Yep, another analogy …

As I watch the news I often find myself comparing the world’s issues to my daily hustle hoping to glean some nugget of wisdom. I do this because I‘d otherwise feel like I’ve been placed on the revolving rock with a few billion morons. Not that I’m smarter than anyone else, it’s just that the news will do that to you.

Anyway… you may not know this but there is a little foreign material leaking into the ocean. People who know about this are mad. Real mad. They have mostly been mad at the company who usually makes a lot of money when that stuff doesn’t pour out into the ocean. This is just human nature; be mad at those who have screwed things up, especially if they have more money than you.

The funny thing is that lately I’ve noticed some people are aiming their scorn at the people tasked with stopping the leak. Not the people who made the mess, but the people who are trying to wipe it up. And let me tell you, that is a hard friggin mess to wipe up!!!

That brings me to CAD Administration.
The job of a CAD Administrator is to help people be more productive. Most admins I know are just that, a “servant leader” if you will. And a few (me included) are volunteers who have unofficially acquired the job because they were the only one foolish enough to take it. They don’t make anymore money than anyone else. They just have a bit more in their bucket of responsibility. Plus, most admins are tasked with improving, solving, or fixing situations that they had no hand in fouling up.

So the next time you want to be mad at your CAD administrator, first consider if they had any control over the mess before it was handed to them.

CRASH!!! BOOM!!! THUD!!! (that was me falling off my soap-box)

Well, the server came in last night and we’ll be hooking it up in a little while. This should be fun.

Serve(r) and Volley

A few weeks ago we closed the office that housed the majority of our Product Engineering and have since been in the process of moving everything to our headquarters (where I work). I have been tasked with getting all the engineering data here as quickly as possible so design work can recommence. The difficulty is that there are still a handful of engineers working out of that office who need to access that data and finish their projects. They are the last people I wanted to inconvenience as most of them are losing their jobs.
So I spent a few days trying to copy their entire Intralink server to ours over the WAN but quickly realized it would take forever. I finally convinced everyone it was best to shut their server down, FedEx it here and have the few people remaining there work over the WAN. Oh well, so much for not hassling anyone.

It’s one of those things where you’re going to get someone mad at you no matter what you do. Funny thing is that I have more people here giving me $h!+ than at the office that is being closed.
I’m quickly reminded that there will always be people who complain about anything they can get their misery aimed at (no matter how much you are helping them).

As I find myself saying more and more these days, “It is what it is”.

How to tell if you're a massive, massive geek

Although it has nothing to do with design, I had to post this hilarious strip from Dave Kellett and his comic Sheldon.
The scary thing is that this actually happened to me a few weeks ago.

I'm such a geek.

It's Time to Celebrate the Designers

So here I am on class trip with my 10 year old daughter stuck in the back of a touring bus with a dozen sugar-intoxicated screeching girls. All I can say is "thank God for noise canceling ear-buds!!!". These things are absolutely wonderful.

As the FooFighters drowned out the cackling it got me thinking about the wonderful things in my life, and that someone designed them all. iPods, guitars, fishing reels and gas-grills. Someone like me sat through brainstorming sessions, made CAD models, and worked the tolerance stack-ups the same way I do every day.

It made me proud to do what i do.

It also jumpstarted my imagination. I started to think, "Us Designers need to be honored properly". And what higher form of honor is there than a Bud Light "Real American Heroes" commercial?

So here you go:

Bud Light presents, Real American Heroes.
(Real American Heroes)

Today we salute you Mr. 3-D CAD Designer Guy.
(Mr. 3-D CAD Designer Guy)

Never before has being an uber geek been so cool.
Just you, your computer, and 12 cups of bad office coffee.
(Man, I have to pee)

Sure, most guys dream of spending a day with a model, but you're paid to do it every single day.
(Way cooler than the accountants)

You check them out. You measure their curves. You even get to spin them around.
(ctrl / middle mouse button)

So crack open a Bud Lite oh Master of the Mouse and we'll keep wishing we were as cool as you think you are.
(Mr. 3-D CAD Designer)

"System Maintenance"

I've been working on a large data exchange with our Intralink server and was apparently a little over zealous with my purging. As a result I had send out the following message to our CAD users...

