Wohlers Talk

In The Boston Globe article “Next software for the masses? How about three-dimensional design,” author Scott Kirsner explained that computers were once used only by PhDs and videocassette recorders were designed for television broadcasters. He went on to say that the mobile phone, GPS, photo editing software, and Internet were intended originally for professionals and academic types.

Kirsner suggested that 3D design software may someday become common among non-professionals and I agree. When playing with Google SketchUp, it doesn’t take much time to see what is possible. However, before 3D design truly makes it to the mainstream, it will need to become even easier than SketchUp, and it will. Take, for example, Spore Creature Creator from Electronic Arts. I was able to create elaborate 3D creatures in the first few minutes after installing the software. What’s more, these models are fully closed, water-tight solid volumes that can be manufactured.

The key will be for software, running on your computer or web server, to help you along so that it becomes effortless. I don’t expect for design software such as SolidWorks or even SketchUp to achieve this level of ease. I envision, for example, software designed for a very specific purpose, such as designing bicycles. The process might start by allowing you to select a style from a library of frames. After selecting one, you could change its shape, but within limits, making it impossible to produce designs that would not accommodate wheels, a seat, handlebars, sprockets, crank, and so on. It knows that you are designing a bicycle and not an electronic device, football stadium, or something else, so everything is built around bicycle design with libraries of parts that you can change. 

We are at the early phase of having access to software that allows almost anyone to create 3D content with little effort and no design experience. The models may not be as sophisticated as those produced by users of Catia, Inventor, Pro/E, or SolidWorks, but that may not matter. The majority of these models would be used in educational or entertaining ways, such as adding them to a document, video clip, or computer game, or manufacturing them on a 3D printer.

A lot needs to be fixed in the U.S. at the moment. At the risk of being the bearer of more bad news, here goes.

Jonathan Gourlay, features editor of Desktop Engineering, wrote an interesting editorial in the August 2008 issue. He stated the following.

           In the last fiscal year, the Energy Department had planned to spend
           $159 million on solar research and development. Nearly double
           that, $303 million, on nuclear energy research and development,
           and nearly triple, $427 million, on coal, as well as $167 million on
           fossil fuel research and development. Using the most conservative
           recent numbers available, we spend that combined amount every 
           five days in Iraq.

Shocking? It certainly was to me. With a new administration coming on board soon, I am hopeful that we will see some changes that will reduce our dependency on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse emissions. Our current national priorities give us little chance of either.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit many organizations and conferences on additive fabrication (AF) over the past few years. Something that may be alarming to some has presented itself. The U.S. has fallen behind Europe. Case in point: I attended a first-year AF conference this month in Ptuj, Slovenia. The topics and discussions were more interesting and advanced than those at a major U.S. conference held earlier this year. With the exception of some academic research, much of the thinking in the U.S. has become out of date, out of touch, and just plain dull.

The U.S. of the past was proactive in creating new ideas and programs and were on the forefront of AF technology. Excitement levels were high and it was contagious among Americans. The U.S. was the envy of the world. Much of this has shifted to Europe, even to less central places such as Slovenia. If you want to see the most comprehensive and interesting products and companies on the subject, you need to travel to Frankfurt, Germany for the annual EuroMold trade fair.

Another important point: Most of the AF systems that build metal parts are from Europe. They include Direct Metal Laser Sintering from EOS (Germany), Electron Beam Melting from Arcam (Sweden), LaserCUSING from Concept Laser (Germany), laser melting from Phenix Systems (France), and Selective Laser Melting from MTT (UK/Germany).

It’s not too late for the U.S. to recapture the excitement of the past. For it to do so, the U.S. must look beyond its borders for fresh ideas, applications, and technologies, just as the Europeans relied on the U.S. in the past. Our country will not advance the industry to the next level with an inward focus and complacent attitude. It must consider developments in other countries and participate in educational events in Europe and other parts of the world.

