John Evans has beaten more than 4500 engineers by being among the very first who joined the GrabCAD in August last year. He's an Autodesk Inventor expert, writes about engineering and design for his Desing & Motion site and was happy to answer our Engineer Spotlight interview questions.
GC: Tell us a bit about your background? How and where did your engineering career begin?
John: Beginning - I started design and engineering (I'm still undergrad) at the age of three when my father stuck me in a RR turbofan. It scarred me for life. I just can't get them out of my head.
I spent my life making things. I attended a design High School, where I studied CAD / Architectural / Mechanical drafting and design. I went into the USAF and worked Airframe fabrication and machine shop. I left the military and ran an automotive manufacturing facility using lasers to cut resin laminated components. We worked on some exotic epoxy research as well.
M13-ammunition belt link
My grandfather became ill, which encouraged me to return to this area and take the only job available - Civil Engineering. I study Japanese culture and engineering principles in what spare time I have, and when my wife completes her Masters, I'll finish off my degree.
GC: When did your start to focus on using Autodesk Inventor rather than any other software and why Inventor? This is especially interesting as SolidWorks tends to be the most used software among GrabCAD engineers.
John: Why Inventor? I was already neck deep in AutoCAD, and a buddy introduced me to Inventor. I was missing mechanical design quite a bit then, and when I saw it, I was hooked. That was v4... wow, it's been a long time.
M13-ammunition belt link tutorial
GC: How do you compare Inventor with other competing software out there? Based on our members' statistics, machine design, tools and automotive are the top three areas of expertise where Inventor is used the most - any subjective explanation to that?
John: I see Inventor like products in other industries where Autodesk has matured. Civil, for example, was heavily tended by Bentley (government), but as time went on, they lost much of their market share to Autodesk. Rabbit and the hare (or better yet, a very slow, steady revolution).
Inventor has grown enormously, and the 2011 product cemented them in as a full contender for some of the markets that its entrenched competitors held. BIM requirements, Tooling, Mold making, Simulation - one amazing product.
GC: In your consultancy work, what are the trends that you observe in terms of critical skills that are in demand or changes in how engineering projects are carried out?
John: That's a tough one. I'm watching Japan change, and sustainable design evolve. The market is changing rapidly, and people are collaborating in newer ways. There are some really smart talented people out there. I think a BS in ME or design, and add advance surfacing, and advance concept design skills. That's a job and contract winner. Everywhere I look, these skills are desired.
GC: Any examples of your most challenging or interesting projects that you've had a chance to work on?
John: Marriage and children? Watching a guy slam a missile through a plane by accident and they insist it still has to fly tomorrow... I digress... Design and Engineering!
In August, I will embark on the most demanding engineering project of my time. However, to date, it would likely be the VAO nozzle. I set the design requirements based on what I needed for it to be useful, which were very unrealistic. I succeeded in completing the engineering goals, and it was an amazing journey through application of various engineering principals, design constraints, the product, and software as well.
VAO turbocharger nozzle
GC: How adapting to change and open to new technologies is the CAD industry in your opinion?
John: CAD? (Laugh). The CAD industry as a whole is an evolving thing. However, large companies faced with costs of changing the way they do business are not so flexible. There, it's a bottom up fight for training and software adoption.
The changes mentioned before are starting to show in competitive companies. Smaller, progressive companies wanting to expand in the difficult climate are quite open to adaptation.
GC: Now a couple of our standard questions: in your opinion, the best product ever engineered/designed?
John: Wow, fun question - There are so many, like 511 Boots - amazing.
There's this small portable can opener that I stare at when I cook. Put it on the can and walk away. 2 AA batteries supplies enough torque to open a can, and lasts for a very long time. Brilliant little device.
GC: Any product or everyday utensil that millions use today, but which you would completely redesign from scratch given an opportunity?
John: Well, the can opener is taken. Hmmm... Perhaps it sounds silly, but the household door. I'd like to make a safer door for women and older folks that resists forced entry, but still operates normally under regular conditions.
GC: Companies or designers whose engineering/design work you admire and like?
John: RND Automation - Sean Dotson, Honda Corporation, Dyson, Charlie Bliss, Iscar, GE's Turbojet division… I could go on forever…
Indeed, John tends to have tons of advice and opinions to share (check out his Twitter feed, too). What's even more cool - we've been playing around with the idea to have guest blog posts, John being among the first ones. So there's a chance to hear from the man himself. Any preferences regarding guest blog topics - leave them in the comments. And, again, big thanks to John for the Q&A.
