Model Airplanes

As a manufacturing technology, 3D printing is only as powerful as the designs that it is used to create. At trade shows, one will hear countless stories about firms that explored additive manufacturing (AM), but as a means of producing traditional parts, the same designs that would be made with CNC machining or injection molding.

It’s only when the infinite geometric complexity possible with 3D printing is fully exploited that the power of AM becomes apparent. Through the implementation of microlattices and organic structures, it’s possible to create shapes that may yield lighter weight and even stronger parts that can only be made with 3D printing.

Creating those designs, however, is no easy task. Most engineers have been trained to create parts for traditional manufacturing methods and may have a hard time breaking old habits. More importantly, many shapes optimized for 3D printing are almost impossible to invent manually simply due to the math involved, as it relates to the forces of physics. And, because CAD software is still catching up to the 3D printing revolution, these tools are only now beginning to be incorporated into existing design software.

One start-up is attempting to make the process of design optimization for 3D printing as easy as it can possibly be, without a dedicated design software or even a knowledge of how this optimization is performed. The firm is called Frustum, and its geometry kernel, Generate, has already caught the attention of some big names—well, one in particular: Siemens.

The Kernel of Generate

“I founded Frustum

Article source: http://www.engineering.com/3DPrinting/3DPrintingArticles/ArticleID/13803/Topology-Optimization-for-3D-Printing-Hits-the-Cloud-with-Generate.aspx

We Still Can’t Predict Snow Down To The Inch

“Paul, there’s a big discrepancy between your weather app and what you’re publicly predicting at Star Tribune. What’s going on?” Welcome to my world.

Apps are great, but they don’t capture all the nuance, variation or challenges with a specific forecast. That’s where the human element comes in: meteorologists add value by adding context, perspective and analysis.

Not even Siri can do that. Yet.

My favorite college professor told us to “forget about inches” and classify storms into 3 categories: nuisance, “plowable” and crippling. I’ve been borrowing the scale since 1983 at KARE-11. It has stood the test of time.

Yesterday’s hail-producing T-storms are long gone; cold exhaust on the backside of the storm sparks a wintry mix into Thursday – a nuisance coating is possible. The coldest air of the season arrives late next week with highs in the 20s.

That’s 20s ABOVE zero.

Some moderation is likely by mid-December as winds blow from the Pacific, not the Arctic.

Any big, meaty storms pass south of Minnesota into next week, but I’m bullish on a white Christmas this year. We are due. 

Minnesota Annual Precipitation Record Broken. It’s official; Waseca wins the Golden Rain Gauge Award, with a record 53.78″ of precipitation (and counting). Details from the Minnesota DNR: “Waseca, in south central Minnesota, has set the official state precipitation record, coming in with the highest annual precipitation total for a National Weather Service Cooperative Observation

Article source: http://www.startribune.com/new-minnesota-rainfall-record-a-better-way-to-rate-winter-storms-real-cold-front-8-10-days-away/403386256/