The U.S. has an opportunity to play a lead role in organizing an industry that currently needs direction. We have no “map” to the future. Ten years ago, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences and several other organizations and individuals led the development of a roadmap for the AF industry. It is time for the U.S. to once again take a leadership position in shaping the future of this important industry. The alternative is to flounder down an uncertain path while Europe, and eventually Asia and other parts of the world, seize the opportunity.

Earlier this year, Machine Design magazine revealed the results from its annual salary survey. According to the April 24 issue, engineers make from about $68,000 to $148,000 annually. Vice presidents of engineering earn nearly $129,000, while consulting engineers get $148,000. Design, project, and R&D engineers are at the other end of the pay scale, although it’s not dramatically lower than other engineering types who earn in the range of about $70,000 to $91,000.

College degrees play a role as one might expect. Yet, even those without a degree are paid nearly $68,000, on average. With a bachelor’s degree, the pay increases to more than $79,000 for those with a non-engineering degree and to more than $83,000 for those with an engineering degree. The salary jumps to about $99,000 for individuals with a master’s degree in engineering.

If you’re considering a doctorate in engineering to earn more, you may want to spend your time and money elsewhere. Those individuals earn less, at about $95,000. However, people with a non-engineering doctorate receive $135,000, according to the survey.

All in all, engineers do pretty well, but of course they should. If you consider the pressures and responsibilities they face, engineers should be rewarded handsomely. Let’s hope that many of our best and brightest young people pursue engineering or a related field as a career and earn what they deserve.

Late last week I visited Medical Modeling Inc. of Golden, Colorado. I’ve been to the company a few times in the past, but this time was different. I’ve always been impressed by the company’s progressive thinking and dazzling projects. This time, however, I was taken to another level. There really is no other company like it. Not even close.

Andy Christensen has been the head of the company from the beginning. His youthful look makes you wonder how he could have started the company 12 years ago. Since then, he and his team have completed an estimated 13,000 individuals cases from around the world, many requiring multiple models. The breadth and complexity of the projects—all medical-related using CT or MRI scan data—is nothing short of extraordinary.

The core business has focused on the building of models that serve as a planning tool to teams of surgeons. Producing translucent models that reveal tumors, nerves, blood vessels, and other anatomy has been key. Most of these models have been produced using Huntsman’s Stereocol stereolithography resin. The company also runs several Spectrum Z510 multicolor 3D printers from Z Corp.  Very recently, the company installed a new Connex500 machine from Objet Geometries. Christensen said the company plans to introduce models in the future from this system using its unique multi-material characteristics.

Over the past year, the company has been producing metallic parts and implants on its two Electron Beam Melting (EBM) machines from Arcam. Most of the parts to date have been produced in Ti64 titanium alloy, although the company has also used cobalt chrome for wear resistant applications such as knee and hip joints. Already, the company has had components implanted into patients and expects this activity to rise significantly in the coming months with several innovative products in the works.

Accident victims, conjoined twins, cancer patients, brain tumors, severe scoliosis, dental problems, rare diseases and birth defects—Medical Modeling has seen and done it all. The display of parts and pictures of cases at the company is mind-boggling. Some are heart-wrenching. The next time you find yourself in the Denver/Golden area, consider a visit to this company. It will be like no other.

I was sitting at dinner last week in Austin, Texas when the subject of fuel prices came up. Individuals from the UK were present, so we estimated the cost of gasoline in the UK. Our estimate: $9-10 per gallon. One Brit was quick to point out that cars in Europe are much more efficient than those in the U.S., indicating that they often get 40-60 miles per gallon (mpg). In the past, I had wondered if European cars got better mileage, but dismissed the idea. The conversation, however, motivated me to do a little research.

Wikipedia publishes the 2009 UK fuel economy ratings and the 2009 U.S. EPA fuel economy ratings. The mpg for cars sold in the U.S., both foreign and domestic, ranges from a low of 12 to a high of 41 for highway driving. Most cars fell in the range of the mid-teens to the mid-twenties. (It’s interesting to note that the original Ford Model T got 13-21 mpg, according to Wikipedia.) I did not calculate the average mpg because of the number of cars presented in the list.

