Dave Koontz, an engineer with Harris Corp., likes to download CAD drawings of components such as latches that he can incorporate into his enclosure designs.
Tony Sonntag, at John Crane, Inc., attends seminars through the Internet.
And Jason Whiting, of Tundra Semiconductors, does what many do on the Internet: He checks competitors' sites for valuable information.
Those are just a few of the uses engineers are finding for the Web, and we reported on them and other examples in a special report on "Design engineers and Internet" in the September 20, 1999 Design News.
Indeed, it's true: The Internet is changing everything, from the way engineers find new components and materials to the way they try out CAD and other software. Anyone who isn't using the Net isn't being as productive as they could be.
Here is how some software suppliers are helping:
Algor produces webcasts every Tuesday, morning and offers courses on its site.
-
MSC Software and Parametric Technology Corp. have reshaped themselves into companies that take full advantage of the Net to deliver products and services. MSC, for example, has developed Engineering-e.com, a combination portal/e-commerce site/application host. PTC has developed Windchill, an enterprise-management product that's tied into the Web.
There are plenty of other things going on as well. Design News now publishes e-mail newsletters on the latest developments in plastics, motion control, and CAD. Soon, we'll be launching Search Engineer, an industry-specific search engine for design engineers. And, we will start a new column in the next issue on E services for engineers.
The Internet offers an endless number of ways to improve productivity. If you're not Web savvy, get that way. The Internet is definitely a big part of engineering's future.
Tweet This
19 
