Archive for the ‘ General ’ Category

Over 500,000 Years of Technology

Have you ever wondered where technology has come- from the earliest of ages to the present?  Below I have complied a very, very brief accounting.

 

500,000 B.C. – 1200B.C.

·         The hoe and fishing nets introduced

·         The oil lamp and needle introduced

·         A caveman invented the wheel

·         Fire introduced

·         Spear, Bow and Arrow introduced

·         Hieroglyphics introduced

 

1200 B.C. – A.D. 1

·         Quality of wrought iron is improved

·         Swords are mass produced

·         Siege towers are perfected

·         Greeks develop manufacturing

·         Archimedes introduces mathematics in Greece

·         Concrete is used for arched bridges, roads and aqueducts in Rome.

 

A.D. 1-1000

·         Chinese further develop the study of mathematics

·         Gunpowder is perfected

·         Cotton and silk manufactured

 

1000-1400

·         Silk and glass industries continue to grow

·         Leonardo Fibinacci, a medieval mathematician, writes the first Western text on algebra

 

1400-1700

·         First toilet is invented in England

·         Galileo constructs a series of telescopes, with which he observes the rotation about the sun

·         Otto von Guerick first demonstrates the existence of a vacuum

·         Issac Newton constructs first reflecting telescopes

·         Boyle’s Gas Law, stating pressure varies inversely with volume, is first introduced.

 

1700-1800

·         Industrial Revolution begins in Europe

·         James Watt patents his first steam engine

·         Society of Engineers, a professional engineering society, is formed in London

·         First building made completely of cast iron built in England

 

1800-1825

·         Machine automation is first introduced in France

·         First railroad locomotive is designed and manufactured

·         Chemical symbols are developed, the same symbols used today (Au, He)

·         Single wire telegraph line is developed

 

1825-1875

·         Reinforced concrete is first used

·         First synthetic plastic material is created

·         Bessemer develops his process to create stronger steel in mass quantities

·         First oil well drilled in Pennsylvania

·         Typewriter is perfected

 

1875-1900

·         Telephone is patented in the US by Alexander Graham Bell

·         Thomas Edison invents the light bulb and the phonograph

·         Gasoline engine developed by Gottlieb Daimler

·         Automobile introduced by Karl Benz

 

1900-1925

·         Wright brothers complete first sustained flight

·         Ford develops first diesel engines in tractors

·         First commercial flight between Paris and London begins

·         Detroit becomes center of auto production industry

 

1925-1950

·         John Logie Baird invents a primitive form of television

·         The VW Beetle goes into production

·         First atomic bomb is used

·         The transistor is invented

 

1950-1975

·         Computers first introduced into the market, and are common by 1960

·         Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite, put into space by USSR

·         First communication satellite—Telstar—is put into space

·         The U.S. completes the first ever moon landing

 

1975-1990

·         The Concord is first used for supersonic flight between Europe and the U.S.

·         Columbia space s huttle is reused for space travel

·         First artificial heart is successfully implanted

 

1990-Present

·         Robots travel on Mars

·         The “Chunnel” between England and France is finished

·         GPS is used to predict and report weather conditions, as well as many other consumer applications

 

Information  compiled  from “Engineering Your Future” and  “Technology: Shaping Our World”

 

Contributor: James W. Orr

2010
11/08
CATEGORY
Electrical Engineering
Engineering and Engineering Technology
General
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Technology
TAGS








80 comments

Discovering Engineering Design – Unpacking Products

Virtually everything around us and everything we use every day has been designed.

Many different engineers/designers work in our modern society, usually specializing in designing one type of product.

  • The pens we use, the chairs we sit on, the rooms in which we spend our time, even the clothes we wear – all of these things are the result of decisions made by engineers/designers.
  • In our day-to-day lives we take design for granted. We use pots to cook with, scissors to cut with, we sleep on beds, sit on chairs and climb up stairs.
  • We rarely stop to think how these objects came into existence – and what design decisions went into their creation to make them work and look the way they do. 

Design decisions relate to many aspects of an object.

  • They include decisions about the use of an object, its size and weight, how it will be constructed, what materials are to be used in its construction, what it will look like, how much it will cost and how long it will last.

 

It is important for you as future engineers/designers to understand how products are conceived and built, and what design decisions are made in that process.

 

  • “Unpacking” the design of an object will lead you to the design decisions that were made in its conception – you can then use this knowledge in your own design work.
  • Make sure you consider the most obvious decisions as well as those that are more subtle.
  • For example, a chair must have a height suitable for sitting on (an obvious design decision), but a particular chair may also be designed to fit under a standard table (a more subtle design decision). 

