I have been hanging out a lot with a friend (let's call her Michelle) who is in the middle of prototyping - - let's just say I am frequently reminded how difficult it is to actually turn an idea into a physical product.

(That particular skill isn't…

Often times when discussing print and online advertising opportunities with customers I hear "can you just 'throw in' some online banner ads like the other publications are doing?" and this raises a red flag. We all like the feeling of getting a good deal... especially in the work place when you're handling negotiations like ad buying b/c you want the pat on the back from your boss. The question you need to ask though is "what is the value of the online advertising component?" that the…

Solve our Motion Monday challenge to win a prize ... [ CLICK HERE ]…

Presenting the Union Budget 2012-13 in Parliament Indian Finance Minister give priority to Defence of Country and Space Mission.Defence Budget was today substantially hiked by more than 17 per cent to Rs 1,93,407 crore from last year's Rs 1,64,415 crore.The deals which are likely to be signed this year include 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), 145 Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH), 197 Light Utility Helicopters and others weapons and systems for the three services.

Budget for…

In reference to our Downwind section of our February issue of Windpower Engineering & Development, brothers Keith and Bruce Schlee have designed a robot that can assist in wind farm operation and maintenance. Here are some recent photos of the first test and latest lifting robot, the HR 1000-LL. …

In preparation for Global Wind Day (June 15) the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) is holding a contest for wind farm photos. Photos will be accepted until May 6. Here are some of the imaginative submissions.…

GeomCaliper is an innovative tool that facilitates measurement and checking of thickness on 3D models. It enables acceleration of the design review process for manufacturability. Unlike traditional measurement tools, GeomCaliper is fast and easy to use. Once you start using it, you'll realize that checking thickness can be made really easy as well as quick.

CAD Platforms:

• PRO/E
• CATIA

This is especially useful for…

There's a lot of give and take when it comes to setting up a change process, and a lot of factors that determine if your process should be highly formalized, or loosely managed.

A loose change process, where individual engineers have the discretion to either expedite change requests or make immediate revisions, exposes your product to unintended consequences - - including costly scrap and rework at best and field failures at worst. But excessive review slows down the iterative process…

applications of AC variable speed drive (frequency inverter)

AC variable speed drives (frequency inverters) are widely applied in the industry today. There are three major areas, where drives and motors are applied.

1. Constant torque applications

This is where the same amount of torque is required at low speed as…

pumps and frequency inverter (variable speed drive)  

All of us know that frequency inverters are widely used in many applications for energy saving. They are tools that is used to change the frequency of electricity.

Below is application of frequency converter used for pumps.

Usually pumps are sized to cope with the maximum predicted flow, leading to the motors running at part load. The result is low motor efficiency and a low power factor which…

Are you taking advantage of all the new information consumers are posting and sharing on the Web and in social media?

With the explosion of social media usage, social data is expanding at an incredible pace and companies are scrambling for new and innovative ways to harness and make sense of this information. 

Advanced semantic research…

The tenth annual contest will recognize outstanding innovations in product design worldwide, awarding a Grand Prize of $20,000 USD. There is no cost to enter. Visit www.createthefuture2012.com to get started.

plus visit my product[s] and vote them please! Maybe I won the awarding because of your valuable votes!!…

It isn't every day that PLCs and national security are mentioned in the same sentence. Although perhaps they should be. Which is why this segment from CBS's "60 Minutes" on the Stuxnet virus caught my attention. The piece sheds some light on the shadowy world of computer viruses and how software is being used by state military and intelligence agencies to conduct stealth wars by attacking the very unglamorous control infrastructures that are controlled by PLCs.

The piece…

http://bwcnews.blogspot.com/2012/03/go-small-or-go-home-sizing-down-your.html…

Passing this job opportunity from our friends at Minarik Drives for a Product Design Engineer...

We have an immediate need for a circuit design-capable BSEE with knowledge of motor control firmware and hardware and three to five years’ industry experience in product specification, hardware and software design for AC and DC motor drives, power control and mixed circuit design, and product validation testing.  Working directly with a wide network of external customers,…

Discovery Channel says they're seeking America's top inventors, machinists and engineers to compete for a huge grand prize, in their new show: Top Engineer.

Of course, you don't have to be an engineer to compete in this new show. Any kind of techie will do. So long as you have an outgoing personality and look good on camera, you're gold. Just send an email to TopEngineerCasting@gmail.com with your name, age,…

I was reading on time.com about The Swarm, a new roller coaster at Thorpe Park, outside London, that has a bit of a problem. According to the article, they've found that their crash-test dummies sometimes come back missing limbs.

Roller coasters are marvelously engineered machines. Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting…