Manufacturing Still Makes America Strong

Photo credit: NAM

In 1895, as Americans struggled to stay afloat in the thick of the nation's worst recession to date, a group of business leaders met in Cincinnati, Ohio, to form the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). They met to decide a course of action, to take charge of troubling economic circumstances by lobbying the powers that be on behalf of the manufacturing industry, as NAM Chair Doug Oberhelman explains in this video summary of the association's mission and history.

"Working together, they knew they could make a difference and chart a course for the future of manufacturing in America," NAM's current President and CEO Jim Simmons reiterated in front of an audience in March. Reminding them that the trade association has stood by manufacturers during times both good and bad, he named some examples:

When the first Model Ts rolled off the assembly line,
... when our industry helped the United States win both world wars,
…when farmers left their fields to enter the factory gates,
…when newly built tract homes helped families live the American dream,
…when technology and robotics transformed our businesses,
…and when global competition challenged America’s manufacturing dominance…

...during all of this, NAM has been the voice for manufacturers.

Today, NAM claims 12,000 members who represent another 12 million makers in the U.S., Bishop-Wisecarver among them. Our CEO Pamela Kan serves on NAM's Board of Directors. The goal that drew those manufacturing leaders together 118 years ago remains upheld today, only more urgently as manufacturing becomes an increasingly instrumental driver of our economic engine.

NAM's aim now, in addition to rallying for public policies that support manufacturing, is to educate the public about its importance and ever-evolving role in today's society. Kan wrote a few months ago about a faulty perception of manufacturing as dirty, dumb, boring and cheap in a much talked-about article titled "When Did Manufacturing Become a Dirty Word?"

Modern manufacturing is technologically sophisticated and a key driver of global R&D innovation, Kan notes. Bishop-Wisecarver Group has grown with the times, from engineering linear bearings and other motion control technologies to venturing into the world of mechatronics.

Plus, for anyone debating what career to pursue, realize this: it pays very well (click here for a look at the median salary for a mechanical engineer, for example).

"If you go back a century, it's almost impossible to see how we got from there to here," Oberhelman remarks in the video. "Computers didn't exist, there was no air travel, and gas-powered automobiles were still on the drawing board. What a fascinating story and even more astounding is the role manufacturing and the National Association of Manufacturers have played in revolutionizing our country."

Watch the video here:

Q&A for Naasik Akkas, Test and Automation Engineer

Naasik first started at Bishop-Wisecarver
as an intern last year.

Naasik Akkas joined the Bishop-Wisecarver team late last year, bringing with him a mechanical engineering degree from UC Berkeley and with an internship at Bishop-Wisecarver already under his belt. Invigorated by the knowledge and experience that he was able to gain here during the summer of 2012, Naasik focuses his work on mechatronics as a Test and Automation Engineer. Not only was the team excited to have him the first time, but even more enthused that he came aboard after completing his education. Have a question for Naasik? Leave a comment in the comments section below!

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer, and did you always know that this was something that you wanted to do, or was it a decision that emerged later?

NA: My dad is a mechanical engineer and I saw what he got to do, so since I was very young I always thought I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. Once I was in high school I got really interested in physics and learned more about mechanical engineering, and that helped me decide that it was something I really wanted to do.

Question: Where did you receive your education in engineering and in what area did you specialize?

NA: I received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley with an emphasis in controls and robotics. I ended up working on two sizeable projects: the first project was a robot that used computer vision to detect people and follow them around, and the second project was an amphibious vehicle that is able to travel on both land and water.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team?

Answer: I interned at Bishop-Wisecarver during the summer of 2012 doing job functions very similar to those that I am performing now. Before that, I had an internship in Bangladesh doing work with industrial automation.

Question: What advice would you give to a young person who is interested in a career in engineering? Let’s say a middle school student or a high school student.

Answer: Always try to improve your math and physics knowledge. Those are incredibly important subjects for a mechanical engineer to master. Also, for high school students I would say definitely go above and beyond the normal coursework. Most importantly, try to make real world connections with everything you learn.

Question: What's the most rewarding aspect of being an engineer?

NA: When something you build actually works.

Question: Technology plays a big role in the type of engineering that you do. Is it a lot of effort to stay abreast of recent technologies used in your area of expertise?

NA: It can be, but if you are always interested in the subject then it's easy to stay on top of it. I learn a lot from Ali Jabbari (Vice President of Engineering) and George Anwar (Consultant). So talking to the right people and being around the right people in the field helps. Also, articles on the internet and blogs that discuss technology are very useful.

Question: Which aspects of your role at Bishop-Wisecarver do you appreciate the most? In what areas do you find yourself working the hardest?

