Hardware Podcasts

S5E40 Tony Dietz | How to Accelerate the Speed of Engineering, Episode 4

Being an Engineer · 4 Oct 2024 · 52m · Episode 40

What this episode covers

Tony Dietz, President of Paxauris, discusses strategies to accelerate engineering speed, emphasizing clear communication of objectives, deadlines, and effort levels to avoid bottlenecks. He shares examples of low-cost prototyping, such as using a $7 heating pad for earplug testing and Lego robots for remote firing mechanisms, while warning against rushing critical tasks without analysis, citing a failed superconducting cable test. Dietz also highlights the importance of field interaction with customers and creating psychologically safe environments for team communication.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Paxauris, NASA Ames, Creare
Products
Apple AirPods Pro
Tools
Lego, Arduino

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive

    How Soft Skills Drive High-Impact Engineering Teams w/ Aaron Moncur

    Aaron Moncur, founder of Pipeline Design & Engineering, discusses how soft skills like communication and psychological safety drive high-performing engineering teams. He shares specific management strategies, such as 'managing by invitation' and removing bureaucratic barriers to accelerate engineering speed, including the strategic use of 3D printing. Moncur also highlights the evolving landscape of engineering education, promoting his platform The Wave and the PDX expo as alternatives to traditional degree requirements.

    Careers & educationLeadership, teams & culture
    6 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 12m

    Interview with Eric Ries - Transorted Testing Tachydidaxy

    Eric Ries, author of The Lean Startup, discusses applying lean manufacturing principles to product development, emphasizing rapid experimentation and the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). He explains how hardware companies can use mockups, soft tooling, and service contracts to iterate quickly and validate customer demand before committing to expensive hard tooling. Ries argues that internal risks and bureaucratic silos are the primary barriers to speed, not technical constraints, and that companies must pivot their management systems to handle uncertainty.

    Validation & product-market fitPrototyping & iteration
    8 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 07m

    452: I Wish I’d Thought of That

    David Picciuto, Bob Clagett, and Jimmy Diresta discuss pivoting on the fly, with David remaking a vintage calculator using a Bambu Lab 3D printer and Bob building a custom camera stand to replace an expensive commercial product. The hosts also mourn the loss of community member Dave Gagné and reflect on how tight deadlines and external commitments, like a BetterHelp ad, force creative decisions and simplify complex projects like Jimmy's barn doors. They explore the psychology of making, arguing that building imperfect prototypes and iterating is more valuable than paralysis by analysis, and share tips on managing distractions and finding inspiration in maker communities.

    Prototyping & iterationMaterials & manufacturing processes
    7 chapters

  • The Builder Circle · 1h 06m

    S2 E5: Rapid Prototyping Deep Dive with Greg Paulsen

    Greg Paulsen, Director of Applications, Engineering and Marketing at Xometry, discusses the complexities of rapid prototyping and the transition to mass production. He details the pros and cons of various 3D printing technologies, including filament-based FDM, powder bed fusion (SLS, MJF), and resin-based methods (SLA, DLS), explaining how each affects design constraints and scalability. Paulsen highlights common hardware horror stories, such as designing for 3D printing without considering injection molding requirements, leading to prohibitive costs and tooling issues. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication with manufacturers and using AI-driven tools to optimize designs for manufacturability early in the process.

    Prototyping & iterationMaterials & manufacturing processes
    8 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 01m

    Episode 203: So and So Johnson

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the difficulty of deciding when to scrap a project and restart, citing Diresta's failed brass belt buckle casting and printing press adjustments. They explore the psychological attachment to work-in-progress and the importance of having the courage to change course, using the Fire Festival documentary as an example of ignoring failure signals. The hosts also share recent maker projects, including Clagett's metal sculpture class and Picciuto's screen printing experiments, while highlighting tools like Bantam Tools and AI-driven safety tech from Smarter Every Day.

    Validation & product-market fitPrototyping & iteration
    9 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Being an Engineer. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.