decided to go back to university (going back to the classroom), get a proper Bachelor, a Masters or enroll in a PhD on the side? Congratulations, you obviously have good intentions. Building on it will require a conjoined effort, from you, from close ones sharing your day-to-day life, from professors and from …
Going Back to the Classroom: How hard can it be? Read More »
We previously spoke about the subject of Makerspace and the objectives, visions and way in which it can create inspiring workplaces. The ability to bring together an array of people with differing skills and experience, but one common goal, has already created businesses and employment opportunities which would not otherwise exist today. One of the …
Since the turn of the century, carbon fibre and composites have been the making of the aerospace and aeronautics industry: their mechanical properties and lightweight, their adaptability and tailoring aren’t matched by others. They are however quite costly and despite an improvement in several processes leading to a decrease in the price, carbon fibres are …
Whether you’re intending to go back to university (or going back to the classroom as some would describe it) at some point in your professional career, or you have not yet considered further education, it is certainly no easy option. Much of the mental struggle revolves around the choice and the actual reality of taking …
We have to say that 100 km above the Earth isn’t exactly what you find on vacation brochures and going at Mach 3 beyond the edge of space doesn’t count amongst a resort’s activities. Yet, there is a market for suborbital tourism and there is a company steadily building a path towards suborbital flying. Indeed, …
Heterogeneous materials are gaining more popularity in use for manufacturing high-tech parts. This means that analyses and certifications need to be conducted and will therefore require a thorough understanding of the behavior and responses of such parts. While many are working on analytical and mathematical models to describe the properties of these materials, there is …
As news about the Paris agreement starts to filter through the system, the controversial stand of a significant portion of the population over climate change becomes clear as do the conflicts of interest that don’t have to exist. Can science help? When it comes to science, renewable energy and their economic potential, we are faced …
Bridges of Communication : Bringing Science to the Public Read More »
It is that time of the year again, the time when most freshly graduated students (young mechanical engineers) are looking for their first position. Few will have secured a position before graduating and many will think of taking some time out away from everything before diving into the job market. It is therefore good to …
Revealed : How Young Mechanical Engineers Get Hired Read More »
Since the 60s, the majority of satellites launched into space have successfully fulfilled their tasks with new technology improving the services which they offer. Unfortunately since the first satellite was launched a number have been lost due to malfunctions or accidents and several are still out there, no longer fulfilling any mission yet still occupying …
Now that cars have become affordable and filled with options, several issues has arisen with regards to the vulgarization of the automotive technology. How do experts see the long term future of cars: is it worth investing so much on a tool used only 5% of the time? Is it not a waste of time …
It may not be common knowledge but almost all research and scientific progress takes place in universities around the world. While universities are obviously associated with further education they house some of the latest ground breaking mechanical engineering academic research programs. We have chosen some of our favorites among the many promising endeavors from around …
5 Top Places for Mechanical Engineering Academic Research Read More »
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