Answer: I appreciate the amount of creativity we are able to exercise with selecting components and also in other aspects of decision-making. I appreciate the ability to be able to make these types of decisions, and the level of responsibility that we are given is great because I get to learn more by being tasked with solving these problems.

Question: What’s your favorite quote, or personal motto?

Answer: “Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” — Louis L'Amour

Question: Do any of your hobbies outside of work relate to your job, any technical trades, or anything having to do with engineering?

Answer: I play with microcontrollers like the Arduino and the Lego NXT Robotics platform to build small devices and work on personal projects for fun. I like making home automation machines.

Question: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Answer: I want to see myself running my own industrial automation and robotics company.

Q&A With Mechatronics Engineer Garrett Diulio

Garrett Diulio working on a large
custom actuated linear guide (belt driven).

Garrett Diulio joined the Bishop-Wisecarver Group earlier this year, and with him comes great enthusiasm for all things mechatronic related. As our Mechatronics Engineer, Garrett is focused on projects that require both mechanical and electronic expertise. Have a question for Garret? Leave a comment in the section below!

Question: Why did you want to be an engineer, and did you always know that this was something that you wanted to do, or was it a decision that emerged later?

GD: For me, it was a decision that came later in life, during my first semester of community college. I liked math and science, and fixing things. I’ve always had fun building things and taking things apart and putting them back together.

I started out as an electrical engineer, and I realized shortly thereafter that my true passion was in mechanical engineering. It is so broad, probably the broadest field of engineering. You are exposed to everything. There is no job a mechanical engineer couldn’t do.

Question: What are your earliest memories of putting things together?

GD: I remember trying to take apart a cell phone as a little kid.

Question: Where did you receive your education in engineering, and in what area did you specialize?

GD: I received a degree from UC Berkeley and my major was mechanical engineering. I had to do a senior project that was very similar to what I’m doing here at BWG; my senior project was on mechatronics. Mechatronics is just a fancy word for a combination of electrical, software, mechanical, and controls engineering.

Question: What kind of job experience did you have before joining the Bishop-Wisecarver team?

GD: I had a few internships. I had one internship where I did a lot of mechanical design, which I do a lot of here as well, although the industry was different (the medical field). It was a company that made heart pumps and I had to design the connectors in CAD.

I had another internship as an analyst reviewing bone strength data, and I would use finite element analysis in order to find the varied strengths from patients; usually older patients. The software was used to predict when patients could potentially fracture their hip or pelvis… they recently got FDA-approved.

I did have a third internship that are similar to my duties at Bishop-Wisecarver. My responsibility for that job was to figure out how to make the robot navigate autonomously through a maze. I focused on software and the electrical portions of the project. This was preliminary research for a firefighting robot.

Question: What advice would you give to a young person who is interested in an engineering focused career? Let’s say a middle school student or a high school student.

GD: Make sure you are very passionate about the aspect of engineering you select — it really makes a difference in engineering. You can really tell a difference between people who come to work just to earn a paycheck and those who truly love what they do at the office. In engineering, it’s the little details that matter the most.

Question: What's the most rewarding aspect of being an engineer?

GD: Finishing a project — the point at which all elements are functional and operating the way they’re supposed to... that's a really satisfying feeling.

Question: Technology plays a big role in the type of engineering that you do. Does it require much effort to stay abreast of recent technologies used in your area of expertise?

GD: Going back to how passionate you are — if it’s what you love, it’s pretty easy to stay on top of it all. You’ll be willing and have the desire to keep learning, and it will come naturally to you; second nature almost. I think the key is always trying new things.

Question: Which aspects of your role at Bishop-Wisecarver do you appreciate the most?

GD: The thing that I must focus on the most is planning and scheduling; ordering due dates and logistics. It is always critical to make sure that everything comes together in the allotted time frame. Without planning and preparation, you are doomed.

Question: What’s your favorite quote, or personal motto?

GD: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs

Question: Do any of your hobbies outside of work relate to your job — any technical trades or anything having to do with engineering?

GD: I still work on my senior project sometimes. It’s kind of a hobby. I still work on it because I want to showcase it someday. You think you’re close to perfection, but really, there’s always more to refine.

Question: Where do you see yourself in five years?

GD: Within five years, I hope to have created and launched my own product line based on the concept of autonomous machinery.

Veterans Close the Manufacturing Skills Gap #MotionMonday

FIGHTING FOR JOBS — The national conversation about manufacturing always circles back to the skills gap, the disparity between job opportunities in the industry and the number of qualified workers to staff these openings. We hear a lot in the news about efforts being made to interest our future workforce in science, technology, engineering and math careers, so the gap doesn't grow any wider. But what about right now? What can we do in the present to staff our manufacturing workforce? Is there an untapped market of potential employees we're overlooking?

