Top 5 Design Tools of the Week

Top 5 Design Tools of the Week

by Melissa Fassbender, Associate Editor, PD&D


Verisurf Software Announces New X7 Version
Enhanced output options, SPC analysis, and AS9102 reporting supported.
Verisurf has released the 7th generation of its Verisurf X software. With Model-Based GD&T Inspection technology at its core, the all-new computer-aided inspection, reverse engineering, and assembly guidance software now supports more options for reporting and presenting data, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe 3D PDF Viewer. Features include:

• Integration with InspectionXpert and CM4D SPC software.
• Customizable data trees.
• Controls for repeatability testing and laser scanner measurements.
• Best fit in auto inspection.
• MBD manager capture view tool.
• Auto hole axis tool.
• Smart point tools for auto alignment targets.
• Improved feature and alignment scaling.

3D Inspection Profiling
Offering a new 3-D Profiling capability to inspection measurement, HEIDENHAIN’s versatile IK 5000 QUADRA-CHEK PC software system now gives operators the ability to quickly measure and determine parts profiles within desired tolerance zones. This feature compares the actual measured part to a three-dimensional model within the software.
Other functions of the 3D Profiling option include the ability to orient and align the model in all possible degrees of freedom, as well as to apply profile tolerances for any of the lines and surfaces either as an overall tolerance or specific to individual features or surfaces.



Circular Multi-Touch & Proximity Platform for Wearable Tech
Neonode has announced the release of a new, unique, and versatile Circular Multi-Sensing platform developed for wearable electronics and accessories.
The new waterproof solution from Neonode is specifically engineered to add enhanced multi-touch, gestures and touchless features to numerous new applications of wearable and accessory products.

• Ultra slim bezel and thin compact design for low profile products.
• Ultra low power consumption.
• Support for all type of display types and surfaces.
• Ability to sense air gestures and “outside of screen touch."
• Real-time vibration feedback and Illumination control for visual and light effects.
• Under water operation (submerged).

Timing & Inertial Measurement
University of Michigan engineering researchers have packed seven devices that together could potentially provide navigation in the absence of the satellite-based global positioning system (GPS.)
Timing and inertial measurement units are used as motion sensors in cellphones, game controllers and automotive systems, but have been used to navigate ships and aircraft before GPS was around. New advancements allow this unit to be much smaller than those before it and will more devices on board. At 13 cubic millimeters, this unit contains a highly-precise master clock and six sensors that detect movement in six different axes.


Infor Business Intelligence
Advanced analytics and planning capabilities, self-service dashboards, and social collaboration for a more, modern, mobile, and social experience.
Infor Business Intelligence (BI) 10x seeks to modernize data processing and enrich decision-making. Infor BI 10x allows the user to:

• Access critical business information.
• Filter and analyze data for better decision making.
• Publish information throughout organizations-anytime, anywhere.
• Update reports and analysis on a timely basis.
• Merge data from multiple sources into a single report.
• Quickly transform raw data into valuable information.
• Get faster results and higher ROI on your business intelligence investment.
• Plan and forecast business.

Shared from: http://www.pddnet.com 

No girls allowed: "Nerd” stereotype means fewer female engineers

No girls allowed: "Nerd” stereotype means fewer female engineers

by: Kasey Panetta

The Big Bang Theory — a television show that features four male scientists and engineers and an attractive blond waitress — is one of the top shows on TV. But a recent study has raised an interesting question:Does this show’s — and others like it's — depiction of what scientists and engineers look like actively discourage women from pursuing STEM degrees? According to the study, it might.


In 1972, women accounted for 3 percent of full-time science and engineering professors; by 1998, the number was at just 10 percent, according to the National Science Foundation. In 2010, the last year the NSF has data for, 51 percent of scientists and engineers working in science and engineering occupations were white males. Women made up just 28 percent of the total and minority women just 10 percent. When the numbers are divided by occupation, women make up just 12 percent of engineers.Through a mixture of socialization and tradition, the engineering and science fields have always been male-dominated. In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on encouraging girls to pursue STEM degrees, but how engineers and scientists are depicted in the media could be playing a large role in discouraging the pursuit.While men’s interest in computer sciences remains fairly stable across different studies, women’s interest tends to waver. In one study, when women read articles that suggested the stereotype — nerdy, white, not very social — fit real life, they were less likely to express an interest in pursuing the field when compared to women who read articles that said the stereotypes weren’t supported by real life. In a second study, researchers found that when asked to describe what they thought of as typical computer scientists, people reported traits that were “incompatible with the female gender role” like poor interpersonal skills and lacking an interest in anything other than computers.Obviously, those two studies just looked at computer scientists in general, but the conclusion — that media representation of the science and engineering fields are discouraging women from pursuing the field — rings true across the STEM interests.

