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French drain design and cost, including pipe, gravel and installation

Since the days of the caveman we have seen the emergence of simple drainage systems. Used as means to reduce flood dangers or improve irrigation

Density of wood in kg/m3, g/cm3, lb/ft3 – the ultimate guide

Wood is a natural resource that comes from trees, and has been used for centuries in a vast amount of different applications from furniture and

6061 Aluminum Properties

It is the 6061 aluminum properties that make it one of the most widely used aluminum alloys, being applied in various fields since 1935. A member

What is a Profilometer and why is it used?

A profilometer is a highly specialised meteorological measurement device that is used for the determination of the roughness of a surface. As a measurement instrument,

Top 10 Most Innovative Products of All Time – what are yours?

You could argue that the world today is full of innovative products which literally changed lives. We see new services and products rolled out on

Solidworks Forum – Top 5 on the Web

Ask any engineer to list a few of the most popular software tools for 3D design creation and modeling, and the answers will most likely

5 ways to be a More Efficient Mechanical Design Engineer

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

Compression Springs – Types, calculations and more

Compression springs are mechanical devices that are specifically designed to be induced to axial compression loads. They can usually also be extended as well as

Planetary Gears – a masterclass for mechanical engineers

I don’t think there is a mechanical engineer out there who doesn’t have a soft spot for gears. There’s just something about spinning bits of

Types of Gears – a guide to 11 important types you must know

Many people might not be aware but there is a whole range of different types of gears on the market today. Every mechanical engineer must

The 10 Commandments of Mechanical Design

Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or a wet-behind-the-ears novice, there are some immutable laws that must be followed to produce a good mechanical design. If

3 Things You Don’t Know About Aerodynamics

If your answer to the above questions is “NO”, then consider yourself lucky. You are in for a treat today. In this article we will

A Guide to Rebar Sizes – an overview of steel reinforcement bars

Steel reinforcing bar, or rebar, is used to reinforce concrete in building work. It can be a complicated area of construction to navigate if you’re

Viscosity of Water – the Ultimate Guide

Viscosity refers to the amount that a fluid (gas or liquid) resists changing shape. In other words, how much a fluid opposes flow. Therefore, the

Women in ISS & the future of women in space

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

Gauge Symmetry for Boneheads – a brief explanation of the fundamentals.

Have you ever wondered why gauge symmetry is synonymous with electromagnetism equations? Anytime the topic comes up, it reminds us of Maxwell’s electrodynamics. Gauge field

HydroCAD – review and latest 2018 pricing

As engineers we love to model the world around us and estimate the impact of variables on our design. It is an activity that appeals

Rhino CAD – Review and 2018 Latest Pricing

When deciding whether or not to invest the time and money into learning a new CAD package, the sea of choice is often overwhelming. Making

Why did the Urdaneta Bridge collapse in 1964?

Named after a Venezuelan war hero, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge is situated in western Venezuela. It connects Maracaibo with the rest of the country,

How much does Abaqus cost? Your 2018 guide to Abaqus pricing

As engineering designs increase in complexity we rely more and more on finite element analysis (FEA) packages to solve the problems encountered in these designs.

Riccardo Morandi – Profile of a revolutionary bridge designer

Born on 1 September 1902, Riccardo Morandi is very much in the news even though he passed away on 25 December 1989. Renowned as a

Genoa Bridge collapse 2018 – how did it happen, could it have been avoided?

On 14th August 2018 the Morandi Bridge (Ponte Morandi) in Genoa collapsed with initial fears that more than 30 people lost their lives. As you

What is the best ERP software for plastic injection moulding products?

Injection moulding seems like it would be a straightforward process. Simply insert the plastic pellets into the hopper, inject the molten material into a mould,

Quiz – Are YOU a mechanical engineering genius?

So you got 100%? What next? Check out LEVEL 2 quiz! You can do it! (Well, maybe, we certainly hope so!)

The 7 Deadly Sins of Mechanical Design

Have you got your tablet of stone and hammer and chisel at the ready? Ok, so these are the 7 deadly sins, not the 10

2-Way Manual Ball Valve – Basic Principles

A ball valve is a quarter turn valve that can control the flow of a gas or liquid through a hollow pivoting ball, as seen

Material Selection in the Digital Age

Too much choice can be paralysing. Just think if you went to a shop to pick up some glue and there were thousands of different

What Can On-Demand Manufacturing Do For You?

While the term “on-demand manufacturing” may seem fairly broad it has actually revolutionised the way in which small, medium and large sized companies are able