Retired Engineers

Welcome!

Nice to hear that there are still people like you folks around.

Our current project is to build low emission, high efficency biomass fueled locomotives. Our long term goal is to promote sustainable forestry, and have biomass fueled equipment (made by us) all the way from the stump to the furnace. Oh, yeah, and this will create good jobs in areas like the Adirondacks, Nova Scotia, etc.

"Retirement" for me will mean operating a short line railroad hauling forest products out of the mountains, and maybe the occasional tourist excursion.

We currently have the engineering support we need, have the draft design document done and are putting the finishing touches on our business plan.

We are a startup company but we make it a point not to ask anyone for "freebies" or to ask our consultant partners to "work at risk." But if this sounds like the sort of project you gentlemen are interested in, then welcome!

BTW I had never heard of the Iron Ring before. I am duly impressed.

This has been a thoroughly refreshing experience. srofficer86 has possibly begun something that won't stop, 'cause there's no telling how much horsepower this collective group has in just the short duration of this thread....

Humbling how many people there are, willing to throw in to help others..

Hello there.

Working on a proof of concept gas turbine.

Will need some help.

Wondering if I could get your group's contact and maybe shoot a question every now and then?

Appreciated.

I have an prototype of a solar fresnel lens colector that can gather 80% of the energy into work. what is the best way for me to productize? I am showing to investors with NDA currrently, what is the best way to proceed? this unit is 4 times the effienciency of all other compretitors.

SSG

Ok, thinking 'out of the box', lets look at 'other ways' to get this in use.

First, are you wanting to monetize it personally? You are going about it in the standard closed way.

Are there other ways to monetize it? Get a 'small group' to work with you (even a virtual group, that yes, have done NDAs with you) to help engineer inexpensive ways to produce and implement it into practicle use. The group would need 'pay' (promiseds of 'options', etc or license to produce with low 'royalties' once it is made 'available', or something similar ... if you want $$$, they probably want $$$ or equivalent out of efforts too!)

If money is not your main goal, you might make it an 'open' idea. Publish it, write some articles, get some 'hobbiests' to buy in, and get it in use using a grass roots group like the open source software community to buy in. Your idea will get used and expanded on, but you may not see much $$$, but you will get lots of 'glory'. ... Even if you do 'open' it, does not mean you can't sell it as a product, but you may get competition quicker if it is easily reproduced inexpensively. But you could have lots of 'helpers' to get it done and get the jump on others and be a leader in the field.

Is it patented currently? If so, what are the patent numbers it is based on?

Just some thoughts.

I am thinking of creating a LLC and give some pay and some shares to helpers. I had done this once before 30 years ago and went back to work for other people till now. I am research engineer and need business writing business plan, help. There are now new techniques to be applied to old concepts. Patent is being applied for with updated and improved claims. Prime time to do solar now is better than 30 years ago.

thanks,

SSteve

Hi..

Can your group help us in taking new Engineering Mechnism Invention (Patented in 43 countries including US & Germany) called ROTARY VARIABLE COMPRESSION RATIOn (RVCR) having applications in :

Internal Combustion Engines, Compressors, Pumps etc.

The RVCR ensures :

1. Higher Fuel efficiency for IC Engines

2. Almost half power to weight ratio

3. Considerable reduction in Emissions

4. Possibility of first time ever -Multi-fuel IC Engine

This new `Disruptive Technology' has vast implications on the future engineering core-mechanism...let's make world evenl better for future generations by leaving behind engineering-legacy ..

please see few details at gytak.com

Regards,

Sanjeev

Do you have any single "cylinder" (or whatever shape is your compression volume) engine on life tests? Are the hours completed measured in more than 2 digits?

Ed Weldon

Hi fellows:

It is nice to know entusiastic engineers as all of your group. Congratulations!!!!!

I am 64 -but not retired yet- with a docen projects in my agenda.

In one of them, we need to weld all arround an asembled sandwich of -zig-zag stamped steel plates 4x10 feet each- to make composed panels for heat exchangers.

As the gasoline auto-tanks making technique, we plan to use an automatic CNC table to preciselly weld the sandwich edges, to be water tight, by mean of greenest process, simplest, faster as posible -say 3 m per minute- and cheapest though.

Pending on application, we choose .025 SSteel for best corrosion resistance, as well as tin plated steel sheets to make cheaper panels, but tin contaminate the weld so how.

What welding torch should we use for it? : 1- Microwire (MIG), 2- plasma (TIG), 3- induction, 4- laser, or 5-resistance welding rolls.

Please, Give me a hand, to pinpoint the 2 best choices and suppliers to work on the following investment step.

JOSE M JIMENEZ, CHEM ENG.

