http://wohlersassociates.com/blog Views, perspective, and commentary from Terry Wohlers Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:34:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Tom Kalil is Deputy Director of Policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Kalil is on leave from the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Science and Technology. In 2007–2008, Kalil was the Chair of the Global ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2012/02/the-white-house%e2%80%99s-tom-kalil/ Two years ago, a disc in my lower back ruptured. The disc tissue put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which caused significant discomfort. The pain started in the lower back and worked its way to my left hip, then to my left quadricep, and eventually down to my lower leg ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2012/01/back-surgery/ There’s a reasonable chance that you have not yet heard about the Additive Manufacturing Consortium (AMC), which was launched in 2010 by EWI in Columbus, Ohio. EWI is a 140-employee, non-profit organization that develops and commercializes advanced manufacturing solutions, especially materials joining technology. Tim Caffrey, associate consultant at Wohlers Associates, ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2012/01/additive-manufacturing-consortium/ Most design engineers in the U.S. are happy with their profession and what they are being paid. According to the August 2011 issue of Design News, salaries are $93,465, on average, and are up 4.3% from last year. Also, if you’re seen as a generalist, you may be rewarded more ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/12/engineering-salaries/ The recent EuroMold 2011 event in Frankfurt, Germany was the most impressive yet. The scale and quality of the exhibits have increased notably. It was clear that the exhibiting organizations invested a great deal into their displays and some view the event as the most important worldwide. Also, many companies ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/12/new-at-euromold/ Does scientific research lead to innovation? Most people might assume that it does, especially given the number of organizations conducting it, coupled with the vast sums of money supporting it. Evidence suggests that scientific research leads to a body of knowledge, but it does not advance the standard of living ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/11/innovation-from-research/ My wife, Diane, and I visited this beautiful country in late September and early October. I had visited four times before, but had seen little of the country until this trip. We spent four nights in Leiria, a historic city located about 150 km (93 miles) north of Lisbon. Leiria ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/11/portugal/ Chances are reasonably good that you have read about the Urbee car. It is the brainchild of Jim Kor, an intriguing individual that I had the privilege of meeting two weeks ago in Winnipeg, Canada. He gripped my attention, from start to finish, as he presented the history of Urbee ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/10/jim-kor-and-his-car/ Finally, a 3D printer for children. Well, it’s not yet available, but it’s in the works. Origo, a small startup in Belgium, is in the conceptual phase of product development. The goal: to offer a product that’s attractive to 10-year olds, and to make it as easy to use as ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/10/a-3d-printer-for-kids/ I had the privilege of participating in two special events this week. The first was TCT Live 2011 in England, which began on Tuesday. The event has expanded dramatically since I last attended in 2008 at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. In fact, it outgrew the place and was held ... http://wohlersassociates.com/blog/2011/10/events-this-week/