Yes: U.S. military veterans. And a handful of major corporations have made a concerted effort to recruit them into high-paying jobs, accomplishing the twofold aim of beefing up the manufacturing workforce and providing ex-military men and women with great job opportunities. On the tail-end of this Veterans Day weekend, we think it's a fitting time to spotlight that effort.

FROM WAR TO WORK — The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) nonprofit educational branch, the Manufacturing Institute, is spearheading the effort to match up manufacturers with a skilled veteran workforce, according to USA Today. The four companies to so far join in that effort include utility giant General Electric, aluminum makers Alcoa and defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Boeing, which together plan to hire 15,000 veterans. The goal is to bump that number up to 100,000 if they enlist more support from other companies, the article says.

"The timing is perfect to ... marry those two things together," GE's program manager of veteran initiatives Kris Urbauer tells USA Today. "The opportunity to grow manufacturing in the U.S., with this great talent pool kind of leading the charge, is, I think, the perfect confluence."

The four companies that dove in first with this initiative will match military skills with civilian manufacturing work, train veterans and share ideas about how to best recruit and keep ex-military employees, NAM says.

About 600,000 manufacturing positions in the country remain understaffed  according to NAM. And the typical manufacturing worker's age has shifted up to 50, Mike Haynie, head of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracus, tells USA Today.

Watch, Read, Listen, Do: 3D Printing, American Workers and Making Manufacturing Cool to Generation Z

All kinds of interesting manufacturing-related news was scattered around the web this week, so we took the time to collect some of the most interesting multimedia stories that captured our interest. From podcasts to video lectures to free white papers for download, there's a host of resources to keep you busy. As a manufacturer of linear slides and rotary guides used in many industries, we try to keep an ear tuned in to all things related to science, manufacturing, engineering and technology.

[ WATCH ] "Four quiet revolutions are going to change our relationship to things and the structures that surround us," begins Chris Yonge, a thought leader in 3D modeling, in this lecture. One of those revolutions, he says, is how we make things. The accessibility of design an manufacturing tools, especially since the advent of 3D printing and additive manufacturing, will create an open economy and a more democratic society, he says. It's a fascinating 20-minute lecture in which he also speaks to his own experience, starting out as an architect, then a furniture maker, then industrial designer. He used to walk into a machine shop to order parts for his furniture making, he says, thinking that he could never make the hinges, brackets or bolts he bought. But then the simplicity of it dawned on him: "For all these expensive machines are based upon two principles, rotary and linear motion. They go around or they go back and forth." That epiphany sparked in Yonge a desire to study the art of "making things" and eventually turned him on to the world of 3D modeling and additive manufacturing.

[ READ ] The National Institute of Standards and Technologies, or NIST, collects research and white papers all about lean manufacturing. It's an invaluable database and all the info is free to download, including papers about sustainability metrics for lean manufacturing or how to improve production processes at your plant.

[ LISTEN ] This podcast is months old, but its message and topic about the past, present and future of American manufacturing still holds a lot of weight. In it, the reporters take a trip to Greenville, South Carolina, to check out the manufacturing scene and search for a clearer idea of the state of the American worker.

[ DO ] How can we make manufacturing seem cool to Generation Z? As the field of robotics revolutionizes the way we live, 3D printing captivates imaginations and researchers breach the world of regenerative medicine, it's time to start sharing these advancements with the next generation to spark their fascination with all these exciting things going on. This virtual panel on manufacturing seeks to explore some ideas about how to capture the attention of today's youth to get them as excited about manufacturing as we are. It's an online event you can take part in at 3:45 p.m. EST on Nov. 12.

#MotionMonday: Scenes From Motek International Trade Fair for Assembly, Handling Technology and Automation

MOTEK 2012 Exhibitors in the assembly, handling technology and automation industries met for the 31st annual Motek International Trade Fair in Stuttgardt, Germany, this week to witness the latest advances in those fields. Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation President Pamela Kan and her executive team were among the 30,000 people attending the event, which pulls in attendees from more than 100 countries.

To learn more about recent advances in industrial components, sub-assemblies and other automation solutions for manufacturing, testing, assembly, intralogistics and packaging.

Mechatronics and research and development are some of the main themes at Motek this year, according to organizers. The theme encourages visitors to "look beyond the obvious," they say, and to think of ways to pack in "more expertise in less time."

SNAPSHOTS We compiled a handful of Instagram snapshots Pamela took from the show, which runs through Thursday. We look forward to seeing more photos from her trip! Follow her on Instagram to see live updates from Pamela at @pamelakan.