Obviously, there are women — and men — that have no interest in pursuing a science or engineering profession. But, the concern is that girls who are potentially interested in a STEMs career will be turned off by the media depiction of what these jobs are like: boy’s clubs.In turn, the study offers an interesting point: If society — in this case teachers, media, family, friends — are not actively encouraging women to pursue these degrees, the field itself loses out on the advantages that come from having a diverse range of genders, races, socioeconomically backgrounds, and points of view. We are, in fact, missing out on a potential treasure-trove of minds.

Luckily, the Obama administration is one that recognizes the importance of enacting policies and programs to help fix the disparity. The Office of Science and Technology Policy, and White House Council on Women and Girls, has made its goal to get more girls interested in STEM occupations by hosting events and raising awareness. Pop-culture media cannot be the end-all, be-all of where girls are seeing engineers and scientists at work.

In 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama said, “If we’re going to out-innovate and out-educate the rest of the world, we’ve got to open doors for everyone. We need all hands on deck, and that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.”I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Shared from: http://www.ecnmag.com 

Using the Star technique to shine at job interviews: a how-to guide

Using the Star technique to shine at job interviews: a how-to guide.

There are many types of interviews, from the free flowing to the formal, but one that you are likely to come up against at some point is the competency-based interview.

They're designed to make the job application process as objective as possible, removing any conscious or subconscious bias by the interviewer by asking each candidate the same questions. Some people feel this type of interview is more stilted – there can be less opportunity to build rapport. However, they are very common, especially in large organizations and the public sector, so it's worth refining your technique.

The questions will be driven by a competency framework that's required for the job. For example, a marketing executive may require problem-solving skills, or a job in customer services may require conflict management skills. 

The interview questions tend to start with a variation of, "Tell me about a time when…" This may sound simple but, in the heat of the interview, it's easy to give an unstructured answer, miss out key details, or let the story peter to a halt.

One way of avoiding this is by using the Star acronym to structure your response. Here are two examples of how to implement the technique:

A candidate for a marketing executive role might be asked: "Tell me about a time that you solved a problem to a tight timescale." Here's how you could structure your response:

• Situation – set the context for your story. For example, "We were due to be delivering a presentation to a group of 30 interested industry players on our new product and Stuart, the guy due to deliver it, got stuck on a train from Birmingham."

• Task – what was required of you. For example, "It was my responsibility to find an alternative so it didn't reflect badly on the company and we didn't waste the opportunity."

• Activity – what you actually did. For example, "I spoke to the event organizers to find out if they could change the running order. They agreed so we bought ourselves some time. I contacted Susan, another member of the team, who at a push could step in. She agreed to drop what she was doing and head to the event."

• Result – how well the situation played out. For example, "Stuart didn't make the meeting on time but we explained the problem to the delegates and Susan's presentation went well – a bit rough around the edges but it was warmly received. Stuart managed to get there for the last 15 minutes to answer questions. As a result we gained some good contacts, at least two of which we converted into paying clients."

There are a few things to note with this response: it's important to speak in specific rather than general terms and quantify your success. In this example, we mentioned 30 delegates, the names of the people involved and quantified two contacts converted to clients. From a listener's perspective, this makes the story more interesting and they are more able to gauge your success. Nameless figures and undefined successes can make the answer less feel less convincing. Secondly, as there are likely to be many questions and interviewers have short attention spans, it's important to keep your answers concise: convey the maximum achievement in the minimum time. Finally, it's important to finish on a positive note so the overall impression is strong.

In a second example, a candidate for a customer services role is asked: "Describe a situation when you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint"

• Situation: "A customer rang up complaining that they'd waited more than two weeks for a reply from our sales team regarding a product query."

• Task: "I needed to address the client's immediate query and find out what went wrong in the normal process."

• Activity: "I apologised, got the details and passed them to our head salesperson, who contacted the client within the hour. I investigated why the query hadn't been answered. I discovered that it was a combination of a wrong mobile number and a generic email address that wasn't being checked. I let the client know and we offered a goodwill discount on her next order."

• Result: "The client not only continued to order from us but posted a positive customer service tweet."

Used at its best, the Star structure is invisible to the listener and it simply comes across as a well-articulated example. Create a bank of answers in this format in advance, so don't struggle to do it on the day and can make it appear as seamless as possible.

Shared from: http://jobs.guardian.co.uk