"Please do not save to the Intralink database for the rest of the day. I have to perform system maintenance that will take approximately 8 hours. You can still work locally. Just do not check-in as you will lose your work."

Ahhh the old "system maintenance" message.

system maintenance (sis•tem mâne•ten•ens) -
The reason a System Administrator gives for having to restart the server after he has messed something up.

Hydrogen and Stupidity

For those of you who saw the title and clicked here for pictures of the Hindenburg disaster; Here is your gratuitous image.

Now, please move along...

Here is my original post for anyone who cares to stick around:

I work for a company that makes hydrogen fuel cell products.

You may have noticed that hydrogen has become an intriguing story over the last decade. In the days following 9/11 world leaders were talking about a new energy economy based on the most abundant element in out universe. This new infrastructure was supposed to create new jobs and break our dependence on foreign oil. Hydrogen vehicles were discussed as a solution to our inefficient and environmentally filthy combustion engines. All in all it seemed like a great idea until everyone started to realize how difficult hydrogen is to get in its pure form.

Well, I was doing a little web-based research (regenersurfing) and came across this quote from the late-great Frank Zappa…

Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.
Frank Zappa

Brilliant!!!
Now if we could only find a way to harness the world’s stupidity and put it to good use. Also, something tells me it would much easier to find stupidity in its purest form.

PTC UX - WF6

One of the things I forgot to mention while at the PTC/User World Event is that I did the User Experience evaluation of Wildfire 6.0.

I usually avoid doing these one-on-one evaluations because I feel like a complete jackass fumbling through the simple steps I'm given. But I couldn't resist the allure of poking at the next version, so I took it for a spin and all I can say is, "Wow!!!"

Everything looks different. And I mean that in a good way.

The ribbon UI is now predominant in all command menus (not just detailing). This is a plus for me as I'm a big fan of the ribbon. Tasks are very logically organized making part and assembly creation a breeze. I was amazed at how intuitive it felt. It honestly seemed easier to find commands in WF6 than in the version I'm familiar with (WF3). Needless to say, that "jackass" feeling never showed up.

A few days ago I was drooling at the idea of jumping from WF3 to WF5 (have I mentioned WF5 frigging rocks?). Now I'm lustfully awaiting the release of 6.0

The only problem with witnessing the future is the present suddenly feels bland and uninspiring. Oh well, my inner-geek now has something to dream about.

Thanks to my new friend Amir for letting me kick the tires. Keep in touch.

Planet PTC (a new era in the PTC/User experience)

I mentioned in my day 1 update that PTC would be taking over financial support for PTC/User World Event conferences. Upon hearing the news my immediate concern was that these very educational seminars would quickly become a canned PTC marketing event. I was specifically concerned that the “independent voice” of users would be thrown to the curb and replaced with a controlled forum for PTC to push their products to customer management (completely bypassing those with the keyboard and mouse in their hands).

Now, after further discussion with PTC employees, PTC/User board members and longtime conference attendees I feel much more comfortable about the new future of the conference. I will go so far as to say that there is a sense of excitement towards a new era of the still “independent” PTC user voice.

PTC and the PTC/User board are quite aware of these concerns and will be sure to ease these apprehensions by providing a quality event year after year.

This new experience will be called Planet PTC. It will be provided in 3 forms:

• Planet PTC Live: the new name of the PTC/User World Event

• Planet PTC Community: the online “community for PTC customers and everyone dedicated to product development excellence”

• Planet PTC Virtual: a series of virtual educational seminars

PTC/User 2010 day 2 (morning update)

The morning session started off with an announcement by Ron Watson that PTC would be taking over all future PTC/User conferences.
The new slogan will be "The Independent Voice of Communist CAD Users" (all right, I made that last part up).

The key note speaker this morning was Peter Burrows who has 40 years of cool IT experience. After a rocking sports compilation video he shared how Adidas uses PTC products to quickly conceptualize, coordinate and create sports gear to suite a rapidly demanding customer base.
It's always inspiring to see the tools I use everyday make sexier products than hydrogen fuel cells. But the most enlightening thing I got from Mr. Burrows' speech had nothing to do with technology. My wife might not dig it, but I cannot wait to buy a toupee and glue it to my upper lip.