ZAPOPAN, JAL. MEXICO.

Hey admins! yoohooo!

I think <retired engineers/technical people who are "still with it"> needs to just become another forum all on it's own... too many friendly volunteers...not enough ways to organize it all in one thread.

I've proposed a group at least... cast your vote here

An engineer may retire from companies/service.As you are being a professional of respectable knowledge hood and the zeal to contribute-My suggestion is,could you please find time to transfer your knowledge value/speciality expertization into worthful technical/practical book/books/manuals?It could be of treasure value for next generations,you can get sponsorers too.Best regards.

This does not lead us anywhere. The group of Engineers Without Borders is designed for a different specific function. I, aged 63, propose to set up an interactive web site of retired engineers with specific information regarding the capabilities so that querists can reach proper persons. This requires initial investment. If 30 persons can donate $100 each, the work can be taken up. Afterwards it will be on no profit no loss basis. If due to inadequate response only part of $3000 is received, the entire amount will be donated for a children charity/ scholarship fund. Interested persons can contact me at bvrao46@gmail.com If excess amount is received, the same will be kept in reserve until the website work is completed. It will be given to charity if not required later for initial staff expenses. Undersigned is also founder president of a school for mentally retarded children.

i am a retired engineer with more than ordinary knowledge and common sense. steel, brewery,lead acid battery are the places i have worked.

Sounds like the same mission as SCORE, but with and engineering and not business orientation.

(SCORE, service corps of retired executives, is typically retired small business owners that educate and tutor small business owners under the glag of SCORE. SCORE has alligned itself in the USA (I don't know if it is elsewhere too) with the US SBA, Small Business Administration that is part of the US department of commerce. Whew, I hope I got that mostly right!)

Sounds like a great idea to me!

There also used to be (maybe still is) a group of senior engineers called USAID, I believe, that provided engineering services to third world countries. I do not know if it still exists or not...

Hi all,

We started a blog & user group here on CR4 last year

Apix

we were trying to do a open sourced engineering project. The use of biomas into value added products to raise the standard of living in economically disadvantaged areas.

I would like to re energize the project...

Here's a link: http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/5371

We've gotten boged down in the legal stuff in India.

our founding members are:

http://cr4.globalspec.com/member?u=7825

http://cr4.globalspec.com/member?u=11231

I suppose this is as good a place as any to throw this idea out. My idea is a business that any retired engineer with solid experience and who is still up on his abilities could start on his own with little more than a computer, a small website and a credit card account to collect payments.

Set yourself up as a broker for providing technical answers from qualified engineers to problems posed by clients. Prescreened client member presents the problem with enough information to permit an engineer to produce a reasonably concise and specific answer. The problem is posted on the website. Engineer members offer to provide a solution and the website facilitates the negotiation between the two by the broker over issues about the content and price of the solution. No project can exceed a fixed low limit of compensation, say $100 or $200, and the broker takes a percentage cut of the negotiated fee that goes to the responding engineer. Students could pose their problems; but they'd need to provide the name of the university, course and email contact info for the professor and promise to provide full attribution for all answers they submit to meet course requirements. The student should expect the prof. to receive a copy of the answer he was given.

Answers could be anything you can put in an email but must include attribution. Engineer responders would agree to stay with in the limits of "fair use" and provide attribution where appropriate. Like no copying of pages out of obscure, expensive or OOP reference books, journals or magazines.

Participants on both sides would remain anonymous to each other until all including the broker (who obviously knows each would agree to introductions.)

This is a just a suggested starter model. Any who would try this can take it anywhere they want. And no, I'm not going to do this myself. Too busy working on other fun projects.

Ed Weldon

There is a site called 'ExpertsExchange' that is similar to what you are suggesting, I think.

A quick look at Experts Exchange tells me that this is a site limited in focus to computer technology. I think it would be nice to come up with something a bit more general. It is also not clear how Experts Exchange would reward their "experts", other than through the awarding of "points" (I suspect sort of like GA's here). It would also appear that revenue is derived from corporate subscriptions, not from direct transactions involving specific engineering solutions...

Hi Alf From MODAK Australia, I thank those that made comments on my project.

As for srofficer86, I think he has found away with the reaction he has incured for the world to be helped and some retired people to help their income in the way of small royalties or bonus of completed project , As consultants yes insurance is required but as an open information forum page, no they don`t.

I think there is a great opening here for CR4 or any enterprising person to put a Web site together for all us old farts so we can keep our minds active and do some good and segmented into panels of each proffesion.

Money

Money, volunteerism, NGO's, self-organizing fiscal entities and a variety of other "solutions" have been proposed in a thread that actually just asked for volunteering opportunities.

