Unprofessional Engineering

Battlebots, or Robot Wars as it was originally known, has everything an engineer could want. Extreme part design, custom fabrication, and destruction!!! We take a look how Battlebots got it's start, some of the greatest "contestants" of all time, the rules behind Battlebots, and even what it takes to build your own Battlebot. What more could you ask for in a STEM project, hobby, or amazing podcast episode?

Thinking about getting into engineering but don't know where to start? Already have a degree in Material Science and Engineering and curious about other job options out there? Look no further! We investigate the classes you will take in Material Science and Engineering, the top universities to attend, the type of work you will do, companies that hire Material Science and Engineering majors, and how much you can expect to make.

Do you want to raise your pumpkin carving game but don't know where to start? We are here for you! From the tools you can use to make pumpkin carving easier, to tips to help your jack-o-lantern last longer, all the way to turning your pumpkin into a STEM project, you won't want to miss this! As a bonus, Luke covers Halloween safety for kids and adults alike, we learn how the tradition of pumpkin carving came about (have you heard of Stingy Jack?), and we even look into the economics of scoring the most Halloween candy when you're out knocking on doors.

Computational Fluid Dynamics, or CFD, is a form of simulation that predicts how fluids and gases will interact together and with their surroundings. This can be used for everything from HVAC optimization to improving vehicle performance. CFD might sound scary, but we break it down to the basics to help everyone understand how to use computational fluid dynamics and why it is so important. Trust me! Even my mom has learned to understand CFD.... it just took a couple decades.

We're wrapping up our three part series on concussions with Trifecta Sports Solutions by discussing how they are using engineering techniques like advanced simulation (such as Finite Element Analysis) and new materials to design a football helmet that will significantly reduce concussions. Join us to hear about how they have taken this idea and made it a reality with the help of great institutes like Michigan State University, as well as what hurdles are left to overcome before we can expect to see their helmet on the field.

We were joined by the amazing up and comers of Trifecta Sports Solutions to understand what they are doing to make sports safer for us to play, starting with football helmet design and expanding out to other concussion heavy activities. Their story started with a high school design competition and has spiraled into working with outstanding universities such as Michigan State University to make this idea a reality. Join us in hearing how they came up with the idea, the technology behind the design, and where things are going in the future.

An injury that anyone can get from playing sports to a little trip and fall, concussions have been a huge topic of conversation over the past handful of years, but what do we really know about them? Join us for this three part series with Trifecta Sports Solutions on what concussions are, the leading causes, symptoms, various ways to evaluate and classify them, and what we are doing to help reduce the number of concussions across the board.

Transistors are the unsung hero of modern technology, and the rate that they are improving (or at least were improving) is astonishing! We take a look back at the first transistors developed by companies such as Bell Labs and Texas Instruments, all the way up to modern transistors in use by companies like AMD and Intel.

Model railroading has been a popular hobby for decades, but have you thought about all the forms of engineering that go into it? What a great way to get kids interested in STEM and STEAM! We were luck enough to be joined by President of Walthers (the leading name in model railroading), Stacey Walthers Naffah, to discuss the connections between model railroading and engineering, the history of model railroads, and the Walther's Full STEAM Ahead initiative to help kids get into the hobby and learn important skills along the way. Interested in learning more about Full STEAM Ahead? Visit the Walther's website here: https://trains.walthers.com/full-steam-ahead

If you're talking about companies that built the world, Carrier better come to mind!! Air conditioning has improved our daily lives, making gross states like Florida more livable as well as helping things like indoor ice-skating rinks possible. But technology like this doesn't just show up!! Willis Carrier had to come up with it all on his own, and we're glad that he did. Learn all about the life of Willis Carrier, how he came up with air conditioning, and how the company grew from a single sale to a multi-billion dollar corporation.

Are you looking to go to college for engineering but don't know which field? Are you a Plastics Engineering and curious if you are getting paid enough? Maybe you just want to know what a Plastics Engineer does. We have all this information and more! From the best Plastics Engineering universities in the world, to classes you'll take, how much you'll get paid, and examples of Plastics Engineers in the workplace, this is your one stop shop for all things Plastics Engineering.

One of the greatest inventors of all time, Thomas Edison did more than just invent the light bulb and assembly line. Kidding!! He didn't invent either, though he is often credited for these things. As great of an inventor as he was, he was also a savvy businessman, figuring out how to manufacturing the light bulb in a more cost effective way to mass produce it and get it into houses around the world. What else did he do? You'll have to take a listen to find out!

Do you ever pull up to the pump and realize that only has diesel fuel? I hate that!! But do you know why some vehicles run on diesel instead of gasoline? We look into the advantages and disadvantages of both engine types and look at how they operate, investigating everything from spark plugs to air fuel mixtures.

Depending on where you live, water towers may be a big part of your life. New York City, for instance, has a ton of water towers on top of their buildings which serve a number of purposes, not the least of which is to help with fire protection. In this episode, we take a look at the history of water towers, the various components and designs, what role they play in our daily lives, and how they actually work to deliver water to our homes and other buildings.

The Periodic Table of Elements is full of amazing things, from the material properties of the various elements to where they can be found in nature, if at all. In this episode of Unprofessional Engineering, we take a look at some of the most uniquely named elements, both those that sound like they are named after superheroes as well as countries! Sit back and enjoy this little bit of science and fun.

One of the many tools in the engineering tool belt, Finite Element Analysis (or FEA)is the process of simulating the behavior of a part or assembly under given conditions so that it can be assessed using the Finite Element Method (FEM). That doesn't clear things up for you? How about this: FEA breaks 3D CAD models into tiny parts to understand if they are going to break. Like if Luke sits on a chair after not being on a diet, will he weigh too much for it to hold? That's FEA!! Join us to understand why engineers rely on FEA, the part it played in getting us to the moon, and more!

How cool would it be to come up with an invention that is so important that someone ends up naming their company after you? That's exactly what happened with the great inventor we are looking into in this episode, Charles Goodyear. Yup, he didn't start Goodyear what-so-ever!! But his invention of vulcanization was so crazy important that Frank Seiberling started the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company using the Goodyear name. Join us for a quick chat about the life of Charles Goodyear, how he came up with vulcanization, and more!

We all know BMW for their cars, and maybe have even heard about their time in the aerospace industry, but they have offered a lot more to the world over their existence. Join us to explore the history of BMW, how they got their start, the impact of the World Wars on the company, and even their time spent making pots and pans!

We were joined once again by our friend Greg Paulsen of Xometry, this time to discuss distributed manufacturing and the many advantages it brings, especially during a global pandemic. Not sure what distributed manufacturing is? Don't worry! We didn't really know either, and that is probably because Xometry is basically the one who invented it. If that doesn't catch your interest, I don't know what will!

If you are thinking about getting into engineering, curious about job growth, wondering if you are getting paid enough, or just like listening to guys talk about engineering, this episode is for you! We are looking into what Industrial Engineering is, the classes you would take in university, the typical job functions performed, and anything else related to the field. Sit back and enjoy! Who knows? You might even decide it is time for a change.