Pneumatics Blog

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers recently published the results of its third annual "sustainability" survey. Some of the respondents dismissed sustainability as a fad embraced by companies solely for its public relations value, while others expressed their support for sustainable design practices. We'd like to know where you come down. In your view, is sustainability a trivial buzzword or an important design consideration?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Pneumatics, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Pneumatics today.

In a recent Design News piece about the top U.S. engineering schools, an engineer affiliated with one university on the list notes that "In the last five to 10 years, engineering curricula have shifted from theory-heavy coursework to a mixture of theory and hands-on experience." Have you noticed this shift in the workplace — i.e., do engineers right out of school seem better prepared to tackle real-world projects today than they did a decade ago?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Pneumatics, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Pneumatics today.

In engineering offices, older workers are an important source of knowledge and experience. But as the economic slump persists, older workers might not seem so valuable to companies looking to reduce costs and head count. Does your company place a high value on older workers, or are they a high-value target of corporate cost-cutters?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Pneumatics, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Pneumatics today.

The Internet age seems to be making it easier for workers to hook up with a mentor. But how common is mentoring in the engineering field today? And how useful is it in furthering careers? Please share your own experience with mentoring, as well as observations about how common and useful it is in the engineering workplace.

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Pneumatics, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Pneumatics today.

"People will never admit it, but money is not the thing they desire most from their work," declares an author in this IndustryWeek article, which discusses ways to motivate workers that don't involve raising their salaries. With corporate budgets so tight in recent years, has your company tried to replace monetary rewards with other ways of expressing their appreciation? If so, how satisfying have these substitutes been compared to a good old-fashioned raise?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Pneumatics, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Pneumatics today.

In November, three leading fluid power organizations will host a conference on energy-efficient hydraulics and pneumatics. According to an advertisement for the conference, many engineers need to know more about designing and maintaining efficient fluid power systems, which can significantly reduce both energy use and costs. In advance of the conference, would you like to share any ideas or information about boosting the efficiency of pneumatic systems with your fellow newsletter readers?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Pneumatics, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Pneumatics today.