Author Archives: Cliff Medling
Q&A: 20,000 leagues under the sea with SeaBotix
We had a lot of interest in the last blog post from SeaBotix, which included many questions about the underwater robot, or remotely operated vehicle (ROV), so we went back to Jesse Rodocker (the star of the recent behind the
... ContinuedMeet the Pumpkin Chunkin Champions – American Chunker
Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to meet with, and get to know the American Chunker Team. They are the current world champions of Punkin Chunkin for the Air Cannon Division. The Air cannons are typically
... ContinuedFrom Thought to Reality: Underwater Surveillance Robots Take 3D Under the Sea
Scuba divers can typically only go to depths of 30-40 meters safely; however with more training (and a new scuba suit) they can go deeper. Some divers can reach much deeper with high-end atmospheric diving suits, but this can be
... ContinuedKvichak Marine: Engineering the Need for Speed
Seattle is known for the National Football League Champion Seahawks, Grunge, Starbucks Coffee, and lots of guys who throw fish around, but it should also be recognized for the home of Kvichak Marine. Kvichak (named after a river in Alaska)
... ContinuedDesigning for Manufacturing, Fit for Purpose
I find it interesting how 3D Printing is all the rage now, even though it’s been around for decades. Obviously the price of 3D printing has been reduced substantially, which has created much more mainstream demand. 3D printing is a
... ContinuedDesigning Concept to Manufacturing
It’s time to order some new white table napkins and come with my next brilliant idea. Since most ideas seem to start on table napkins (or so I’ve heard), I figure it’s a good place to start. If you are
... Continued9 Things You Can’t Do with 2D CAD
We get it. You’re quite comfortable with your 2D design tools. Over the years, you’ve become very proficient with these tools, so why transition to 3D CAD tools and deal with a potentially long learning curve and resulting downtime required
... ContinuedWhat if Leonardo da Vinci had SOLIDWORKS?
To celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday today (April 15th), I felt a blog post was appropriate. He would have turned 562 today. We commonly wonder (at least I do) “what if” significant figures in history were alive today, and how
... ContinuedTen Ways To Innovate on a Budget
You’d be hard-pressed to walk into any space full of creative people and not see, hear, or feel the power of innovative thinking. While the notion of “innovation” can be applied to everything from food science development to urban expansion,
... ContinuedDo I Really Need Analysis Software?
Do I really need analysis software? It’s a valid question, and one I hear from customers on occasion. Being a designer myself, I feel that I have a good head for figuring out if a design can be easily manufactured,
... ContinuedWarning—Reading this May Save you Time and Money
In my opinion, the one thing missing from the SolidWorks offices in Boston is a production line. Obviously, designing software doesn’t require one, but seeing a product go from design to reality often reminds me of why we do what
... ContinuedDesigning for Precision on the Shop Floor at Wamore, Inc.
Apparently, before the idea of a “precision air drop” was invented, there was only the standard “air drop,” which was military-speak for dumping tons of supplies from an airplane and keeping your fingers crossed that at least some made it
... ContinuedLearn How Knapheide Greatly Expanded their Business Moving from 2D to 3D
Customer visits are the most exciting part of my job as a SolidWorks employee. It truly is a great experience seeing our customers use our software to create products that they’re so passionate about. I also enjoy seeing the production
... ContinuedCan spatial aptitude tests help predict your success as an engineer?
Do you enjoy taking these tests? I know I do. On reviewing results from similar types of spatial aptitude tests, the results are basically: men test better than women, and those who test well make good engineers. This may be
... ContinuedMoving from 2D to 3D: why haven’t you made the switch?
Over a year ago, I ran into a friend who is a mechanical designer. As a SolidWorks employee, I had to ask which CAD software he used. To my surprise, he told me that he actually still liked working with
... Continued