The 2009 UK fuel economy ratings divided the cars in two groups: 1) 100 cars with the highest fuel economy ratings, and 2) 99 cars with the lowest fuel economy ratings. All of the cars with the best economy run on diesel fuel. These cars range from a low of 66 mpg to a high of 88 mpg for highway driving. The mpg is based on an Imperial gallon, which is about 20% larger than the U.S. gallon. The cars with the worst economy was from about 19 to 29 mpg (also based on an Imperial gallon).

As you can see, the fuel economy of a car with a diesel engine is vastly different than one with a gasoline engine. It is believed that cars with diesel engines are more established in Europe, so this may be one reason for the belief that European cars get better mpg.

The other big difference between Europe and the U.S. is the fleet on the street. According to a March 2007 article titled U.S. vs. Europe in Cars, Gasoline and Energy published by AOL Journals, the U.S. fleet gets about 25 miles per gallon; China about 35 mpg and Europe about 37 mpg. This year, according to the article, automakers are implementing voluntary standards to improve European fuel economy to 44.2 mpg and China to 36.7 mpg. The U.S. will remain at 24.8 mpg.

The first time I phoned Autodesk (1983), Mike Ford, then vice president of marketing and sales, answered the phone. That’s how small the company was at the time. Autodesk’s most recent annual revenues were $2.17 billion, making it the largest CAD company in the world. Who would have ever guessed that it would go so far?

Through the 1980s and much of the 1990s, Autodesk was viewed as a “second-class citizen” among its high-end competitors and many of their customers. Their comments would imply that if you wanted to do serious drafting and design work, you’d need expensive software from CADAM, Calma, Computervision, Dassault, or Intergraph running on high-end, proprietary, and expensive hardware. Even in the mid to late 1990s, when personal computers and software products, such as AutoCAD, were becoming quite powerful, they were not seen as real solutions to many.

I recall meeting with an established company in Japan in 1997. The company CEO was seeking advice on the future of design and manufacturing. I was surprised when he would not accept the belief that PCs could power his CAD software in the foreseeable future. He tried to convince me that his company could not do intricate design work using anything less than software running on UNIX workstations. At the time, his company was running hundreds of seats.

It’s been interesting to watch the migration from mainframe computers, to the VAX and MicroVAX, then Apollo, Sun, and HP workstations, and now to PCs. Autodesk strengthened and gained respect each step of the way, especially in the last couple years. It goes to show you that one should never underestimate a small company surrounded by industry giants and expensive products. When complacency sets in, almost anything can happen.

My wife, daughter, and I visited Costa Rica last week and part of this week. We spent our time in the western half of the country near Playa Hermosa and Lake Arenal. Our previous visit to the country was 11 years ago, so the trip served as a reminder of how much Costa Rica has to offer. The following are facts about the country and its people.

• It takes about 4.5 hours to travel from San Jose to the northwest coast, which is about 300 km (186 miles). A similar distance takes about 2.5 hours on an Interstate highway in the U.S. and 1.5–2 hours on the autobahn in Germany. A main (two-lane) highway stretches across the length of the country from the southeast to the northwest.
• The Eco Lodge Hotel, located near Lake Arenal, was created as a pilot in Latin America using economical development from the World Bank. It was formed to preserve the environment and offer a rich ecotourism program. Eco Lodge kept 218 hectares of primary rain forest as a private reserve and is a pioneer in conservation and eco-friendly adventure sports. We spent three nights at the lodge.
• A community of about 600 Maleku Indians in Costa Rica is working to preserve its tradition, culture, and language. The Eco Lodge has formed a partnership with the Maleku people to help with its efforts.
• Canopy tours by zip line (cables, pulleys, and harnesses) originated in Costa Rica. The Eco Lodge was among the first to offer it. Zip lining has become popular in many regions of the world, including North America and Africa.
• A pure form of Spanish is the primary language throughout much of the country. Relatively few people from Costa Rica can speak English fluently.
• Costa Ricans are friendly and helpful and the country is a safe place, but petty theft (i.e., pick pocketing and car theft) is a problem in many areas.
• More pineapple is exported from Costa Rica than from anywhere else in the world.
• Arenal Volcano is one of the world’s most active. It erupts once every nine minutes, on average, and can be seen and heard from 30 miles away. It is the rainy season in Costa Rica (an understatement), so clouds and fog were frequent, but it cleared for a couple hours while we were near the mountain and we saw impressive activity from the volcano’s spout.
• According to Wikipedia, Costa Rica ranks 5th in the world in the 2008 Environmental Performance Index, up from 15th place in 2006. In 2007 the government of Costa Rica stated that it hopes to be the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021.

Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Mike Mullane chronicles much of his life leading up to his three shuttle missions into space. An engineer friend, Boris Fritz of Northrop Grumman, highly recommended the book. He said, “I picked it up and couldn’t put it down.” Boris and I heard Mullane speak at the Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ RAPID conference in Chicago, Illinois in May 2003. Mullane has appeared on major television shows and is an outstanding motivational speaker, but he is an even better writer.

Nearly every paragraph gripped my attention with fascinating insight and vivid detail. Mullane recounted countless stories from decades ago as if they happened yesterday. He must have kept a log or journal over the years, thinking that he may someday write about his days as an astronaut. Late in the book, he mentioned that he looked forward to writing assignments in school, suggesting that he had aspirations of writing. Most people would not be able to recall enough detail to fill 360 pages. Mullane did it and made it incredibly interesting.

Mullane didn’t hold back much in the book and he had me laughing out loud several times. His story about getting sized for a urine collection device was hilarious. He talked a lot about an astronaut’s life that included enormous highs and lows, saying good bye to his wife, the misery of waiting for a launch, and seemingly endless delays, as well as parties, pranks, and encounters with celebrities. He was brutally candid and not afraid to tell it like was, even if his words offended others. Mullane’s comments emphasized how much astronauts live on the edge and often flirted with death. His remarks on the female astronauts were intriguing. Through much of the book, he criticized NASA management for sharing so little information, deliberately keeping him and other astronauts in the dark for years.

If you’re looking for some very good, entertaining summer reading, get this book. I promise, you won’t want to put it down. And, you don’t need to be an engineer, scientist, or “techie” to enjoy it. I give Riding Rockets five stars.

The U.S. has dropped to tenth place worldwide in high school completion, according to the September 2007 issue of Manufacturing Engineering. In 2004, the average annual income for a high school drop out was about $16,500, compared to more than $26,000 for a graduate.

What can be done to reduce the problem? One idea is to offer more opportunities for hands-on activities that engage students. Some kids do not take well to textbooks and lectures. A number of these same students excel with the right conditions. In the May 22 issue of Machine Design, editor Leland Teschler explained that a kid with a 1.9 GPA became a 4.0 student when he began to apply concepts in hands-on courses.

Teschler went on to discuss Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a program that introduces middle and high school students to applied engineering concepts. One PLTW instructor explained that kids have fun because they don’t know they are learning physics, Teschler said. The hands-on, project and problem-based approach adds rigor to technical programs and relevance to traditional academics, the PLTW website states. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation has partnered with PLTW.

PLTW educators are typically former industrial arts/education instructors and many of them now teach CAD. Some of them are beginning to bring additive fabrication (AF) and 3D printing into their courses, which is a perfect fit. The kids develop skills in conceptual design, modeling, and experimentation and then “print” their work in 3D, giving them a chance to touch, evaluate, and test their designs.

I hope that schools throughout the U.S. adopt AF. It will allow kids that are academically challenged a chance to shine in an area that has a bright future. If it does not lead to an engineering degree, that’s okay. Rewarding careers in AF do not require a four-year engineering degree. Examples are operating AF equipment or finishing parts, selling or servicing AF machines, CAD software, or laser scanning systems, or serving as a sales agent for a service provider. What’s more, these are financially and professionally gratifying positions that are important to the future of the U.S.