Design Challenge – Asking the Right Questions

Before an object is made, it must be designed.

  • Whether this design process is simple or complex, there are a number of questions that must be asked before construction can begin.
  • Good design will greatly enhance the success of an object, and asking the right questions in the design process will greatly enhance the success of the design.
  • Many design decisions are made according to a design “brief” – the following suggestions of design questions and considerations may already be included in a design brief, or you can incorporate them.

 Use of the object

  • How is the object going to be used?
  • Who is going to use it?
  • How will other design considerations affect its use?
  • Determining the use of an object is an important first step in considering its design, but it is also worth checking your design will still work after you have considered all the other design elements.

 Aesthetics of the object

Aesthetics relates to the appearance, beauty and feel of an object and is another important design element. Sometimes aesthetic decisions are purely up to the designer, sometimes they relate to the person who will use the object.

  • What shapes are appealing?
  • Do the dimensions of the object seem correct?
  • Are different parts of the object in proportion to each other?
  • What colors/textures are right?
  • How will the object fit into its intended surroundings?
  • What sort of finish will look best?

Durability of the object

  • How long do you expect this object to last?
  • Will it be used inside or outside?
  • Does it need protective finishes?
  • Will it be used for food or liquid?
  • Does it need to withstand heat or moisture?
  • Will children be using this object?
  • Is it decorative or does it need to withstand heavy handling? 

Construction materials

  • Asking questions about which materials to use relates to all of the above questions. Once you have a clear idea about the way you want your object to look and work, you can choose a material that will meet your criteria.
  • Sometimes designers work the other way round – they find a beautiful material that they enjoy working with and ask what they could make with that material to enhance its qualities. 

Construction methods

There is nothing worse than spending long periods of time designing an object only to discover that it is unable to be built.  Ask questions about how you will construct the object.

  • Is the construction method the most suitable for its intended use?
  • Will construction methods affect the appearance or durability of the object?

Cost of the object

Asking questions about the cost of an object may be important if you plan to sell it later, and it is also important to know that you can afford to build it in the first place.

  • Is the cost of materials or processes a consideration in your design?
  • Do you need to investigate cheaper materials for some elements?
  • How much will your object cost to build?
  • How long will it take to build?
  • Could you use recycled materials?
  • What about the environmental cost – is this important to you?

Once you have settled on all the elements in your design, sit back and think about it carefully as a whole design.

  • Does it give you all the answers you want?
  • Could you change anything that would make it work better or look better?
  • What do other people think of your design?
  • Can you now develop it into a built object?

 Contributor: James W. Orr

2010
11/01
CATEGORY
Electrical Engineering
Engineering and Engineering Technology
General
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Technology
TAGS









4 comments

The Liberal Arts/Gen Eds – Engineering Connection

If you look close at my last post “Characteristics of an Engineer” and tally up the cross connections between what defines Liberal Arts/Gen Eds ( I will use these terms synonymously)- those that you first may have remembered taking in High School – (those not based on what you might think an engineer always does-science/math related “Nerdy” activities, but literature, music, social science/studies, history, art, philosophy), almost 50% of them would fall under the Arts/Gen Eds umbrella. Then why isn’t the engineer more characterized by the “Nerdy” sterotype? Or is it the media projecting something that it wants to convey for sales?

 

If you further analysis the basic format of the High School (HS) and College programs offered today this is what you will typically see:

 

 

 

 

  

Grade/YR

        

Subject

9th

10th

11th

12th

13

14

15

16

English

Eng1 or Lang Arts

Eng1 or Lang Arts

Eng1 or Lang Arts

Eng1 or Lang Arts

Engl Comp or Engl Lit

Speech, Commun, Tech Writing

Specialty

Specialty

Math

Algebra1 or Geom

Algebra 2 or Geom

Algebra 2 or PreCalc, Statistics, Trig

AP Calc, Calc, Math Analysis, Pre Calc

Calc, Diff Equations

Computer Applns

Specialty

Specialty

Science

Bio

Chem

Physics

AP Sci, Earth Sci

Chem

Physics, Bio

Specialty

Specialty

Soc Science

State History, Civics

US History

World Geog, World Hist

Economics

Amer History, Psych

Philosophy

Specialty

Specialty

Career ED / Techn

Intro Design Engrg or Informn Techn

Principles of Engrg or IT Appls, Computers

Product Engrg/Devel, Digital Electronics

Civil/Arch Engrg or Engrg Innovation, Internship

Net Working Appls

Net Working Support, Mainten

Specialty

Specialty

Music & Art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign Lang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phys ED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elective(s)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 Data for chart extracted from www.careercruising.com  and  www.whatsnextillinois.org.