[ Click here to see some of our products used in assembly, handling, and automation applications ]

Motion Monday: Linear Slide and Rotary Guides on Instagram

When you see the same things day in and day out, it's easy to sort of tune out your surroundings. We feel it's important to sometimes stop and take in the sights, the details of your little spot in the universe, the things you normally just walk right by. Maybe take a new route to work or use the back door to view sights and greet people you may not have seen in a while.

That's part of the reason we're excited to be on Instagram — a mobile app that allows us to share snapshots of our linear motion manufacturing floor with neat retro filters. It gives us a fresh look at some of the things we see every day around the manufacturing floor here. Things like an old workbench, a dusty DualVee linear guide wheel (because they're so good in dirty environments, of course) or a close-up of bundled up chains.

Are you on Instagram? Find us under the username "bishopwisecarver" — And look for our posts under the following hashtags: #MotionMonday #MFG #engineering #manufacturing and #machineshop, to name just a few. Every once in a while, we'll repost a snapshot of YOURS on our blog if it's labeled with one of the above tags, so get your camera's ready! We'd love to get a glimpse of your workplace, whether it's an office or a machine shop. Here's to seeing the world through a new lens!

This week's shots (from top left to right then bottom left to right) show a vintage workbench, some debris-laden DualVee double row angular contact ball bearings, a couple chains stashed away, and a heap of steel rollers and spare track bits.

[ ANIMATION ] Moment Load Carriages for Linear and Rotary Guides

The latest version of the HepcoMotion® PRT2 product line — a collection of ring slides and segments, bearings and ancillary components — supplied design engineers with a multitude of rotary motion options to choose from. And just recently, another addition has been made for applications with high downward or offset loading conditions. Check out the video demonstration below.

High moment load carriages are now available, providing extra support and rigidity. They come in two configurations (both designed to connect to the track system support beam):

• The static carriage is designed to take on additional load while in a stationary position. The carriage is supported when it makes contact with a pair of eccentrically adjustable roller bearings, fitted to the framework of the track system. In essence, this set-up provides the system with the extra load capacity needed at a workstation with large downward forces (like punching or stamping).
• The dynamic option provides continuous support to the carriage, around the entire track while the load is moving. The carriage is fitted with eccentric roller bearings which can be adjusted to make contact with a support track following the main vee guide circuit.

These moment load carriages are available in a range of sizes, including an extra wide carriage option. Carriages can be supplied complete with a carriage locking system for positive location within +/- 50 microns. Another great feature is that these carriages can also be utilized with GV3 components in linear applications.

To learn more about PRT2 moment load carriages, strike up a conversation with one of our in-house applications engineers. We will also have PRT2 on display at our IWF booth (#4412) this month.

Intergalactic Snapshots — From Mars to Palm Springs

"I think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know. It takes no great powers or magic to reproduce somebody's face in a photograph. The magic is in seeing people in new ways."

— Duane Michals, American photographer

Good photography, effective photography, is about seeing the world in new ways. Whether it's viewing a person in a different light, to Michals' point, or some faraway corner of the galaxy, photography connects us and enlightens us. Or like Ansel Adams once said, "A good photograph is knowing where to stand."

We received some photos this week from two vastly different sources that did just that: Opened a window from our Bay Area headquarters to a couple different parts of the universe. Two were from Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation President Pamela Kan, who's braving the triple-digit heat this week in the Palm Springs, Calif., desert. The others we got from Curiosity, the NASA rover that made a daredevil landing on Mars Sunday night and has since been transmitting photographic updates of its historic expedition.

[ CURIOSITY ] The nuclear-powered Mars rover sent its first colored photograph from the Gale Crater on Tuesday. Here's the snapshot (right), taken with the camera's dust cover still in place, so it's a bit fuzzy.

Credit: NASA

It may not look like much, but it gives us a first look at the north wall of the Gale Crater, the massive basin where Curiosity touched down on Aug. 5 after an eight-month journey through space. The pictures tells us that the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a very important camera affixed to the six-wheeled rover, is in working condition, researchers pointed out.

Scientists created MAHLI to capture both close-ups and wide landscape shots of the martian terrain. Right now, it rests on the rover's deck. But once it's fully activated, researchers can use it to zoom in on tiny details with resolutions up to 13.9 microns per pixel — that's many times narrower than a strand of hair.

The second colored photo NASA released was a composite of a bunch of thumbnail shots that they puzzle-pieced into a jagged panorama view of the crater. Check it out:

Credit: NASA

[ PALM SPRINGS ] Sometimes the desert looks just as alien to us. Palm Springs is no different from certain vantage points, like the photos below that Pamela shared with us of an aerial tram that spans a deep arid ravine (pictured right). Such great heights!

Pictured left is an interesting, almost alien-like texture on a tree, which she saw right after her tram ride, she told us.

