Learning From the Not-So-Secret Lives of Scientists

"One of the most beautiful things about science is that it unifies all of us."
—Janna Levin, theoretical cosmologist and novelist

Have you ever drawn inspiration from someone else's story? Chances are that learning about what someone went through made you appreciate the person they are today. And, like all effective storytelling, it probably made you reflect on changes you could make in your own life, or steps you could take to fulfill your own goals.

People instinctively learn through and organize their thoughts in stories. A well-crafted narrative engages, enlightens and resonates over time. It also connects us. It builds community. That's why storytelling has made a resurgence in the business and marketing world—stories stick and they move people to action.

So let's apply the art of storytelling more in the realm of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We need more young people to aspire to careers in STEM, so let's share stories of our successes, let's show them—by telling our own journeys—what success looks like as an engineer, as an inventor, as a cosmologist solving the mysteries of this weird and wonderful universe.

Some words of advice from Tiina Roose, professor of biological and environmental modeling at the University of Southampton in the UK, in The Guardian:

Universities should work with local communities, schools and teachers to talk about what engineering is. It’s important to start working with schools as early as possible – leaving it to secondary school level is actually too late. At the moment in primary schools, engineering only comes in during history lessons. If you explain to children, for example, that all this equipment in hospitals, where you have an x-ray or any procedure, would of had an engineer involved to develop the machine that has helped cure patients, it gives a broader impression early on to children of the wide possibility of this career.
When you view engineering as a narrow discipline, the chances are that it is not communicated in the most exciting way to students either. Some universities are offering narrow degrees – this inevitably means they are restricting their pool of applicants to a narrow remit.

That is so true.

If you're a scientist or engineer, volunteer your time sharing your personal story with students. If you're a teacher, reach out to a local company or university to find someone to speak to your class.

Thankfully, you don't have to wait even for that. We love PBS series, The Secret LIfe of Scientists and Engineers, a video series housed online, "where the lab coats comes off" and the experts talk about how they became the successful scientists they are today. Here's a link to the show's archive.

Bishop-Wisecarver has a video series of its own that we're particularly proud of. Our founder, Bud Wisecarver, is a prolific inventor (read more about that here, on our history page). To fully appreciate the breadth of his work, you have to listen to his story. And boy, is he a storyteller. We filmed him talking about his life's work and we're proud to share it with you. Below is the first in an eight-part series. For the rest, visit our YouTube page.
  

"There isn't one material thing on earth, that you could think of, that didn't start with a toolmaker."
—Bud Wisecarver, inventor, founder of Bishop-Wisecarver Group

Bishop-Wisecarver Builds an Automated Ice Bucket Machine to Support ALS

The engineers at Bishop-Wisecarver built an automated ice bucket machine for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Not only did we participate, but we donated money and matched our employee's contribution!

Bishop-Wisecarver President, Pamela Kan, describes her experience:

"A good friend of mine and one of our distributors challenged Bishop-Wisecarver Group to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to support the fight against this disease. I accepted the challenge and tasked our engineers to build an automated ice bucket machine using our components because after all we eat, breathe and live MOTION!

I stood nervously under this big bucket filled with ice cold water, regretting that my engineers built a slow pour functionality. You haven't lived until you feel a steady pour of ice cold water rolling down your back while your entire company burst into fits of laughter. After all was said and done, I'm extremely proud of the work everyone did to build this machine and that we supported an amazing cause.

We would like to challenge our customers, suppliers and distribution partners to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge."

Watch and Share this video on YouTube!

Want to share your ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Video? Post the link of your video on the comments below!

Application Feature: Motorized Two Axis Gantry Vacuum System

 

Bishop-Wisecarver Group Engineering Team (left to right): 

Azhar Khaderi, Garrett Diulio, Ben Domingo, Naasik Akkas

CHALLENGE 

A company in the Food & Beverage Industry needed to add a vacuum tray cleaner to an existing piece of equipment for their post-production cleaning process. This vacuum tray cleaner needed to integrate with the customer’s operations software and meet physical constraints.

APPLICATION 

In this application, a motorized linear actuator needed to move a vacuum cleaner up and down, left to right, to remove any residue left on the tray.

SOLUTION

Bishop-Wisecarver Group (BWG) subsidiary, WRW Engineering, designed and built a motorized, X-Z gantry system along with the electrical interface to be installed in the customer’s existing equipment.  When the interface sensed that the tray was moved into the “clean” position the Z axis actuator lowered the vacuum system down to tray level.  The vacuum was activated and the X axis actuator moved the vacuum across the surface of the tray to be cleaned.  Once the tray was cleaned, the vacuum was raised back to the ready position and the tray returned into the production sequence.