 

1. HS programs are based on the Gen Eds/Liberal Arts courses along with the introductory math /science sequences.

 

2. In college you will see much the same but at a higher/expanded level along with a greater emphasis on Information Technology.

 

I would hope that these programs lend themselves to applying the princples that are learned to a much greater extent than in HS.

 

Why then this need for a general education? People need a strong open mind in addition to a specialty in order to be well rounded, preventing the possibility of cultural blind-spots. By broadening your focus in many directions, seeking out areas that don’t have pre-set answers helps you become a leader. The Gen Eds also improve your perspective of the “BIG PICTURE”, your balance in dealing with a variety of diverse ideas, your people skills,  making you more aware of current tendencies of what to avoid or not to neglect. Finally you can improve your sense of duty and responsibility to your profession and fulfill your life’s purpose, so society repsects you more.

 

Contributor: James W. Orr

 

2010
10/25
CATEGORY
Electrical Engineering
Engineering and Engineering Technology
General
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Technology
TAGS










8 comments

Supporting Yourself As An Engineer

I want to talk about a topic that I get questions about that seems to be very paramount to many espiring students and adults- what income they need to support themselves as engineers. The question of money seems to top the list even though there are many other considerations such as your interests, skill set, intellectual development, goals, material things you want, rewards you accumulate, job satisfaction, benefit to society, etc.

I have developed the next 2 tables to maybe help give you a start when you begin thinking about a future career and what starting salary you may need. This data can be used for any career for that matter. The first chart gives you a jump off point in thinking about the income you may need per the size of your family starting with yourself and then going up to a family of 4. These numbers should be then related to the career you choose as the amounts minimum you need to live on or with which you need to support your family. 

blog4-avg-ann-exp

The next table I developed below gives you an idea as to what effect education has on your earnings potential. There are some big numbers here as you progress upwards in your educational development.  

blog4-edu-pays

Next, let’s look at the starting salaries of some of the many engineering occupations/specialities, as reported in a recent “engineersalary.com survey”, so you have some data to relate to your projected career as you begin your planning. Realize that these numbers are lumped nationally and don’t have the local standard of living included/reflected.

 blog4-yellow-1blog4-yellow-2

Finally, your best resource, along with your own research, is to network with classmates, friends, counselors, employment agencies, the internet, and company insiders, to determine a fair and equitable salary that you can … and will … accept.

Contributor: James W. Orr

2010
10/11
CATEGORY
Electrical Engineering
Engineering and Engineering Technology
General
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Technology
TAGS








1 comment

Take the Candy from the Strangers

Why is that we are taught not to take candy from strangers, but every October 31st it’s completely acceptable and highly encouraged? The same parents who warn their children of the dangers of taking things offered by people they don’t know are the same who escort them to do the very thing…repeatedly.

 

The American economy, at both the macro and micro levels, thrive off of our traditions and holidays. No matter if there are talks of a recession or high unemployment rates, the economy is guaranteed to see some type of stimulation around certain times of the year. This is one of the best ways to explain how markets work and the significance of demand.

 

Markets are how consumers and producers of goods and services engage with one another – hence the term “the marketplace”. Being in a particular market (the buyer) translates to producers (the sellers) that they have a demand for something and are willing and able to make purchases at various price levels. For instance, one could be in the fresh fruit market, home phone service, automobile, etc. Demand is different from desire. Unless you are willing to pay the market price for a good, you are not in the market for it.

 

In economics, factors influence consumer demand such as:

·         Price of the product

·         Price of similar products

·         Income of consumers

·         Expectations of future changes in price

·         Tastes/Preferences

·         Number of consumers in the particular market

 

A demand curve is a visual representation of the price of a good and how much of the good consumers want (quantity demanded). Price is shown ascending on the y-axis and quantity demanded is shown on the x-axis ascending to the right. The curve that shows the relationship for the demand for the good will almost always be downward sloping because of the negative/inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded. Simply put: As the price of a demanded good or service goes down, consumption increases and vice versa.

 

Although this may hold true for everyday consumers and goods such as pizza, events such as Halloween change both consumer and producer behavior. Consumers are more willing to pay the higher price for the bag of candy, the costume, and the decorations leading up to the event. Because of this high demand, we see more seasonal jobs created and manufacturers and other industries experience a boost in business and revenue. As a result, producers and the economy are better off as a result of the widespread increase in demand. We see peaks and valleys because after the event, consumer tastes and preferences change.