"We then hiked through the state park at the top of the tram," she said. "Here is a picture of the bark from 'Jeff' — this type of pine tree has bark that smells like butterscotch! It is the original scratch-n-sniff tree!"

Pretty fascinating! We focus a lot on our expertise in linear and rotary motion, but we also have a great love for the world around us, and these pictures really capture our imaginations!

Watch, Read, Listen, Do: Instant Pizza, Space Vacations and How to Improve the World

It's that time of the week for another glimpse of what we here at BWC think is the most fun, interesting and informative videos, articles and podcasts posted recently. As always, your linear and rotary guide manufacturers are happy to provide you with the latest and greatest news in science, technology, engineering and manufacturing. We offer technologies that are used in so many industries, and it's exciting for us to see the future of how our linear guides could be used! Take a load off  and spice up your Wednseday by viewing these picks of the week!

[ WATCH ] A fantastic video series that features some really cool innovations. From instant pizza to robot chat apps, you are not going to be able to take your eyes off these mind blowing products, designs and animations.

[ READ ] This article provides some interesting data on how many Americans actually support the "Buy America" policies. Read this article to learn more about this important topic!

[ LISTEN ] Here are some short, interesting podcasts on how to improve the world we live in. From creating edible books to adopting elders, learn how to improve the quality of life of yourself and billions of others.

[ DO ] Have you ever wondered what it would be like to vacation in space? Taking a family trip to the outer regions of the universe will be a possibility in the near future — can you believe it? A Russian company is planning to build ''cosmic hotels'' big enough for the whole family. While it will be no cheap holiday, it could be life changing.

By Bishop-Wisecarver intern Eleanor Huddart

Top 10 Twitter Posts: Kid-Friendly Manufacturing, 'God Particle' and Memory Glasses

Happy Friday the 13th! Eleanor here, writing this week's tweets-of-the-week update. I know it has been an exciting and hectic week for all of you celebrating the middle of summer and hearkening the start of the second half of 2012! Since we skipped the Friday following Fourth of July, we'll include some of that week's notable tweets, too. Don't want you to miss out! Also, be sure to follow us for real-time updates at @BWCnews!

Credit: BWC

1. Motion Monday — Sparks Fly! on bwcnews.blogspot.com: Learn more about the importance of ring bearings and which types lead to greatest efficiency when applied to the measurement of Cathode Ray Tube — commonly called CRT. Do the crossword and win a prize as well ... a double win!

2. Making Manufacturing Kid-Friendly on Manufacturing Executive:  A great article detailing how states and schools can improve STEM initiatives to make science, technology, engineering and manufacturing more appealing to kids. Robot competitions and science fairs were suggested … sounds good to me!

3. The Many Uses of a Printer on nytimes.com: Oh my! Printers really are becoming magical machines. First organs, now circuits, switches and sensors are being printed. What’s next? Food printers?! Does anyone else picture Willy Wonka’s edible wallpaper right now? Yum!

4. A Wooden Wonder Ride on nytimes.com: Ever wondered what magical things occur in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana? Well, a fantastic new wooden roller coaster called the Voyage in Holiday World theme park is going to make every kid and adult who goes on it feel like it is Christmas Day. This extremely fast wooden coaster travels up to speeds of 70 miles an hour and makes its riders lift off from the seats. If you’ve got your wits about you give the engineering marvel a try!

Credit: Business Insider

5. Recyclable Basketball Arenas on businessinsider.com: A new basketball arena that can house 12,000 people has been built for the London Olympics. There are hopes that this sustainable venue will prompt future Olympic hosts to construct sustainable Olympic villages that can be recycled after use. What’s next… recyclable houses?

6. ‘God Particle’ Found on Yahoo News: It was a big week for scientists as they discovered evidence that the Higgs Boson Particle did lead to the creation of the universe as we know it. Read the article to learn more details about this important discovery.

7. Detroit the new Venice? on Grist: This week one of Detroit’s freeways was flooded with water. While this may make the city resemble a bit more the regal and beautiful Venice, this occurrence points to the fact that the city is contending with some major infrastructure problems.

8. No more Embarrassing Touch Screen Fumbles! via NewScientist:  Ever accidentally pressed a button on your touchscreen device that led to major texting, gaming or email disasters?! Well, say goodbye to these red face making mistakes because Nokia researchers have created software that can distinguish between intentional and unintentional taps.

9. Firework Fail turns into Fantastic Post-Apocalyptic Display on washingtonpost.com: While San Diego’s firework display may not have been what people expected, the many explosions that rocked the city created a post-apocalyptic display that left viewers mesmerized. Take a look at the fantastic footage!