That is bad-ass.

I then sat in on David Haigh’s Putting All the Pieces Together: Pro/ENGINEER Admin 101. David did a great job of front to back Pro/E setup for standardized CAD use. I was impressed with his level of efficient detail. It is definitely worth taking a look at his presentation. Best of all he has one of those deep James Earl Jones voices. It felt like pro/E story time except I wasn’t wearing my pj’s.

Ps.
***WARNING***
Afternoon sessions may be raucous and odorous due to the TexMex lunch.

Day 1 (BTW version)

Apparently I had my "geek" on yesterday because I missed a few significant notes. I guess that's what happens when you're enthralled in CAD lust (have I mentioned WF5 frigging rocks?).

Anyway, here are a couple extra notes from the Corporate Update
- 20% of every PTC dollar goes to product development.
- 40% of PTC employees work in R&D
- MathCAD has been "reinvigorated" with release of MathCAD Prime.
- The bigger news of the day was the tease introduction of "Project Lighting". Jim Heppelman began by stating "there has not been a radical CAD innovation since 1985" (which was the intro of pro/E). With that he introduced PTC's vision of the next 20 years of CAD, Project Lightning. The only real hint was that it would be an app-based platform similar to the iPod/iPhone. There will be a full virtual event intro on October 28, 2010.

PTC/User 2010 Day 1

I shipped off to the 2010 PTC/User Conference in Orlando with 3 learning goals:
1. Assess Pro/E Wildfire 5.0 (comparing it to the incumbent WF3.0)
2. Devise a plan to migrate our Intralink 3.4 CAD data to PDM-Link 9.1
3. Research engineering to supplier CAD data control & transfer solutions.

So here is what I learned on Day 1:
Let’s be clear, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 friggin rocks!!! Here’s why…

• Real-time Dynamic Editing; No more crappy preview display. If the preview shows it, it’s done.
• Smarter regeneration; It only regenerates dependent features (children) of the modified feature.
• If a feature fails due to changes to an earlier feature change you can actually keep going without entering resolve mode, then fix the error later. I know, it sounds like a really bad idea (you could actually hear the CAD Admins in attendance gasping in terror) but there is control. With certain config options you can prevent users from checking in or even saving until these unstable features are resolved. The big idea behind this concept is allowing the designer to keep going while an inspiration is fresh instead of impeding creativity with a trip through Resolve Mode hell.
• Trajectory ribs. This is a rocking idea that is now a reality. No more self created UDF's.
• Surface based coordinate systems
• Patterning is vastly improved
• Lots of great sketcher tool improvements
• You can now mirror and pattern sheet metal wall features (and groups of features)
• Auto-round option on sheet metal form features
• Parting-line round transition control
• The Help Center interface and controls are much better than WF 3.0

As for the other 2 goals…
There aren’t as many CAD data migration lectures this year. It’s a sign that we are way behind the times, as most companies have already taken the plunge.
I am in the process of getting a PTC specialist to come in and give us an assessment of our current software portfolio as it compares to our data transfer challenges.

The good thing is that it’s only day 1.

Just another tip from your Uncle Lar...

Pro/E users; do you use external copy geometry features when transferring data from one model to another in an assembly? (Please say “YES”)

When you copy geometry do you copy all the surfaces of the entire model? (Please, for the love of God say “NO!!!”)

Nothing con-volutes a model more than a bunch of unneeded live geometry. It may be the easy thing to do (and it may look cool), but you should only copy the geometry you “absolutely need”.

There are a few reasons for this:

1. It’s simple, the more copied geometry, the greater your chances of failed features due to the original being modified.

2. Regeneration time. Don’t believe me? Try it both ways with a stop watch. Then consider that time difference if everyone who works on your product modeled the same way.

3. If all of those models have full surface geometries over-lapping each other you most likely are selecting surfaces that you do not intend to select. This could very well be creating circular references (talk about a convoluted mess).

These are only a few reasons you want to be efficient when using shared geometry. