The lessons we learn outside the classroom are equally if not more important than the ones we learned inside. I can’t emphasize this enough. We learn how to live life, the most important lesson of all.” -Unknown I talk to many SOLIDWORKS users, and they all tell me the same thing: you cannot just learn the software. You must go on the shop floor, and see how things are actually made.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” -Martin Luther King Jr. Jose Saldana is an engineering manager by day, but in his free time he serves as a SWUGN group leader on the U.S. West coast, as well Central and South America. Jose has a passion for helping to expand the use of new design technologies into South America as well as helping companies there to increase innovation. in.
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” ― Aristotle We know that engineers are hands-on learners, and it’s great to see that some engineers, such as Heather Dawe-Rose, spending time teaching those future engineers. Heather works for SOLIDWORKS Reseller TriMech, but she is best known for her work with student outreach programs, teaching future engineers though hands-on projects, not classroom environments. Heather comes up with many of the teaching methods
Joe Lance - Born to Design Podcast “By facing our challenges and overcoming them, we grow stronger, wiser, and more compassionate.” ― John Templeton Joe Lance is a very well-known and integral figure in the SOLIDWORKS community, so I was overdue to interview him, and found the opportunity to sit down with him at 3DEXPERIENCE World. Joe is the leader of the Houston SOLIDWORKS User Group, a SOLIDWORKS Champion, and has been a mentor to engineers for decades. He is also an avid Marathon runner. In
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000ways that don’t work.” ― Thomas Edison Bob Johnson is an analyst with over 40 years of experience with design analysis and is an expert on all things related to simulation. In my interview, Bob shares his vast knowledge on testing products; what works, what doesn’t work, and how to not overthink your simulation results.
“The only source of knowledge is experience.” ― Albert Einstein I believe there are some things we can only learn from our elders. Some experiences we cannot learn on our own, as they occurred during a different time, so we must learn from those who have been there. I was introduced to 91-year-old Johnnie Floyd last summer (2021), and we have communicated through email and phone calls since. I had the opportunity to meet him in-person recently, and I share a good bit of our conversation in this
“History is never dead. It crawls its way into our present and shapes our future.” ― J.U. Scribe We often hear about the negative aspects of the internet, and that the world was better before it existed. But that’s not the case in this situation, as I would not want to live without the creative engineering videos that Joel from Integza creates. Joel Gomez creates very engaging explanatory videos on engineering topics, such as rockets, engines, and many others on his Integza YouTube channel.
How are we preparing the next generation of engineers and innovators for success? It seems this generation uses all the latest technology, but do they have the skills to create tomorrow’s inventions. There are many teachers who are focused on teaching tomorrow’s innovators, and Cherry Creek Schools, is one school that is working hard to set up their students for success. In this podcast, I speak with Ben Nuebel, who is a high school Engineering Technologies Teacher at Cherry Creek schools.
Ever since the success of Uber, entrepreneurs are focusing on how to “disrupt” existing large corporate businesses, and some large companies are now even looking to disrupt their own businesses before the competition does. The way to disrupt a business is to find a better solution to an existing problem. But, what if you just come up with a different solution for a unique audience? That’s not actually disrupting the industry;
I’m going to assume that many of you reading this, at some point in your career or education, have designed or been on some sort of robotics team. Robotics teams for students served as a great introduction to engineering and STEM principles for engineers today, and robotics teams are growing around the globe. Many of those who were fascinated with robotics went on to design robots professionally. Some design for professional purposes—Marc DeVidts, of the BattleBots Team Ice Wave, for example,
in-tech GmbH develops innovative electronic systems that support automation and connectivity for the automotive, industrial, and transportation sectors. The company employs around 1,500 engineers, software developers, and technicians in eight countries. The company’s products include electronic systems that make testing of automotive systems more efficient, accurate, and reliable. Its orangeSwitch, for example, enables automated switching between tests of electronic control units (ECUs).
