Another year under our belts GrabCAD readers and what a year it has been for 3D printing. As is so often the case, as one year draws to a close, it gives us time to reflect on the events of the past 12 months and look ahead at what’s to come.
In this post we’re recapping five of the top 3D printing highlights of 2019, while giving you a snapshot of what is set to take center stage in 2020.
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A common problem in engineering is that parts and equipment, once designed, eventually become obsolete. Manufacturers and fabricators that originally completed the material or equipment in question either move on to different product lines, are purchased by other companies, or, for whatever reason, no longer exist.
Therefore, a replenishment supply of spare parts or assemblies is just as impossible.
This situation was partially the case for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR). The SPAWAR enterprise became engaged in three-dimensional scanning and printing to rapidly deliver a solution to a particular antenna that is part of their warfare systems. Que: the "scan-to-CAD-to-fab" method.
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Last week we released the Best 3D Printing & Engineering Podcasts to Listen To. This week, we are excited to release the top tech and design podcasts to try.
So if you're in a design rut, or need tech inspiration, hopefully these podcasts will help!
As tech innovators seek to innovate to make our lives run smoother, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to imminent policy shifts that may impact those very innovations. Hosted by The App Association, “TechSwamp,” gives a unique insider’s perspective on the tech industry.
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Podcasts are ‘in’. Whether it’s listening to them on the commute to work, at the gym, during the dog walk, in the kitchen while you’re cooking or even at your desk, podcasts are a brilliant way to glean new information or simply be entertained.
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Manufacturing is no longer simply about making physical items and transferring X from A to B. Changes in global consumer demand with more emphasis on customization, engagement, speed to market, quick delivery, coupled with modifications to the economics of production, and the shifting supply chain have all resulted in a fundamental shift in the way most companies do business.
Indeed, the line between consumer and creator continues to blur and only time will tell how far this amalgamation goes.
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So you’re thinking of studying manufacturing engineering at university? You’ve come to the right place! Your first questions might be: what is manufacturing engineering? What does that really mean?
Well, qualified manufacturing engineers essentially turn design into reality, ensuring products retain their functionality amidst the glamour of impressive design. Manufacturing engineers oversee how products are manufactured to exact specifications in the most time and cost efficient way possible, so that products can reach businesses and consumers worldwide.
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Research is essential for advancement. However, finding proper funding for it is hard. Most researchers need it - doctoral students, postgraduates, senior researchers and so on.
Even though governments and charities offer money, there are still too many researchers for that funding to be enough. That’s why you need to learn to find and apply for funding on your own. Here is how:
“The only thing that is constant is change.” Heraclitus 500BCE
I live and work in what is known as “Silicon Valley.” Not really any different than any other densely populated industrial high-tech area, other than the fact that just like the Hollywood of the 1930’s, Silicon Valley has a national reputation for “opportunity.” If you have an idea for a service or a product that might fill a need (even if it is a very narrow niche need), there is enough money floating locally to create a “startup.”
From the idea of interchangeable parts popularized in the United States by Eli Whitney for muskets and Henry Ford's mass production techniques to Japan's "kaizen" (continuous improvement) methodologies, and techniques like LEAN and AGILE, manufacturers are always on the lookout for ways to improve – increase yields, shorten raw-materials-to-finished-product times, reduce waste, and more.