What's the state of the engineering job market today? Let me put it this way: There isn't a whole lot of good news, as reported in our lead news story in this issue (pg 31). With uncertainty over outsourcing's impact on the design engineering community, the H1-B Visa Program, and the stagnant high-tech job market (i.e., jobless recovery), every engineer who cares about the future of this profession should be concerned about where the presidential candidates stand on technology issues and, in particular, R&D spending. Why? For starters, the federal R&D budget drives our country's ability to innovate and compete in a world economy that is becoming increasingly sophisticated, creates jobs for tech workers, and provides funding for high-tech business startups. Research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has led to the development of Doppler weather radar, Internet browser technology, nanoscale materials, and scores of other new and innovative technologies. The NSF also finances K-12 education programs that help children develop the math and science skills they will need to succeed in an engineering degree program, go on to become the innovators of the future, and help to educate the rest of the population about technology issues. Too bad legislation in 2002 to double the NSF's budget to $7.3B by FY 2005 didn't pan out. The proposed NSF budget for FY 2005 calls for $5.7B, a 3 percent increase over 2004. A sizable R&D budget is also critical because, unlike some other countries, we don't have a technology policy. I guess because we think our government can't pick winners, we leave technology policy-making to the markets. And we know from experience how well that works! Just think about how much further along we would be with a technology like alternative fuel vehicles, were we not allowing policy to be dictated by what happens on the show room floor. The good news is that both presidential candidates claim to be strong proponents of technology. They believe it's crucial to our future competitiveness and quality of life. So let's hope they put their money where their mouths are. It's time that we elect a President who is prepared to show some guts when it comes to technology policy, and he can start by reaching—deeply—into his pockets.
Almost every automaker has had to 'pick a side' when it comes to alternative fuel options and ways to divest from a reliance on gasoline. Fiat is looking to back compressed natural gas or liquid propane as an interim solution.
Plastic may not be the most beloved of materials to the more environmentally minded, but Plasti 2012 aimed to mold a different opinion of the material in people's minds.
The rare earth element market has become steadily more rational, and new sources coming online will continue to reduce costs. Still, it is unlikely that prices will drop to their former lows.
Against a backdrop of mounting product complexity and a need to keep a lid on development costs, companies are recognizing a need to make simulation a more integral part of the design process. In response, vendors in the CAD world are building out CAE functionality as part of their CAD suites while simulation vendors are building tighter integrations to leading CAD tools. Keith Meintjes, Ph.D., Practice Manager, Simulation and Analysis at CIMdata, Inc., joins Design News CAD Editor Beth Stackpole in this radio program to explore the new face of integrated CAD and CAE, how companies are benefitting from this tighter partnership between platforms, and how integrating CAE earlier in the development cycle pays off in optimized product designs.
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