 

Contrary to what you may have been told as a child, America needs you and everyone else to continue taking candy from strangers and are relying on you to pass this tradition down to your kids and so on. Events and holidays are economy boosters because consumers demand greater quantities of goods and services than they normally do during these times.

 

Contributor: D. Simone Devereueawax

 

2010
10/01
CATEGORY
Economics
General
TAGS









122 comments

Risk

Often I think about how different my life would be had I not taken risks.  From moving to Atlanta via a comfortable home in Illinois, to forming a business and acquiring property, things would look nothing as they appear today.  Days would probably be a lot less stressful, nights would be filled with a lot more free time, and pockets would perhaps be filled with a little more cash.  Essentially, I would be living the simple life I was brought up to cherish in having a college degree, a good job, a house, and a car.  But would this have spelled happiness?

 

At this point I will never know.  It’s funny how things work, however.  Through my risks taken and my investments made, many doors have been opened to me that otherwise would have remained shut and unexplored.  Because I purchased a few properties, I was able to secure a full-time job through the people I had met and done business with.  The same rings true for many others, including key people involved in bringing you this website.

 

Risk and uncertainty is the spice of life and makes each day interesting.  Taking large calculated risks is something that (I hope) will benefit me in the future.  Without it, yes, I would be living the American way and allowing my family to rest easy, but settling is just not in my heart.  Life and business is about seeing what the world needs and then giving it the best way you know how.  We need smart people who can visualize the needs of our planet.

 

Contributor: Alexander Gothard

2010
09/16
CATEGORY
General
TAGS







17 comments

Networking Basics

 Karen Wells, vice president of Strategy at McDonald’s USA, insists that networks are invaluable when you are trying to build or grow a business or attempting to advance your own career. At the Rockford (Illinois) Chamber of Commerce Minority Enterprise Luncheon, she offered these tips for those who are beginning to build a network: 

1. Perform a self-assessment. Whom do you have currently in your network base, and what do you need to grow your company or your career?  

2. Be proactive. Take the first steps to engage people to be part of your network. These are people whom you do not know well yet but who can help you to navigate your career path. 

3. Be willing to take some risks. Networking may require you to move out of your comfort zone. For example, if you tend to be an introvert, forcing yourself to be more outgoing is necessary. 

4. Be sure your network is adequate but not overwhelming. You should have at least three but no more than five people in your support network whom you can count on to advise you and whom you can leverage to help you to advance your career. 

5. Take advantage of what’s out there. Organizations already exist that can help you to network, such as your chamber of commerce or other professional groups. When you meet people of interest, don’t just introduce yourself and shake their hands. Call them after the meeting and make contact with them outside of the function where you first met them.  Build relationships with them. 

Contributor: Excell Lewis III, Ms.Ed

2010
09/08
CATEGORY
Education
General
TAGS









10 comments

What Is Success To You?

Deep in my heart, I believe that success is simple with established moral and realistic guidelines.  I also believe, however, that having the discipline to consistently follow those guidelines is one of the most difficult things one could do.  Back during my senior year of college, I defined what success meant to me and put it on paper.  This same faded piece of paper is still tacked to a board in my room.  Everyday, I consciously (attempt) to think of those guidelines when making decisions and setting daily priorities.  Below are important components, placed in their respective order, of what success means and looks like to me.   

Everyday, it is my goal to exercise:

 Spirituality -

·         Going to church

·         Reading and understanding the Bible

·         Building a relationship with God

·         Living with integrity

·         Patience

 

Mentally -

·         Be in uncomfortable situations and love it.

·         Love and appreciate the challenge of life.  This is all a fun game.

·         Read

·         Be social and have fun

·         Defend yourself

 

 Physically –

·         Workout

·         Play basketball

·         Swim

 

Financially -

·         Save money

·         Look for investments

·         Keep building financial knowledge

 

 I absolutely believe that if I can do these aforementioned things consistently and effectively, I would be the happiest and most free person I could ever dream to become.  I struggle, however, and make excuses from time to time.  I strive for perfection, but for now I will settle for progress.  What does success look like to you?

Contributor: E. Alexander Gothard

2010
09/07
CATEGORY
Business
General
TAGS







10 comments

What Is Engineering?

This is my inaugural posting in which I will discuss “What is Engineering”.

In up coming postings I will discuss- in no particular order:

Engineering Technology, CAD (Computer Aided Design)-2D,3D, GD&T (Geometrical Dimensioning and Tolerancing), Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Rapid Prototyping, Engineering Careers/Education, Green Technology, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Blueprint Reading, and anything else you the reader is interested in under the “Engineering” umbrella.

