Design World

In our latest Executive Edition series, Mary Gannon of Design World chats with Festo Didactic's CEO Thomas Lichtenberger, about the organizations successful programs to change the manufacturing landscape in the United States. Festo Didactic provides equipment and solutions for technical education for all areas of technology in factory and process automation, such as pneumatics, hydraulics, electrical engineering, production technology, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, CNC, HVAC and telecommunications. Lichtenberger discusses the Festo's successful Mason, Ohio apprenticeship program and its newest work with The Space Coast Consortium Apprenticeship Program – an industry-driven apprenticeship program led by a group of advanced manufacturing companies operating on the Space Coast. He talks about the future of manufacturing and how Festo's training programs are designed to shape that future.

Dr. Ronald L Hollis, president and CEO at MFG, discusses new business models to help design engineers find the right suppliers to make their designs, and to help suppliers find design engineers they can help.

Eckhart Inc. is a leading integrator of advanced automation and Industry 4.0 technologies. As a tool designer and a technology integrator, companies come to Eckhart to find solutions that improve their profitability, safety, and reliability of different manufacturing processes. Dan Burseth, VP at Eckhart, discusses how Eckhart’s expertise can help users of additive manufacturing make the most out of that technology.

Sniffer Robotics developed a 3D printed drone-based system that can fly over landfills five times faster than a person can walk them. The drone precisely inspects a typical landfill in a day, seeking fugitive methane gas.

In our latest Technology Tuesdays podcast, Design World's Mary Gannon speaks with ITT Enidine's Dan Kowalik, about the company's entrance into the IoT world with its intelligent shock absorber, the Sentinel 1.

In this Technology Tuesdays podcast, Marissa Tucker of Parker Hannifin chats with Design World’s Lisa Eitel about IEC 61131-3 and the industry’s new programmable automation controllers (PACs). Tucker details how open languages can help design engineers pick the best technologies for their machine builds and other designs; she also explains how basing design choices on standards (not hardware brand) can help experienced engineers be productive faster ... even after switching projects or even organizations. Listen in for: • Reassuring words on the enduring value of (and support for) ladder logic; an explanation of where function blocks improve designs • Details on the benefits of "blended" or hybrid control schemes that leverage the best of the IEC 61131-3 framework • A candid exchange about the supremacy of technical support and lead times. Marissa Tucker is product marketing manager of controls and HMIs at Parker Hannifin. She’s a mechanical engineer with a background in product development and product management; among other things for Parker Hannifin, Tucker develops and leads product training and seminars for internal and external sales teams.

The founders of Tucson based SafKan, brothers Sahil and Aadil Diwan, designed and developed the first automated ear-cleaning device, OtoSet, for clinical use. OtoSet looks like a pair of headphones, but it can professionally clean a patient’s ear in just 35 seconds.

We kick off the new year of Design World's Executive Edition with Tom Kelly, Executive Director and CEO of Automation Alley. Over the past two years, Tom has been the driving force behind Automation Alley's transformation into Michigan's Industry 4.0 Knowledge Center and is a nationally and globally recognized expert on the smart manufacturing revolution and its impact on business. Today, we talk with Tom about how Automation Alley is helping manufacturers embrace Industry 4.0 and the changes that come with it.

A Minneapolis-based startup, Sprowt Labs, has developed a “personal malt-house” for those who enjoy home brewing beer. Part of the build involved using injection molding to create a humidifier box for the Acro. Sprowt Labs worked with Protolabs on the development of the humidifier box.

Listen as Dave Woodlock, Market Development Manager at HP’s 3D printing group discusses lessons learned when incorporating 3D printing into your business as a product and as a tool. Notes Woodlock, many assume that what holds 3D printing back in terms of greater implementation is material, hardware, and so on. But what HP has found is that change management is a larger issue that executives must address. Woodloock also takes a look at 3D printing’s benefits to saving time in getting product to market faster, and in how this technology will expand the role of the engineer in design and manufacturing.