10. Glasses that can Outsource our Memories On BBC Future: Thanks to Google, we can all now wear goggles that capture footage of all activities of which we want to make memories. From skydiving to throwing a family member a birthday party, all of these events can be made quick and wonderful memories with Google’s new innovation. Read more about it!

Credit: BBC

Watch, Read, Listen, Do: Higgs Boson, Robot Contests and a Wooden Rollercoaster

We know last week was a busy one for everyone, what with barbeques and firework displays. However, we managed to find some great articles, videos and podcasts that detail some pretty interesting events and discoveries that you may have missed last week due to Fourth of July celebrations. Enjoy catching up on some exciting news from your linear slides, guides and rotary motion components manufacturer!

[ WATCH ] Here’s a good video detailing the major features and effects of the newly discovered Higgs Boson particle. It is a great watch for those of us who don’t have PHDs in science and appreciate explanations that include cool animations! Enjoy!

[ READ ] A great article detailing how states and schools can improve STEM initiatives to make science, technology, engineering and manufacturing more appealing to kids. Robot competitions and Science Fairs were suggested … exciting stuff!

[ LISTEN ] London is attempting to host the most environmentally friendly olympics to date. Listen to this podcast to learn more about this exciting initiative.

[ DO ] Ever wondered what kind of magical things occur in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana? Well, a fantastic new wooden roller coaster called the Voyage in Holiday World theme park is going to make every kid and adult who rides this thrilling coaster feel like it’s Christmas Day. This extremely fast wooden coaster travels up to speeds of 70 mph. If you've got your wits about you, give this engineering marvel a try!

Blog by Bishop-Wisecarver intern Eleanor Huddart

Watch, Read, Listen, Do: Bamboo Buildings, Leaders in Engineering and That Movie Everyone's Talking About

We're in the business of invention, putting your coolest designs in motion with linear slides and rotary guides, so we naturally also make it our business to stay on top of the latest science, engineering and tech news. Here's our mid-week round-up of notable multimedia gems, from videos and articles to contests and podcasts. Let us know what you thought of them too!

[ WATCH ] Engineering.com regularly posts awesome videos about various topics, from crustacean battle armor to manned missions to asteroids and transparent smart phones. The latest is an architecture-themed snippet about bamboo structures. Bamboo, which is technically a grass, is a highly sustainable building material, grows so fast and is super abundant in some parts of the world.

[ READ ] Prometheus had its plot holes, its randomly choosen character quirks and some cliched sci-fi thriller gimmicks, but one of the film's saving graces, undeniably, was the visuals, the costumes, the makeup, the hard effects. We found this stunning photo essay that gives you a glimpse of how the movie makers worked their magic behind the scenes.

[ LISTEN ] NPR never fails to bring it when it comes to science podcasts... why aren't more people making those, by the way? This week, they aired a segment on how undeniably cool robots are — they're definitely the main draw at science fairs and, in our experience, at trade shows we attend.

[ DO ] Sorry for the shameless plug here, folks, but it is our blog and we can't help but overtly share a little about ourselves every now and then. So, Design World magazine is holding its annual Leadership in Engineering contest and we're nominated in the motion control category. We need your help, though, to vote for us periodically so we come out ahead. Click through to cast your vote. Thanks for your support!

Motion's the Best Medicine: Linear Bearings, Guides and Slides in the Medical Device Industry

MOVING MEDICAL RESEARCH Our linear and rotary motion control products move things from one point to another — a simple task. Yet, you'll find them in some of the most complex and cutting-edge medical devices in the industry. Here are a few ways some engineers and researchers used our products ...

VASCULAR GRAFTING A design engineer faced the challenge of building a linear actuator setup that could wind vascular grafting material within extremely precise specifications. Exactness was important here because the material had to last and function after surgery. Our linear guide technology fit this bill.

STAINING Our linear guides were needed to support the parallel workflow processing of walk-away lab analysis automation to improve lab efficiency and staining quality. LoPro linear actuators made the machine in this application faster and more efficient.

VERTICAL MOTION A contract manufacturer of custom high-value medical carts, consoles and tables needed our vertically mounted linear guides to easily raise and lower a support shelf on a card designed for a portable device. The solution needed to be cost-efficient and provide smoother operation and stability when the cart was in the fully raised position.

THE CHALLENGE And now to test your reading retention! Every week we have a #MotionMonday challenge and this one tests your word search skills. Still need some help? Email us at jenniferw@bwc.com for an answer key. All the best!

[ Click here to download this week's puzzle for a chance to win a prize! ]

Watch, Read, Listen and Do: Science Summed Up, Death of a Sci-Fi Master and a Lesson in Efficiency

As makers of linear slides, guides and rotary motion technologies, we make it our business to innovate, create and constantly educate ourselves on the world around us. This weekly feature will sum up some highlights in science, manufacturing, engineering, technology and academic news. We hope these finds pique your interest as much as it did for us. What did you think?

[ WATCH ] It's amazing when something incredibly complex gets paraphrased in a way that inspires an epiphany. That's exactly the gist of this vintage video clip shared recently on NPR in which legendary physicist Richard Feynman articulates the essence of science in 63 seconds.

[ READ ] Ray Bradbury, a masterful science fiction writer who tapped into our optimism and fears of technological advances with his imaginative descriptions of the future, died  this week at the age of 91. The New York Times paid tribute to the Fahrenheit 451 author with a compelling profile that weaves in memorable quotes and a fascinating narrative about the literary giant.

[ LISTEN ] If alien life tries to communicate with us, will we have the tools to hear it? The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute — a research facility that's had receptors trained to the sky for decades in search of some signal — recently lost key funding that could shut it down. Tune in to this NPR podcast that nicely sums up the history of the program and its uncertain future.

[ DO ] We get alerts for free webinars all the time. This Thursday, anyone's welcome to join this one hosted by Automation World on "How to Increase Batch Plant Efficiency." The free hourlong online seminar targets folks in the automation industry. It starts at 1 p.m. today, and you might still have time to register!

Motion Monday: Radial Wheels, Our Newest Product

READY, SET, LAUNCH! Today's a big day for us here at Bishop-Wisecarver — we just welcomed the newest addition to the MadeWell product line, the Radial Wheel®, a vee-edge linear bearing was designed to support applications with specified radial loading conditions.

These radial wheels are all about simplicity, about streamlining the purpose of a component and making it more economical at the same time. When a machine supports the center of a moving mass closer to the heart of the guide wheel, the load weight is mostly radial. There's basically no need for much of an axial load capacity. So, to buy a wheel with equal axial and radial load capacities in cases like that would be wasteful. 

A MORE SPECIFIC PURPOSE That narrower focus of this brand of linear bearing makes it an ideal solution for the design engineer who knows the purpose of the application is primarily to move a radial payload, like say for a heavy duty door, sliding wall panel or museum display. The possibilities are unlimited and we're eager to see what uses people come up with for our newest offering.

[ To read some comments about this wheel from our engineering team, click here ] 

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES What industries will you find the MadeWell Radial Wheel? That's really an open-ended question. But customers from a variety of industries we already work with have expressed a need for a linear guide wheel like this. Below is a sampling of industries that benefit from this type of wheel:

• Industrial machinery manufacturing
• Machine shops
• Metalworking manufacturing
• Engineering services
• Computer and electronic part manufacturing
• Motor vehicle manufacturing
• Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing
• Navigational, measuring, electro-medical and control instruments manufacturing

FINALLY, THE CHALLENGE OK, ready to win a prize? Then give this week's word search a whirl for a chance to win some swag. If you need an answer key, or if you just want to show us your filled-out puzzle to claim your prize, email us at jenniferw@bwc.com. Best of luck!

[ Click here to download the puzzle PDF ]

Application Featurette: Driven Linear System Optimizes Mandrel Reeling

REELING IT IN Think about winding up a garden hose. When it fails to guide evenly, it builds up on one side of the reel, coils too loosely, tangles, jams or kinks. Super frustrating. That's exactly the type of problem Bell Plastics — a mandrel manufacturer — had to deal with in its original guidance mechanism.

"It simply wasn't providing adequate control and this presented us with a number of problems," Bell Plastics Production Engineer Sean Noonan told Process and Control Today in a March article. "The mandrel tended to stack in one place as it wound, rather than being layered evenly — often these stacks would build up and then collapse, leaving tangled loose coils on the drum."

THE CHALLENGE That type of jamming could damage the mandrel, Noonan explained. And once it's damaged, it has to get scrapped. Plus, the rewind process dramatically slows production because the operator has to untangle the mandrel by hand.

"This meant a job that should take maybe three hours could day days," Noonan said. "Also, the snatching and snagging as the tangles jammed during rewind would often mark the mandrel. Indeed, sometimes the mandrel would be so badly tangled, it would have to be cut from the winder and scrapped."

Basically, the whole process needed a motion control makeover.

THE SOLUTION Enter, the PDU2M HepcoMotion Profile Driven Unit. Bell Plastics designed a PDU2M to the front of each winder to carry the guides that the mandrel passes through. Since every one of the system's mandrels are extruded, the PDU2M moves back and forth to evenly guide the mandrel onto the winder drums and make sure it's coiled evenly across the width of it.