COMPLETE SYSTEMS

With the help of our WRWengineering team’s  expertise, they were able to design and build a custom motorized gantry system that consisted of  two axes. They used multiple Bishop-Wisecarver product lines, LoPro and DLS actuators as a solution.

SHARE

Got another application you'd like to share with us? We're all ears! Email your linear and/or curvinlinear motion application story to mteam@bwc.com and it might just get featured here on our blog!

Four Keys that Every High School and College Graduate Needs to Know for a Successful Job Interview

It’s that time of year where students are throwing their caps in the air as they celebrate their graduation.  Although there is so much joy found in graduations, it can be a scary time for graduates as they prepare to interview for their first job or internship. In today’s competitive job market, job seekers are expected to possess the knowledge, skills and relevant job experiences that will set them apart from other applicants.  It is also very important to have a great interview to land the job or internship.

Here are 4 tips every High School and College Graduate Needs to Know for a Successful Job Interview:

1) Research the Company

Before you go on a job interview, it’s important to find out as much as you can about that company. By doing this research, it will help you prepare to answer interview questions and to ask the interviewer questions.  Also, research the location of the company and where you will be having the interview. Map the route you will take to get to the interview ahead of time and keep in mind any traffic or construction that you may encounter that can affect your travel time.

2) Dress for Success

Make a lasting first impression. Don’t wait until the last minute to make sure your interview clothes are ready.  Dress accordingly in business attire; make sure it fits well, looks professional and is wrinkle free.

3) Practice Interviewing

Take the time to practice answering interview questions that may be asked during a job interview. Ask a friend or family member to perform a mock interview so you can framework your responses. By doing so, you avoid scrambling for an answer during the interview.

4) Say Thank you

Follow up your job interview with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the position. Consider this thank you letter as another form of letting your interviewer know your interest in the job and how you will make a significant contribution.

You are sure to have a successful interview if you follow these four tips. Good Luck!

Bishop-Wisecarver Group (BWG) is an advocate of partnering with and supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education, non-profits and their community, which in turn, helps them become a better company. Last month, BWG was involved in several local career preparation events in the San Francisco East Bay Area to help students prepare for job interviews:

Laney College Manufacturing Career Fair - Oakland, CA

Pittsburg Chamber Interview Project – Pittsburg, CA

Junior Achievement Job Shadow – Pittsburg, CA

Bishop-Wisecarver also offers internships in Engineering. Please fill out an application for more information about the  Bishop-Wisecarver internship program.   

Think Like An Engineer: Linear Guide Technologies

Is your brain in motion? Today is the first Monday of February, so let us help jump start your brain and get those wheels turning with one of our "Think Like an Engineer" game posts.

In this week's edition, we're featuring a linear guide technology matching game — great for educators to share in the classroom, FIRST robotics students, and anyone else looking to brush up on all things related to linear motion.

In today's game, we're asking you to match up the following terms with the appropriate images: cam follower, plain bearing, profile rail, and profile guide wheel.

[ DOWNLOAD ] the game and get started — good luck! You can check out other fun games like word search and crosswords for engineers on our website.

Desktop Inspiration: Feeding Inventive Minds in This Motion Monday Edition

Wherever inspiration comes from, it's often more easily sparked when we turn our surroundings into a place conducive to creativity. For some people that means hanging up their favorite painting, their child's sketch, a token with some attached memory or meaning or a cut-out quote taped to a computer monitor.

Engineers are in the business of creating, so it's not surprise that bits of inspiration are posted all about the Bishop-Wisecarver offices. A walk through the office halls and manufacturing aisles will take you through some work stations decorated with quotes, pictures and models of prototypes ... the stuff of makers, thinkers, inventors. Here's a couple of items we found during a quick tour of the Bishop-Wisecarver headquarters ... What inspires you?

Quotes hung up on the marketing department's door. Credit: @bishopwisecarver Instagram.

Picasso, who says "Everything you can imagine is real." Credit: @bishopwisecarver Instagram.

This, from our Twitter friend @MetalFormer, sits on his desk. Credit: Steve Bottcher.

Q&A with Regional Sales Manager Dennis Meehan

Get to know Regional Sales Manager Dennis Meehan

Dennis is the latest addition to the Bishop-Wisecarver sales team, joining the company this summer with more than a decade of experience in the field of linear and rotary guided motion technologies. The Illinois resident will represent the Midwest, from the Canadian border to the north to Kansas and Montana to the south. If you're in his territory and need an expert on linear slides, guides and rotary motion systems, Dennis is your expert! Have some questions of your own? Leave him a comment, or just drop him a congratulatory note — he can be reached at dennism@bwc.com.

[ Click here to find him on LinkedIn ] then check out our company page.

Question: Tell us a about your background, your education and what you like most about being on the Bishop-Wisecarver team? 

Answer: I was raised in a small farming community in central Illinois and moved to the Chicago area upon entering high school. I attended North Central College in Naperville, IL, on an athletic grant. I have been involved in the world of linear motion for more than a decade. I started at Bishop-Wisecarver on July 16, 2012, and I think the main thing that drew me to the company was the family atmosphere, the idea that opinions and input are valued and encouraged, and that every employee here has amazing qualifications and backgrounds.

Question: What do you like about sales?

Answer: The opportunity to meet a wide variety of people from all walks of life and the chance to help them with the challenges they face in their particular environments. There is also an aspect of the “thrill of the hunt” that appeals to my competitive nature.

Question: What do you enjoy most about working with engineers?

Answer: Learning. I enjoy working with engineers  because, by and large, I think engineers are people with vision. To have the ability to take an idea or a concept that someone has and actually create something three-dimensional and operational is a gift which I envy. I put engineers in the same class as artists — people who make the world a bit more comfortable to live in. I also learn something every time I speak with an engineer, which I enjoy as well.

Question: What challenges arise from selling a product based on features and benefits?

Answer: For me, the challenge always lies in how you can separate yourself from the rest of the field using the features and benefits of the product you are selling.

Question: What makes for a good selling relationship with a customer?

Answer: Many things … relating to the person you are talking to, no matter what position they hold, ability to not only hear but truly listen, identifying needs and determining whether you are able to meet them or not, and above all honesty and integrity in all of your interactions. Trust is the key to any good relationship.

Question: If sales were a team sport, what would it be and why?

Answer: I think I would have to go with football. Many different components, each with their own skill set, but to be successful each must work cohesively, and again, trust each other to do what they do best for the common goal … whether it’s touchdowns or purchase orders!

Question: Speaking of sports, what’s your favorite team or teams?

Answer: Easiest question on the list — Chicago Bears.

Question: What do you like to do outside work?

Answer: Anything with my wife and two kids … I coach many youth sports teams and am involved in community and school affairs … anything with sand that is surrounded by sea or ocean is a good thing.

Question: What’s your favorite coffee beverage? Cream, no cream, sugar, no sugar?

Answer: I don’t drink coffee.

Question: Favorite quote?

Answer: "Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them." — W. Clement Stone

Connect with the Bishop-Wisecarver Team on LinkedIn

Communication is important to us, and that's pretty evident if you check our social media chatter! We constantly work at making ourselves available to our customers, peers and the community at large through various channels including LinkedIn. Since the sleeping social media giant recently made some changes to its interface that's made it easier to use, we were inspired to talk about it. If you have a chance, check out our company page and company group — it's a good way to keep in touch with our team!

Link up and reach out to us whenever you need help.

Q&A with Vice President of Sales Mike McVeigh

Get to Know Vice President of Sales Mike McVeigh

Mike McVeigh joined Bishop-Wisecarver in 2006, just before the economy tanked and businesses all over the world had to rethink their business strategies. McVeigh's leadership and vision helped our company grow during the recession, and this forward-thinking attitude and strong work ethic earned him a promotion to Vice President of Sales in 2010. He currently manages both domestic and global sales for our linear and curvilinear motion technologies. We sat down with him recently to get the low-down on what makes him tick, what he likes about his job and what he's up to in his downtime when he's not focused on linear slides and ring guides. Got a few more questions for him? Email them to mikem@bwc.com.

Question: Tell us a about your background, your education, how long you’ve been with Bishop-Wisecarver and what you like most about being on the BWC team?
Answer: After graduating from the University of New York at Buffalo, I started my career as a bearing salesman calling on OEMs (original equipment manufacturer) and distributors. As my career progressed in the bearing industry, I became a Key Account Manager and eventually a District Sales Manager. Eventually, I found the world of linear motion and was a national sales manager and director of sales. Having joined BWC more than five years ago, my current position is VP of sales. The BWC team is intelligent, aggressive and extremely customer focused. We challenge each other which makes for a fantastic group dynamic.

Question: What do you like about sales?
Answer: I get to see all kinds of application types and meet some really brilliant people in design and manufacturing all over the United States.

Question: What do you enjoy most about working with engineers?
Answer: Engineers are truly creative people who can get you thinking outside the box.

Question: What challenges arise from selling a product based on features and benefits?
Answer: Developing a delivery style and method where the audience can see value in the features and benefits, and is not perceived as just another sales pitch. You've got to have passion for what it is you sell.

Question: What makes for a good selling relationship with a customer?
Answer: Honesty and timeliness. Do what you say you are going to do in the timeframe you said you were going to do it.

Question: If sales were a team sport, what would it be and why?
Answer: Football. It takes a number of team members to be successful. The team has a difficult time making an impact if all the players aren’t all working toward the same goal.

Question: Speaking of sports, what’s your favorite team or teams?
Answer: Living in Minnesota, where hockey is king, I root for the NHL’s Minnesota Wild but ...

Question: What do you like to do outside work?
Answer: I like to travel. I also like to read history books and biographies.

Question: What’s your favorite coffee beverage? Cream, no cream, sugar, no sugar?
Answer: Black coffee.

Question:  Favorite quote?
Answer: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”  ― John Lennon

Learn More About FIRST Robotics in Today's Word Search!

Let your mind leap into the new week before Leap Day arrives — can you believe the second month of the year is almost over already? Well, every Monday we post a little puzzle to get your gears a'turning, and we based this week's search on a recent press release about how we're Diamond Suppliers of a few local high school FIRST Robotics teams. Read up on the article [ here ] before diving into our word search. Have fun!

[ Click here to download the word search and get started! ]

Need an answer key? Let us know by emailing us at jenniferw@bwc.com. To play previous weeks' games, check out our archive of 'em on this blog. Good luck! And happy #MotionMonday!

Happy Valentine's Day From Bishop-Wisecarver!

Ah, love is in the air, so we'd like to take this time to remind you — our customers, our readers, our employees and anyone else out there — how much you're appreciated. We made this fun little graphic for you to print out and share with your coworkers, friends and loved ones. With that, we wish you a lovely and loving Valentine's Day!

[ download ] the greeting cards

FIRST Robotics Boosts Academic Confidence

THE GAME PLAN Keep it simple. That's the strategy this year for Middle College High School's robotics club going into the FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) this year. It's a lesson the group  learned a couple years ago when they built a robot too complicated for the tasks at hand.

"We learned the hard way and more isn't always better," said 17-year-old senior Megan Spears, who's got a few years in the robotics program under her belt. "This time it's all about narrowing down the functions, figuring out what it needs to do and just making it do that."

So what does the robot need to do in this year's "Rebound Rumble" contest? Balance, for one thing, and shoot basketballs through hoops.

"It seems like a little, but there's a lot of strategy that goes into it," Spears told us during a visit to the San Pablo campus last week. "There are so many other teams — it's really, really competitive."

This means every detail is all that more critical. Interesting to us because that epiphany stemmed from a throwback video game, and the suggestion to stop playing and get to work by their math teacher and robotics adviser, Eric Reed.

"I was playing Tetris before class one day, just killing time, when he told me to put the game down," Spears said. "Well later that night, he had the idea to make our robot L-shaped, like a Tetris block, because it may help it balance during one part of the challenge."

Spears said she credits Tetris for putting the idea in Reed's head.

"I told him later he should thank me," Spears joked.

MORE THAN JUST A CONTEST The national robotics contest isn't just about the challenge on game day — at regionals or nationals. It's more about the journey, said Spears. She reluctantly joined her school's FIRST team a few years ago, bribed by the promise of extra credit. Over time, she was rewarded with skills she never expected to acquire — engineering know-how, design, mechanical problem solving.

"And a strong sense of how to work as a team," she added. "I've learned how to brainstorm ideas and solutions in new ways, and to think creatively or just to not be afraid to come up with out-of-the-box ideas."

Bishop-Wisecarver has had the privilege of watching that intellectual growth throughout the years since we first sponsored her team a few years ago. Just last year, one of our engineers, Brian Burke, stopped by her class to check out the progress on their build.

[ Read Burke's takeaway from that visit here ] Burke said he was nothing short of impressed by the team's work. The robot's sophistication surpassed his expectations, he noted, and demonstrated the ingenuity of the students. Last year, he wrote:

Truly professional engineering level software is provided and utilized for the FIRST robots. One student was working on full 3D models of the robot build using AutoCAD Inventor. Another student was working on the control and feedback system in LabVIEW. The introduction of these tools and their real world applications is invaluable for students to experience.

The same holds true for this year's group, which is comprised of several of the same students, who spend many weekday evenings and Saturday mornings poring over their sizable robotic creation or computer screens, designing, tinkering, figuring things out.

A STAND-OUT GROUP We write a lot about the FIRST teams we sponsor, especially since we've stepped up as "Diamond Suppliers" for FIRST in addition to our independent team sponsorships. Every robotics club we support has its own dynamic, its own personality or mix of personalities.

Middle College High stands out to us because of their around-the-clock dedication to the project, it's the type of commitment that means adults don't have to remind them to get their work done.

Spears feels like they're doing it on their own, mainly because they're curious, creative and competitive. "These students do a lot," Reed agreed. "This isn't your ordinary high school."

Middle College High has a special curriculum, designed for students with lots of potential but have poor grades. Counselors, teachers and parents identify those students, help them apply and get them enrolled in college courses alongside their regular schoolwork. By the time Middle College kids reach senior year, many of them already have their Associate's degree — Spears included.

Extracurricular clubs like robotics are part of what makes the school an intensive precursor to college. The hands-on experience is priceless.

"I'm sure it's prepared me in ways I can't even imagine yet," said Spears, who plans to major in astronomy or chemical engineering. "I'm really confident. I feel ready ... I definitely have a head start."

Are You a Welder? 7 Reasons to Team with Bishop-Wisecarver

1. We invented guide wheel technology. Nobody knows it like we do.
• Since the creation of our DualVee® guide wheel technology more than 40 years ago, Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation has pioneered v groove guide wheel based linear actuators and linear motion systems. Whether it is for linear, rotary, or curved track applications, our tough yet cost effective linear actuators and other guided linear motion systems provide performance advantages unmatched by other antifriction guide technologies.

2. Self-cleaning action of vee design is ideal for dirty and high temperature environments.
• Whether it is grease, metal chips or weld spatter, the self cleaning action rolls through and sweeps debris from the track. Designed to excel in dirty and high temperature environments, the wheel’s inner vee diameter travels at a slower rate than the outer vee diameter, resulting in a velocity gradient that rolls through and sweeps aside any debris that has settled on the track.

3. Low friction equals smoother oscillation.
• The guide wheels feature a constant radius ball bearing path, which minimizes vibration and results in smoother oscillation while dragging and pushing the weld puddle. The high surface finish and induction heat treating of the stainless and carbon steel components ensure a long lasting system.

4. Fast delivery – components from stock, complete actuated linear guide systems < 2 weeks.
• It’s just that simple. We are committed to serving your motion needs in a timely manner.

5. Our design support, 3D CAD, and FEA tools save you time and money.
• Our world-class engineering team is made up of resourceful, knowledgeable individuals with cutting edge tools that will best assist them in creating innovative, long-lasting solutions for even your most difficult linear motion challenges.

6. We’re an extension of your team from concept to completion.
• For more than 60 years, we have been problem solving our customers' most demanding application challenges. Starting as a custom machine fabricator and growing into the leading manufacturer that Bishop-Wisecarver is today, we possess the engineering and manufacturing experience to help tackle even the most difficult challenges from start to finish -- we walk every step of the way with you to design a product that meets the exact needs of a specific application.

7. Freedom to realize your engineering potential and design outside-the-box.
• Guided linear and rotary motion systems and linear actuators from Bishop-Wisecarver are limited only by your imagination. With the assistance of our creative, experienced application engineers, the possibilities are endless.

DualVee® & HepcoMotion® GV3 Watch a short welding customer story!

Click to Vote!

The 2010 "Leadership in Engineering" from Design World is taking votes! Click the banner to vote for Bishop-Wisecarver, or visit the Leadership page on Design World. Winners will be announced in the December issue this year.

"Leadership in Engineering: 60 Years of Innovation > Bud Wisecarver and the Bishop-Wisecarver engineering team support companies around the world by leveraging state of the art technologies to improve performance and design optimization by incorporating their engineering expertise and patented technologies." Read full article here >

We also have our full video library on Design Word.