The Best Engineering Stories of 2018

The Best Engineering Stories of 2018 The Best Engineering Stories of 2018 The Best Engineering Stories of 2018Socially and politically, 2018 was a year of volatility. Technologically, engineers and scientists kept a lower profile, while mothering a host of advancements across a number of disciplines, from biomedical to energy to robots. All were aided by the growing momentum in 3D printing and advanced manufacturing, tools that are seeping into almost every industry.In 2018, engineers mothered a host of advancements in various disciplines. Almost all were aided by advancements in 3D printing and artificial intelligence.Technology is advancing at a rapid speed and engineers need to do the saatkorn to compete and advance. These changes require greater collaboration between engineering disciplines and non-engineering professionals. Soft skills are critical. Effective communication among team members and outside stakeholders is essential. But training is needed even more to master techno logy and ensure business success, for both newly hired engineers and those with experience.These themes were explored throughout 2018 on ASME.org. Here are some of the articles that touched on those themes and were widely read by viewers.At the core of the research, industrial and technological breakthroughs we wrote about are skills engineers need to practice and grow personally and in business. Today, those skills need to be nurtured and developed from the start of a career to the end. Engineers excel at solving problems, but developing soft skills to enhance their careers isnt always a top priority, as discussed in 12 Skills You Need to Advance an Engineering Career. Scoring an interview means you have the technical chops. After that, its all about marketing yourself, asking the right questions, making good connections, and choosing the paths that lead toward career goals. Without those, youre just another number in a large crowd of engineers.For You The Moral Beauty of a Disobed ient RobotEngineers familiar with multiple disciplines will be better prepared to work with todays product development teams, according to a survey by research firm Tech Clarity. But nearly 40 percent of manufacturers polled said the evolving and changing engineering skillsets needed for systems-driven product development is one of the biggest workforce challenges. We covered many of those trends during 2018.New Skills for the World of Engineering, for example, explored the challenges companies face while developing new skills for engineers and engineers who may lack support in learning them. Surveys and articles dot the Internet about the need for continued training, but examples of companies that put that into place are rare, the report stated. One industry executive posed the question What happens if I train my employees and then they leave because they get a better offer? I answer, What happens if you dont train them and they stay?Increasingly, training involves design and 3D pr inting. It captures most industries but is perhaps best manifested in How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering Design. Industry 4.0 is a combination of digital processes such as the Internet of Things, automation, robotics, and additive manufacturing and how they have a disruptive impact on mechanical engineering design. Not only do engineers need to redesign processes and operations to accommodate these new advances, Industry 4.0 impacts how they design products for increasingly smart manufacturing facilities.4D printing is one of the next major technologies on the horizon. Georgia Tech researchers, showcased in the story 4D Printing Advances Additive Manufacturing, built a powerful 4D printer that quickly and efficiently creates self-assembling 4D structures. It combines four different printing technologies aerosol, inkjet, direct ink write, and fused deposition modeling. It can also make products from a variety of materials, including hydrogels, conductive inks, elastomers, and shape memory polymers, which can be programmed to remember a shape and then transform into it when heated to a certain temperature.Artificial intelligence is another combination of technologies quickly being integrated into a variety of systems, bringing the reality of radical change to many industries. As we reported in Artificial Intelligence Transforms Manufacturing, Stanford researcher Andrew Ng says AI will perform manufacturing, quality control, shorten design time, reduce materials waste, improve production reuse, and perform predictive maintenance. Going beyond that, the story describes a two-armed robot that can manufacture products without having to be programed.Robotic development is also taking many forms to perform many different tasks. From bees to snakes to cockroaches, engineers are incorporating biomimetics into robots that run, crawl, and slither. Snakebots, in Snake Robots Crawl to the Rescue, may be used in natural disaster rescue situations. Early bots used snakelike motions such as sidewinding and lateral undulation. Advances in actuators, motion planning algorithms, force feedback, and modularity are now taking snake robots to a higher level of complexity and functionality.As robots develop, our attitudes and perceptions of and toward them seem to reflect personal biases and prejudices. The human tendency to identify and stereotype along racial lines seems to be expanding to robots. Racism Runs Deep, Even Among Robots discusses a New Zealand study that looks at the role a robots skin color plays in how humans interact and respond to them. Not surprisingly, the researchers found that people project their own biases on robots. Perhaps more surprisingly, robots are learning negative biases toward humans through the use of artificial intelligence, algorithms, and data input.Bioengineers in 2018 had an even larger impact on healthcare than previous years. Tufts University researchers developed smart bandages that actively monitor and deliver preci sely targeted treatment to chronic wounds. You can read in Smart Bandage Does It All how they track markers such as pH, temperature, oxygenation, and electronically deliver drugs to treat the wound. The bandages rely on a combination of sensors, micro-heaters, and wireless electronics, further underscoring the need for cross-disciplinary engineering skills to make an idea into reality.We highlight how sensors were put to another unique use in Mini Sensor Detects and Measures What We Eat. The story describes sensors that mount on a tooth and track what a person eats in real time. The data is transmitted to a digital device to help healthcare practitioners find links between what people eat and their health.The saatkorn technology found its way into energy. As an example, industry is now using artificial intelligence to develop a smart, autonomous grid. The Grid Resilience and Intelligence Project is a $6-million U.S. Department of Energy effort and one of seven projects affecting gri d resiliency. Using AI to Manage the Grid talks about the first federal effort to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve grid resiliency. The first step is creating algorithms and tools to gather and digest data from satellite imagery and other sources to build a body of knowledge on how distribution systems work and where they are vulnerable.Renewable energy sources continue to grow, and their effect on the grid has utility executives looking to storage options as a tool for managing the load. Batteries are beginning to be incorporated into systems in California, Texas, and elsewhere. In Germany, a more traditional energy storage project opened with a twist.You can read about it in Energy Storage Moves to New Heights, which describes an innovative pumped storage project in Germany that incorporates the worlds tallest wind turbine. It and three other wind machines are built on concrete foundations that double as water storage reservoirs for a connected 16-MW hyd ropower project. Height matters because annual energy yield increases one-half to one percent for each meter of height.A wide variety of other developments and projects that became reality in 2018 can be found in ASME.org. Their successors are poised for 2019.Read More Why Shenzhen Is Important for Engineering Students An Engineering Education Should Never End Creative Approach to Engineering Improves Grades For Further Discussion