Hoses are usually made up of several layers, typically of rubber or plastic sheets, textile or alloy reinforcement. The manufacturer makes the host by layering one of those materials onto a mandrel to give the hose its shape. The mandrel basically creates the hole down the middle that runs the length of the hose. Then, the composite gets vulcanized, which helps melds the layers together. Then, it's unwound from the mandrel to make way for the next hose.

ROOM TO FLEX Bell Plastics specializes in flexible mandrels, according to Process and Control Today. Manufacturers used to use super rigid mandrels like steel rods, but one of the downsides was the length limitations on the end product. These days, most hose-makers use flexible mandrels made up of a variety of materials and in super long lengths — some up to several miles. In the end, it gets packed in tighter, easy-to-handle coils.

Bell Plastics was among the first in its industry to switch to flexible mandrels like that. It developed a unique way to make them free from holes and and air pockets, which could make the mandrel collapse during hose manufacturing.

IMPROVING THE PROCESS The HepcoMotion PDU2M helped Bell Plastics improve the whole process because the actuators automatically adjusted the travel pace based on the the mandrel size and line speed. The operator uses a touch screen to adjust the settings for every production run.

"There is provision in the control unit for future integration with an automated control system, so that selecting the parameters for a particular product on the extruder will automatically set up the PDU2M control," said Noonan, quoted in Process and Control Today. "We have also taken the opportunity to improve the way the mandrel is guided along the whole of the production line, reducing the risk of scrap generation."

What Bell Plastics wanted most out of the linear motion system was that it would be able to guide all the mandrels and adjust to shifting forces. Hepco's profile driven unit worked well for this application because its external carriage guides are built into the unit, Noonan explained. Plus, the unit would tolerate mounting on one of the existing system's stock bright steel plates, he added.

A competitor's product, for example, would have had the carriages run on another guide rail mounted onto a machined surface that would have to be exactly aligned with the guide — that means extra cash for extra build costs, Noonan said.



LIGHTS OUT The PDU2M doubled the moment load capacity and increased the uplift in moment load stiffness by 1,000 percent. Direct load capacity upped by 50 percent. The stability and consistency of the PDU2M automated system gave Bell Plastics the ability to run lights-out production without fear of any problems resulting from having to manually winding the mandrels.

LEARN MORE That's a lot to take in, isn't it?! But really, if you want the lowdown on the mentioned profile drive unit in this blog, [ check out this product page. ] It's got all the specs, pics and other need-to-know info about this type of actuated linear guides.

PD&D EXCLUSIVE: How Mentor Eric Reed Discovered His Academic Self Through FIRST Robotics

MENTOR SPOTLIGHT We met high school math teacher Eric Reed a couple years ago when we first sponsored his students to compete in the FIRST Robotics Challenge. We have great memories from last year when our Project Engineer Brian Burke stopped by the classroom to assist students with their linear actuator build. Since then, we've developed close ties with him, his students and Middle College High School where he teaches. So when Product Design & Development Magazine approached us about profiling a FIRST mentor, Reed quickly came to mind.

We spent an afternoon catching up with the teacher and robotics mentor, asking him about why he chose to become an educator in the first place. His answer surprised us — he actually didn't discover his calling until later in life after working for years in fashion retail, buying and selling hoisery. His varied work history struck us as interesting, but more so his academic life. He wasn't the greatest student growing up, he told us, that's why he has such a heart for kids who are late-bloomers academically, kids who just need to find something that piques their interest to keep them on campus and in school.

'OMG ROBOTS' It didn't take long after he became a teacher to bring the FIRST robotics program to the schools where he taught. Those years of dedication to his students, to giving them an opportunity to discover the world of engineering and technology in a very hands-on, practical way led us to nominate him for this profile piece. [ Read the article — and leave a comment! We'd love to hear your thoughts! ]

MOTION MONDAY CHALLENGE You got all that? OK, let's test how much you even remember. And let's see how much the promise of a prize will motivate you into sending us the answers to this week's challenge. And hey, no shame if you need a cheat sheet! Just email your request to jenniferw@bwc.com. Good luck! [ Click here to download this week's challenge ]

Is That a Bishop-Wisecarver Coffee Mug? YES!

How cool is that? So we totally geeked out when we saw our Twitter friend Kirk Edwards, from EXAIR Corporation, tweet us a picture of him enjoying one of our BWC coffee mugs. Thanks for the share, Kirk, and for keeping in touch!

How did he score that awesome ceramic cup? Every Monday we post a puzzle here on the blog — sometimes a jigsaw, sometimes a word search — that we call our #MotionMonday Challenge. Quite a few of our readers solve these bit-sized bits of fun on a weekly basis, and we've immensely enjoyed the back and forth banter. People email us constantly with their completed puzzle for a chance to win one of the prizes we offer like t-shirts, mugs, other Bishop-Wisecarver swag. Check out this week's post!

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