I will further address many of these topics from a high school students’, as well as college students’ perspective, and finally to those looking to change careers.

Engineering- What is it?:

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the national board establishing accreditation standards for all enginnering  programs  defines engineering as follows (Landis):  “Engineering is the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences, gained by study, experience, and practice, is applied with judgement to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind.”

I like James Kip Finch’s (1960) definition of Engineering- “The engineer has been , and [still] is, a maker of history”. When you get right down to really thinking about what the engineer does and has done from the earliest of times does this not simplify the definition. Think about all the items, whether it  is clothing, cars, houses, ships, satellites… we have today, on a global scale and through history, has been from an idea someone had that an engineer eventually designed, into a product or process using mathematics, science, and technology principles. Yes, engineers turn ideas into reality and make a world of difference.

The results of a recent Lemelson-MIT Invention Index Survey shows:
·    77% of teens are interested in pursuing a STEM career
·    53% of teens said they would like to build things and conduct experiments
·    85% said they wished they knew more about STEM in order to create or invent something
·    FEWER than 5% felt that engineers contribute most to society’s well-being

This to me means teens have not seen, met or talked with an engineer but they have some of the same interests as what a degreed engineer probably started with early on in their life. The degreed engineer probably is good in math and science, may have a relative/neighbor/friend who is/was an engineer that worked at a high tech job,  was interested in assembling/disassembling things and also likes to build things- that’s the hands on aspect, or like myself read a lot of SCIFI books/magazines as a child or as kids now a days watch a lot of TV/movies, was counseled by a teacher or school counselor, heard that this field is one of the top paying  career opportunities in our economy today.

What can I do with a major in engineering you might ask?
·    Application Engineering
·    Computer engineering
·    Electrical engineering
·    Electronics engineering
·    Industrial engineering
·    Mechanical engineering
·    Research engineering
·    Product engineering
·    Safety engineering
·    Quality engineering
·    Plant engineering
·    Development engineering
·    Testing engineering
·    Design Engineering
·    Analysis engineering
·    Systems engineering
·    Manufacturing and Construction engineering
·    Operations and Maintenance engineering
·    Technical support engineering
·    Customer support-Sales/Marketing/Consulting
·    Management of any of the above

I will close this session with the following thoughts/facts for next posting:
·    The U.S. is lagging behind the rest of the world in production of needed technical talent
·    This lag could lead to loss of U.S. competitiveness in technical fields that drive our economy.

Contributor: Jim Orr

2010
09/06
CATEGORY
Economics
Engineering and Engineering Technology
General
TAGS








11 comments

Everyday Economics

Whether you are a student, employee, parent, business owner, or superstar, we are all human and face an overlooked concept: insatiability.  Contrary to what many believe, nothing is (and never will be) enough for us in our endeavors in life because we will always want more. Accordingly, scarcity occurs because wants are unlimited while the resources of this land are limited and people, businesses, and countries find themselves having to make choices that are in their best interest.

This is such a big deal that there exists an entire field of study for it. Economics is the study of how choices are made under scarcity and facing these insatiable wants. Economics is divided into two levels: macroeconomics and microeconomics. Macro deals with the overall performance of the economy. Such topics covered under this sector include the money supply, inflation rates, unemployment, currency rates, economic policies, interest rates, and the federal budget.

Micro is concerned with the choices of consumers and businesses, and their impact on certain markets. Those who focus on this branch of economics cover price changes of particular goods, bans on immigration affecting the U.S. produce market, seatbelts leading to more deaths, how a company can maximize profits, and the like.

While a person like me gets excited about economics, there are others who may not understand how it relates to them and how exposure to its principles can help them in their everyday lives and better interpret what goes on in the world around them. The goal of this blog is not only to provide insight into the field by showing its relevance, but to also make it interesting so that keen economic intuition may be developed for optimal decision-making on a variety of levels.

Every decision we make in this life comes with a cost that is more than likely not monetary. When one choice is made, another is forgone. This forfeited cost is known as the opportunity cost. Studying as opposed to hanging out with friends and going to class instead of working to earn a paycheck are some opportunity costs involved in going to college to obtain a degree. However, people are willing to pay that price because they feel such a decision will benefit them greater in the long run.

As we travel along this economic voyage, it is imperative to understand that there is more to economics than the happenings at the Federal Reserve and recessions. Economics helps us understand how to get the most value from limited resources as we all face scarcity and unlimited wants.  

 Contributor: D. Simone Devereueawax

2010
09/03
CATEGORY
Economics
General
Liberal Arts and Sciences
TAGS










137 comments