Will A Second Job Put Your Career at Risk or in Overdrive

Will A Second Job Put Your Career at Risk or in Overdrive Will A Second Job Put Your Career at Risk or in Overdrive So with substantial pay rises out of the question, many economically squeezed workers are looking at alternative sources of income such as a second job with studies showing that around 5 percent of the workforce may be moonlighting (or performing second jobs). But, there has in the past been a negative association with moonlighting with it being seen as a little illicit and being born out of economic desperation. But, it doesnt always have to be this way, as if done well, moonlighting can not only boost your income but be a stepping stone to a better life and career. And so how can you moonlight in an effective and career enhancing way?Call me boring, but to start with you need to check your employee handbook and make sure you comply with any company procedures around taking a second job so you dont put your main job at risk. If your employer has reservations on you taking a second job you could use this as an opportunity to open negotiations for a pay rise, promotion or additional hours within your current place of work.You should be aware that you will most likely experience a 50 percent decline in productivity after you have worked 40 hours in a week and there will be a general decline in productivity after you have overworked for four weeks in succession. Youll also be at greater risk of niedergeschlagenheit. This burnout risk can be reduced if your second job is materially different to your main job. Lets say you work at a desk with figures all day, then your second job might involve you working outside doing something more manual. Working in a different field is a good political play too, as there is much less chance of a conflict of interest occurring with your current employer.So, there is no doubt that doing a second job can boost your income and help you reach your financial goals in the short term, but its not a sustainable long-term strategy to work 50-60 hours a week, as you are likely to burnout and damage your health. This is why I believe that there should be a wider plan to your moonlighting, e.g. you are doing it for a few years to achieve a known goal, which should be that you dont have to hold down a second job. This means that you could be acquiring experience or training in a new job area where you can eventually earn more money you are getting more money to fund an entrepreneurial business venture to buy a home, etc.The point is that working a second job is really only a temporary strategy and should not be considered a long-term approach. It should ideally be a tactical tool to enable you to reach a short/medium term goal or to get into a position where you dont need to work in a second job.