So perhaps there is more demand than I would have imagined for getting paid for this activity.

There are two approaches that come to mind:

For the solo operator who prefers to work alone I might recommend Innocentive. I am sure having found something you might need help with you could come back and organize some help.

For those who wish (if the demand is sufficient) perhaps the hosts could create a section of the Commercial space in General for proposing projects and self-organizing teams could congregate there.

For both groups there are a host of online resources for file exchange, project space, revision control of documents already mentioned here and in other threads.

I came here for the comaraderie, the openness of ideas and conversation. I will probably continue to use the forum as such. That said, I have nothing against those that wish to pursue refunding their lost retirements here, either.

I do fear it might change the nature of a place I love dearly, but change is the only constant in life.

dear friends, I was very excited as I read your mail, then the next day I learned that because of tax paying you can't work with people that are not residents of NAFTA countries,but since I have nothing to loose,I'm asking you if you will be able only to make some small calculation that will enable me to consider if my idea for a sistem to produce hydrogen from sea water using wind energy is feasible or not. I need to know it before I spend the little sum of money that I have to protect my idea as a patent . Since this idea should make the earth to better place to live ,and we are commited for the life of our children and grandchildren,I hope that you will find a way to help me [to help us!] This idea was tested by a friend of mine who is an aerodynamic engineer, and he loves it,but still there are some questions that should be carefully calculated, and there is required more experience in marine engineering,especially in sails. kind regards azriel nativ kibutz nir david israel

AZ Native,

Great intension.One caution is, for technologies/inventions intended for patenting, open discussions will spoil novelty.Rather in areas where inventors seek support go thro' available literatures by way of learn it yourself. The best way is to try and verify with low cost simulation tests at your end, think on it and confirm for yourself. In case your are helpless, add the key facilitator to your joint patent ownership, which can fetch possible true collaborations.

One best way is to indirectly seek indirect questions to the expert persons on issues concerned with your doubt,but surely not the invention wholly.

There are protocols concerned with inventions meant for patenting.Go thro' the same.The invention, the pure risk baby of th inventor

We are looking for engineers to build a prototype for a wireless device. Please call at 4157313301

Hello everyone.

Could someone go to the thread.

Gas turbine ceramic bearings. Help.

And help if you can?

Thanks

link

Hi,

This is really wonderful..Thanks for joining this forum and it would be very helpful for young engineers like me, who are starting on our careers.

Hi,

Nice to know about your interest in this subject, what areas are you and your colleagues interested, how about power generation sector, which includess, engines, steam and gas turbines etc.

Engineer Angels is seeking retired engineers to assist laypersons in developing consumer product prototypes. Please contact info@engineerangels.com.

Hi,

I am EE Ms far from retirement. Got across this posting looking if there was something like this setup and just to say that after reading some of the posts, I am proud of seeing the level of ethics and idealism still out there in such widespread. Just four thoughts:

- We want to avoid dispersion, so, probably falling under EWB would be nice. Problem is that they seem focus on only one kind of projects (civil engineering). I checked with Score, but not organized either with wider vision.

- What I am missing is a site like sourceforge, but for more than software, where people can suggest projects, those projects have their own areas and people works towards them. A nice example of the framework for the project area would be: http://www.nuigroup.com/ (the topic may be more or less appealing...). People could choose where to contribute just by seeing them. There could be also a general forum where people can just post questions...

- Why this? Let me give you an example: Probably if you had a cheap MRI machine, you would effectively have the cure for at least few types of cancers. That would basically be achieved by early detection through periodical screening. Yes, there are many arguments around this but that could also be a discussion on the forum, where people other than engineers could debate if the following project makes or not sense (I'll save you those :) ). I work on the IC industry, serving mostly medical instrument companies. I know what it costs to make an IC for an MRI machine and I could get the best done, but have little idea of what it takes to make the magnet of an MRI machine and what it would take to make it cheaper or even remove it. There you go, I would create a project with that target and drive it...

- I think solutions come from many places, from philanthropist as well as from greedy people. From big corporations as well as from creative individuals and entrepreneurs. I get paid by a big corporation and try to work on a better world inside and outside my job.

- Let's open the site to different groups. Engineer retirees may drive it. Just because of their experience and bandwidth. But you need many disciplines. For instance, the rules are out there for good or for bad, so, it would be nice to have a troop of lawyers to defend the territory when needed.

Sorry for the long posting :(

Did this discussion end? Is there anything in the world worth keeping this discussion alive?

In the last few days we have seen the worst disaster that the western hemisphere has ever experienced, and it just so happens that the disaster is happening to the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, people without education, means to sustinance, without monies to even introduce and build housing according to any code of compliance. Even the Presidential palace was built without codes.