At what age can students really grasp the concepts of science and engineering? And, what is the best way to teach STEM to the engineers and innovators of the future? I don’t know these answers, but in this Born to Design podcast, I interview two dedicated people who do have the answers: Melissa (Mel) Ahmed and Greg Beddoe of TechWuman. These two very bright design engineers share a passion for STEM, and are so dedicated to the effort of exposing school children to science and engineering that
BattleBots’ Team Witch Doctor is a fan favorite, thanks to a robot with personality and a team with pizzazz that encourages interest in engineering. Team leaders Andrea and Michael Gellatly have built and competed with robots for about 17 years. Andrea spearheads the team’s initiatives to inspire future engineers. Team Witch Doctor partnered with BattleBots to publish B is for BattleBots, a book designed to inspire the next generation of robotics engineers.
“For me it was never about money, but solving problems for the future of humanity.” – Elon Musk What does it take to make a good entrepreneur? I think that is a longer discussion, but one thing is for sure, it takes passion. In my previous discussions with young mentors and entrepreneurs (such as Danielle Boyer & Aidan Aird), they all mention their PASSION. It is a passion to help others learn about technology and make the world a better place, in general.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain In this episode of the Born to Design Podcast, I had a chance to sit down and speak with Eric Haddad. If you do not know Eric yet (there are several SOLIDWORKS blog articles about Eric), let me introduce you: Eric took his hobby of designing and building R/C aircraft and started his own YouTube page, which now has hundreds of thousands of views. Eric is someone who can say that he took the plunge into his hobby and made it a success,
As a kid watching the animated sitcom The Jetsons, Ryan Okelberry found the idea of robots and other whimsical devices doing pretty much everything, including combing hair and brushing teeth, very cool. These days, as COO of one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the country, he and fellow mechanical engineer and CEO Shane Dittrich enable robots that lower capital, labor, and production costs within the big picture of bringing manufacturing back to the USA. Okelberry and Dittrich started
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” –Steve Jobs Do you love what you do? I talk to many designers and engineers who truly love what they are doing. They are problem solvers who enjoy creating solutions.
Born to Design Podcast - Matt Carney - BioMechatronics I grew up in the generation where fictional characters like Coronel Steve Austin, also known as The Six Million Dollar Man, was a hero to many young kids. Six million dollars seemed like an enormous amount of money back then too. For those of you too young to remember the TV show, Austin was an astronaut who was badly injured and needed six million dollars of bionics to make him into a super-strong crime fighter. He was the original RoboCop,
Charles Adler is a designer, entrepreneur, technologist, and one of the founders of Kickstarter.com. Charles has a wealth of insight on the keys to success for small businesses and start-ups, and creative people in general. I interviewed him recently (online, due to the current Pandemic), and we discussed the beginnings of Kickstarter, as well as some great insights on failings and successes from Kickstarter campaigns, and why some succeed, while others do not. Charles has some great advice to
The Jetsons TV show many of us watched as kids gave us a glimpse at what the future might look like, though many felt it was an unrealistic view. Today, however, many of the things we thought were improbable are becoming more real than ever If you are not already aware, Sam Rogers and the other designers at Gravity have created a Jet Suit that travels 85 MPH.
3DEXPERIENCE for Good Hackathon 2020 3DEXPERIENCE for Good Hackathon 2020 What happens when you get designers and innovators together? They usually talk about design and innovation, and eat pizza BUT when you add in the opportunity to help others, something else happens: Their drive and passion start to show.
https://blog-assets.solidworks.com/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Meltech-3DSVersion.mp4 Ever wondered where factories get their factory parts? Why, other factories, of course. How about induction melting equipment for foundries? Now that’s a burning question.
When we look at the current list of world’s problems and crises, we tend to worry about how we are going to solve them. However, we must remember the many problems that humans have already solved. We invented a vaccine to prevent the spread of polio. The discovery of penicillin enabled doctors to treat formerly severe and life-threatening illnesses.
https://blog-assets.solidworks.com/uploads/sites/2/2019/12/Mitt-Final-Case-Study-12-11-19_1.mp4 The loss or absence of a limb is a disability humans have been finding answers for since history began. From the ancient Greeks to the Egyptians, we’ve been inventing and refining stand-ins for lost limbs with varying degrees of success. Comforting to know that in an era of virtual reality, artificial intelligence and robotic chefs, science is still finding new ways to make medical breakthroughs. It’s