Forget about your Youtube channel. Heres how to actually make money as a creative in the side hustle economy

Forget about your Youtube channel. Heres how to actually make money as a creative in the side hustle economyForget about your Youtube channel. Heres how to actually make money as a creative in the side hustle economyAsk any vlogger, artist, or musician- its really, really difficult to make money as acreative.People often think that if they just post decent content occasionally, or sign up for the right platforms, theyll blow up just like Alessia Cara or Bo Burnham. But thats really hard to do.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThere are more social media platforms today than ever, but each platform only does one or two things well. For example, Instagram is good for pictures, but less so for videos. Twitter is good for writers, but not great for photos.And even if you do everything right on the platforms youre using, algorithms can bury visibility by limiting reach- meaning youll o nly make it so far.In other words, the digital side hustle economy just isnt working the way it should.My company,Collide, was designed to fix it. Specifically, we handle the infrastructure, logistics, and administration so creatives can better monetize their connections, interactions, and expertise.But platforms aside,there are a few basic, tried-and-true steps creatives can take to maximize their reach and keep their fans interested.Heres howMake sure youre in it for the long haulA side hustle is more than just a side gig.Picking up a few extra hours at the coffee shop is not a side hustle. Jumping on TaskRabbit or Uber when you feel like it isnt a side hustle, either. A yard sale isnt a side hustle. A side hustle is neither a hobby nor something youre just doing to earn some extra cash- its a living.You dont work for your side hustle your side hustle works for you. No one can pull the plug on your side hustle either. You control what you create, how you share it, and when you pos t. And it takes care of you.To make this work, you have to believe that youre in it to win it.Be strategic about how you market your side hustleTo make a side hustle profitable, you basically need two essential elements.First, you have to let people know what your side hustle is. In other words, you need to market it.There are a number of ways to go about getting the word out- some more useful than others. You can use email lists. You can use Instagram or Snapchat. You can reach out to your friends and extended family, or network. You can buy ads. Whatever you do, youve got to find a way to tell a lot of people youre doing something.Second, you need a platform.This is where I think the current digital side hustle economy is broken. The only people who can really make money right now are the top .1%. And while there are a ton of apps out through which you can market your art, music, or photos, most of them deliver poor value for your time and effort.If youre going to makerealmoney fr om your side hustle, you need a distribution policy to do commerce- much like a brick-and-mortar store. You need a place where you can bring people to what you do. If youre on a bunch of digital platforms and making no money, youre no different from The Gap- which is closing down storefronts all over for lack of sales. If you have multiple storefronts but are gleaning no value, you have to consolidate.And in the digital world, your storefront is whatever platform- or platforms- youre most active on. But to really get the most value for the least effort, narrow your digital side hustle to just a few.The point is no matter what your digital side hustle, treat it like a brick-and-mortar store. If your multiple storefronts arent generating business- consolidate.Show up andbe consistent.You cant just show up to an office job whenever you feel like it, and thats true of side hustles as well.Say theres a guy on Collide who creates homemade candle holders. To make a living, he has to consis tently post for his fan group. He also has to set up reliable expectations for them, perhaps by telling them Hey, Im going to post new candlestick designs every Monday or Tuesday. Consistency and managing expectations are a must if he wants people to come back regularly. If his fans show up at his page and theres nothing new, theyll lose interest. Even brands wont come back to established influencers who arent consistent.To make your side hustle into a money-maker, you have to be consistent and to let your fans know what to expect. Its essential to build trust.Give your fans a glimpse into your lifeRemember that your followers arent just interested in your craft- they also want to know whats behind the curtain.In other words, they want to get to know you.Whats an average day like for you? What are your habits? Who are your friends? Hows your love life? What motivated the latest piece of content you created? If youre a fashion-related account, they want to know where you shop. If you re a wellness brand, they want to know what toothpaste you use. If you make perfume, they want to know where your scents come from.Everyones craft is repetitive to some degree. Audiences want to know aboutyou, and how it translates into those pieces of content or advice they really like. Thats why tabloids and paparazzi exist- so people feel like they have access to the person behind the veil.Be willing to evolve, but dont alienate your core supporters in the processA lot of creators dont understand how to evolve with their fans taste.You cant capture fans for the long-haul if your content becomes tedious. You need to branch out to other avenues and avoid just sticking with whats worked in the past. Take risks. If you mostly share photos, experiment with video.But you also dont want to alienate your core group. Keep your original point of view, but branch out with the surface stuff. If you make candle holders, for example, start recommending candles to put in them. If youre recommen ding great products, experiences, art, food, and blogs, people wont leave.Dont be afraid to showcase whats inspiring you.Your fans are more interested in a multi-faceted approach than in seeing the same kind of content over and over again. If you do a good job and do it regularly, your fans will stay with you because they love your point of view.If youre strategic about it, manage expectations, show yourself, are dedicated to putting in long hours- you can make your side hustle work for you.This article first appeared on Minutes.