ASME TechCast

As advanced manufacturing continues to thrive, the ties among academia, industry, and government must be fostered to ensure the next generation of engineering students enter the workforce fully prepared to tackle the technologies awaiting them. In this episode of ASME TechCast, Kathryn Jablokow, a professor at Penn State, and Tom Kurfess, a professor at Georgia Tech, discuss technology readiness levels and strategies for educators and industry in partnering to prepare engineers for the future. Jablokow and Kurfess are both members of ASME's board of governors and members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Study Committee. Both helped author “Infusing Advanced Manufacturing into Undergraduate Engineering Education,” a report that examines advanced manufacturing techniques for the defense industry and explores how undergraduate engineering programs can better develop advanced manufacturing capabilities in the workforce. 

Kyle Saleeby and Gabriela Ciocarlie of the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute talk about standing up cyber protection throughout the manufacturing supply chain.

ASME sat down to talk with Reid Tolley, founding partner of Talent Matters, an assessment, analytics, and leadership development firm. In this episode he covered how the behavioral assessment, job suitability tool Harrison Assessments differs from personality testing. Tolley explained that the tool can accurately measures how well suited a person is with a specific job and if they score a 75 percent or better, people are three times more likely to enjoy the job, excel at it, and try to excel at it. Since 2012, Tolley has helped leaders of engineering firms and other organizations with talent acquisition and retention, company culture, succession planning, onboarding new talent, and more. Find him at Talent Matters.

Industry 4.0 is a suite of digitally enabled technologies that combine embedded sensors, new kinds of materials, models as digital twins, and cutting edge computing to change the way that companies think about their product and facilities and even their customers. The idea of adopting these advanced manufacturing technologies can be daunting to small companies that have had success with traditional processes. Pavan Muzumdar, chief operating officer at Automation Alley, a nonprofit Industry 4.0 knowledge center based in Troy, Mich., discusses how 3D printing and other Industry 4.0 technologies are transforming small manufacturers.  

Matt Ishler, associate director of career counseling at Penn State University, talks about what engineering students need outside of their core classes.

Engineer, consultant, and author Joshua Plenert talks about Lean Six Sigma and what makes the problem-solving mindset of mechanical engineers uniquely suited for Lean Six Sigma.

Manufacturing has seen a resurgence over the last decade, and the adoption of digital technologies has transformed the industry. But now, engineering education must also adapt and find a way to ensure that the workforce of tomorrow has the right skills and can take full advantage of advanced manufacturing platforms. Tom Kurfess, professor at Georgia Tech and member of ASME's board of governors, discusses the challenges that today's educators and industry face, what some of these technologies are and their applications, and possible solutions.

Engineer, consultant and author Peter Atherton talks about burnout and what makes mechanical engineers susceptible to this medical syndrome newly recognized by the World Health Organization.

The Earth's core provides a tremendous amount of heat. Tapping that heat to produce electric power or to use directly in industrial processes could be a way to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Jamie Beard, founder and executive director of Project InnerSpace, a geothermal advocacy group, discusses a recent report on the prospects for geothermal energy in Texas and elsewhere.

Caltech research scientist Austin Fikes talks about capturing solar energy in space with a satellite that would relay the power to Earth.