Beth, I do agree with you about young engineers coming up through the ranks expecting these kinds of tools. They're second nature to kids, and those kids will soon enough be involved in design. For many young people, social networks -- particularly Facebook -- have replaced email for communication.
William: What you are describing is pretty unbelievable, but I suppose not out of context if you consider how quickly technology evolves and delivers lasting impact. In some ways, dashboards and simulation tools can already provide some of this analysis, but it's placing it in the social context and the ease of presentation where we're likely to see the most dramatic changes.
I think you're right in that engineers won't be looking for social networking as it is. However, you're right when you say the collaboration required will result in a desire to have functionality that will simplify the communication and that may look an awful lot like some of the social networks. Engineers from different continents are working on projects at the same time. And the ability to share designs, concepts and ideas in a quick and easy way will definitely be a selling point in the future.
I think the integration of not only CAD but communication whille still in CAD will be the next big thing. Being able to work on a design and instant message a colleague hundreds of miles away while reviewing the same design will be very helpful. Are there any companies that you know of currently working on this, or are there tools already available?
Fantastic list, Beth! I like the Integration and Cloud pieces. I'm excited about the mobile developments but it looks like that will share the same pinch point as mobile PDAs a decade ago... limited interface baud rate. Even though Jeff Hawkins designed Graffiti, it wasn't until multi-touch and now voice that mobile took off. It is great the industry is preparing for mobile design while the input methods are fleshing out. That way when the interface it right, vendors can rush in with solutions. I'm not at all surprised about Social. Social for humans is a given and will continue to permeate all we do in 2012. What I am excited about is Social Objects. We've made great strides in Object Oriented development -- the next big thing is to have Objects become social. It means the Internet of Things, but it also means Social Software Objects in design -- as in various components communicating with each other within the software application to measure compatibility (proper morphology, material compatibility, load limits, stress distribution). Be prepared for a component to communicate with designers "Sorry, Dave. I would drill and tap a hole at this location, but the current location is in a position of maximum stress for this component according to the FEA. Can we move the position to this location?"
You raise good points, Rob. I don't think simply pasting Facebook functionality into design tools will satisfy any engineer--old or new. I think that CAD and PLM vendors are recognizing that social media is not a fad and implemented correctly, it can add significant value to engineering processes, particularly since the discipline is far more collaborative than it ever has been. In addition, I do think that younger generations coming up the ranks are going to expect this kind of functionality in all of their business tools, be it CAD programs or spreadsheets. The capabilities we see today may not be the capabilities we see tomorrow, but my guess is some sort of social functionality will become a mainstay of engineering tools over time.
Nice overview, Beth. The one that really got me was social media. I'm curious about whether this is a matter of pasting Facebook-look functionality onto everything that moves or whether this is a truly useful addition. the answer could be generational. The younger engineers may find this natural and helpful, while the older engineers are probably rolling their eyes.
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
With LEDs dropping in price virtually every year, automakers have begun employing them, not only on luxury vehicles, but on entry-level models, as well.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
2 