I'm sure that we can do something. Hell we spent enough time talking about doing something, now is the time to get it on.

What I am suggesting is that we commit to participate in forming a consulting group that will become a volunteer Haiti engineering and construction professional organization.

Firstly, we have to organize ourselves into somehow a ragtime group and become known to the Haitian government.

Next we have to have a member that lives near or in DC that can act as a lobyist and explain who we are and how we will need their help. Help will be needed in whatever we wish to accomplish from getting support from engineering professional organizations, government concerns and of course government AID centers.

How are we doing so far?

Let me know

Tom

I am of a similar mind regarding something along the lines of "egineers without borders". However, I am not sure how to implement some form of assistance- engineering support, especially in this case, would, I suspect, require a long-term in situ presence to effect any significant advance. I do not know how to teach people who are educationally challenged about building codes and sanitation and other such topics. When one is absolutely poor, one has a tendancy to cluge together basic shelter from whatever is available, and that will not change, no matter how much education one provides. I am not even convinced that sending great sums of money can do much more than just ease a little of the immediate suffering, because the on-going needs of the community are not going to be addressed. If one looks at the pictures of the government palace that collapsed- I do not think it was the architect or engineer that provided inappropriate design, but, rather, a lack of quality control during construction is what resulted in this collapse. How do you insure that the local contractors adhere to design specification, especially when there is insufficient steel available at any cost, and there are no facilities for testing concrete mixes...

Sounds like an "Engineers Without Borders" kind of group.

The main problem I see is funding (isn't that always the case) that keeps us from performing physical tasks. ... Bummer

I presently work for a small rural town, Superior Arizona (USA). We are trying to advance into the 21st century, yet we haven't made any advances since 1972. That is when we installed our waste treatment processing plant. Presently, there are Government Grants pertaining to energy efficiency that we may be able to utilize in the up-dating and/or desperately needed deferred maintanance of this plant. Also, we have received 2 grants for photo-voltaic systems. Since we do not have a Town Engineer, we often "waste" these funds and are essentially just "guessing" as to the best approach. When we do utilize a local Engineering firm for insight, there often are no monies left for the project itself. If we could find a "Retired Engineer" that could be of assistance, It would be of great benefit to the 3200 residents of our community. The two most pressing issues would be the waste treatment plant and most effective use of our photo-voltaic grants.

Still looking for Santa Claus, Curt

Sorry I am not an expert on waste treatment plants, so this is from my memory.

Figure out what needs to be done intermittently. ... Like running aireation pumps, etc. Start by determining the power required, if it could be done with DC motors, and power the pumps during 'daylight only'. This saves the cost of power storage and keeps the cost of the system down. If you can get at least part of your power usage down it will make the plant more economical. Batteries and charging circuits could be added later if you find you have more capacity than is required. Use any 'extra money' to buy and install more panels.

If you are going without an engineer to optimize the process, try addressing the most power hungry portions first. ... Worst case, you put up pannels and inverters, and power your own current plant using current technologies. At least this can cut down purchased power.

I have been following this discussion since the original post a few months back, and am now writing with a request for help for my young company...

Village Technologies is an energy efficiency company, and we have been helping our clients save energy and money over the last five years by providing auditing and inspection, feasibility testing, design, grants and incentives facilitation and construction management services for new construction, retrofits and renewable energy systems. Our clients include homeowners, developers, property managers / real estate portfolio holders, non-profit and co-op housing groups and business owners.

We are at a stage in our growth where we could use the help an experienced CFO on a part time basis. We see this as a position where a seasoned executive can help us to manage the challenges that face our organization as we move from 'start up' phase into growth to a more mature company.

Not exactly an engineering position, but I am sure there are many people out there with experience in this role in engineering or construction companies...

If you know of someone who may be interested in this, please send a note to greg@villagetechnologies.ca

Please inform us where are you located.Then only I can think of helping you.

Village Technologies is based in Toronto Canada, and we do work here and in the NE United States. We plan to expand, and have the goal of building a chaordic organization that could service North America.

"Retired" engineers. Like "tired" engineers, only later?

Think: Engineers that are tired... again!

Joke aside, for me the idea of retirement as setting in a rocking chair waiting to die is abhorent. ... Hopefully retirement for me is the same as being 'rich'. Enough assets and time to do what I would like to do, without being directed by someone that pays me to do their bidding. ... Not that working for others is bad, that time has just past...

Hi Sir,

You are now master of your own and not a servant. I am also retired engineer keeping myself busy with Yoga 1 hr, Morning walk 1 hr, reading my e-mail including CR4 2 hrs. and free lancing for friends, I fully agree with your views.

Suresh Sharma.