Mike is right 95% of the time He became an engineer to be cool. Decided he liked engineering only three years ago. Fatigue failures – find your own k factor and are tough to solve Don’t trust your memory – write everything down. Evaluating silicone seals can be unexpected. Doing lab reports in college is actually a useful skill Physics doesn’t lie Working in the shop is great experience Rockets, salts, and airbags – all at one company Everything is more complex and harder than it seems. Applying FEA to playground equipment. Engineering is a 24/7 job. If a Japanese engineer says it may be diff ..read more

Vocational schools aren't what they used to be. From Porsche 911 dreams to Miata reality to Bughatti dreams. Or maybe just an MG. Jet engineer or rocket scientist? You decide. Jet engines are hot, Tom makes them cool. Material science and better cooling have made jets are way more efficient than they used to be. Solving problems is AWESOME! If you are a young engineer, don’t be afraid to open your mouth and make a suggestion. It might not be a dumb idea. Just being an engineer is good for Tom (and Bert) A temporary move out of aviation was a good move. Keeping your eyes open and being opportu ..read more

First guest outside of US. Before becoming an engineer, he was going to go into religious life. Started in engineering in quality but didn’t want to wear safety shoes. In Solidworks, just because you can do it one way, doesn’t mean you should. It is critical to design the part for the process. Also, build the part to convey design intent. For the engineer, the drawing is your finished product. Tap into the knowledge of the guys on the shop floor. Don’t be proud. Engineer’s aren’t boring, they just have a different sense of humor. Great books Product Design for Manufacturing by James Bralla T ..read more

Topics of Conversation: Oil companies are not all bad. - they invest a lot in green technology in various ways. Bert’s crazy solution to recycling. Cherie’s experience with autism and neurodiversity. Any individual is neither unique or universal Benefits on including non-experts Your local chamber of commerce can help you in your business. Yoga is good for fitness – physical and mental Be careful saying “Do you have a minute to talk?” Movies  - “Reservoir Dogs”- bad. “Princess Bride” – good Inigo Montoya actor is Mandy Patinkin Bert’s company – www.dexterityeng.com ..read more

Dave is a manufacturing engineer that I worked with at Avery Dennison. We talk about: How those little things that hold the tag to your clothes are made (by Avery Dennison) It is pretty cool and the reason Dave still works there. Manufacturing is hard. Book reference  - “Zero Marginal Cost Society” and 3D printing tractors Space Exploration by self-replicating probes or worm holes. Board games – Settlers of Cataan changed everything. Complex games vs simple games and sports The game Bohnanza – Dave’s rules are better Some stuff is fun to do, but not for 40 hours a week. Variety is the sp ..read more

Sorry, no joke this time. Learn by doing and helping others Land the little fish before the big fish. New projects and interviews are like a first date. Read a lot and learn from many different sources. Mentoring  - it’s important and worth it to take the time teach people. Mentoring – people at all levels need it. Loss aversion and the strange psychology of buying things from friends.  Risk analysis and confidence. Humility is a good thing. Three E’s – efficiency, effectiveness, and education. Engineers aren’t cheap – they just always optimize for low cost. Cost control drives creat ..read more

Show Notes CAD – from the beginning Scotch in bourbon barrels 3D printing – from the beginning Medical Device approval Concurrent engineering and FDA approval Rise and fall(?) of product development firms. Engineering vs software development Being good at CAD vs being a good engineer. Design Engineer vs mechanical engineer. Don’t get cute designing– you’ll regret it. Looking done well before you are done. Vacationing in the Caribbean Home ice rinks Engineer’s Toolbox is a useful website. Sneezing at the sun.   Advice for new engineers, especially in consulting world Be a self-starter Th ..read more

Today's guest is Mike Marcoux, Director of Engineering at Boston Engineering. Here is a couple of link to videos of the robotic tuna, link 1 and link 2. We also talk about a robotic pterodactyl. Here is a video, but maybe not the one we discussed.  Mike's career advice: If you can't find something you love, find something you like. If you can't find something you like, find something you tolerate. Try autocross with your wife if you want to buy her auto parts next Christmas. Bert's company, Dexterity Engineering, LLC ..read more

Today’s guest is Jeff Turk. He is not an engineer but he is a recruiter who helps engineers get jobs. Recruiters are sometimes like lawyers or salesman. They can be annoying until you need one, but when you need one, you want a good one. Jeff is one of the good ones. Our conversation covers: Recruiters: good one vs bad ones. Are recruiters working for the worker or the company? Some of Bert’s interview experiences – good and bad. Interview tips: Be Friendly Be confident Don’t be subordinate Rehearse your answers beforehand If someone asks you for three things you are most or least proud of ..read more