Hardware Podcasts

S5E50 Roopinder Tara | Timing, FEA, & the Beginning of CAD

Being an Engineer · 13 Dec 2024 · 42m · Episode 50

What this episode covers

Roopinder Tara, Editor in Chief at EngTechnica and former professor, discusses his journey from mechanical engineering to technical journalism and the evolution of CAD technology. He details the high costs and limited productivity gains of early workstation-based CAD systems like those from McDonnell Douglas and the transition to PC-driven tools. Tara critiques current AI implementations in design software, arguing that topology optimization often produces unusable 'blobby' shapes, and advocates for parametric optimization that assists engineers with specific constraints rather than replacing their judgment.

Most relevant to

established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
EngTechnica, McDonnell Douglas
Products
SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Onshape
Also
Drexel University, Penn State

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 01m

    CAD programs, Systems Design and Renewable Energy

    Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the evolution of CAD tools, contrasting low-end packages like Google SketchUp and Eagle with high-end system design tools like LabVIEW and MATLAB. They critique Eagle's restrictive pricing and board size limits, arguing it forces hobbyists into expensive tiers, while praising the accessibility of tools like E-Machine Shop. The conversation shifts to career advice, debating the value of generalist skills versus specialization in PCB design, and touches on the political drivers behind renewable energy investments in Israel.

    EDA & CAD toolsCareers & education
    8 chapters

  • Making It · 1h 14m

    539: My Ai Powered Ergonomic Chair

    Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the decline of physical controls in modern electronics, citing the Slate Truck's analog design and the annoyance of touchscreens in cars. They debate the impact of AI on maker education, with Diresta warning that bypassing learning CAD and coding creates long-term skill gaps, while Clagett argues for maintaining deep tool mastery. Picciuto shares his experience building 11 steel boxes for Carhartt under a tight deadline and reflects on how AI tools like auto-generated CNC paths bypass the learning of feeds and speeds.

    Industrial & consumer product designAI & machine learning
    8 chapters

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 32m

    How Simulation Technology is Reshaping Product Design w/ Dr. Masha Petrova

    Dr. Masha Petrova, CEO of Nullpace, explains how engineering simulation (CAE) allows manufacturers to design thousands of variations digitally before manufacturing only a few, replacing costly physical prototyping. She discusses the industry's shift from a few legacy providers like ANSYS and MSC Software to a consolidation trend driven by AI and chip industry demands, noting that venture capital has historically overlooked this rigorous field. Petrova highlights the challenge of tool adoption, where engineers lack time to evaluate new software, and proposes that companies must incentivize this exploration to keep pace with innovation.

    AI & machine learningDebugging & failure analysis
    6 chapters

  • Additive Snack · 1h 00m

    Implicit Design, AI & Next Gen Design Tools: Inside nTop’s Bold New Design Frontier

    Brad Rothenberg, CEO and founder of nTop (formerly nTopology), discusses the evolution of his company from a tool for additive manufacturing component design to a platform for implicit modeling and system-level engineering. He explains how nTop’s parametric approach helps aerospace companies like Siemens Energy explore design trade spaces to reduce risk in conservative industries, particularly in thermal management and heat exchanger design. Rothenberg also details nTop’s recent integration of AI and its native fluid solver, nTop Fluids, to accelerate physics simulations and lower the barrier to entry for engineers transitioning from traditional CAD.

    EDA & CAD toolsAI & machine learning
    9 chapters

  • Additive Snack · 35m

    Unlocking Higher Performance 3D Printing Applications with Brad Rothenberg

    Brad Rothenberg, founder and CEO of nTopology, discusses how advanced engineering software unlocks the full potential of additive manufacturing by shifting the engineer's role from manual 'grunt work' to creative problem-solving. He explains that traditional CAD tools are ill-suited for 3D printing's complexity and advocates for 'unlearning' conventional manufacturing constraints to leverage design freedom. Rothenberg highlights a specific Air Force satellite structure made from Inconel that is 50% lighter than its aluminum predecessor, demonstrating the power of topology optimization and thin-wall printing. He concludes by predicting a future where engineers use reusable, remixable workflows to accelerate innovation across industries.

    Industrial & consumer product designEDA & CAD tools
    7 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.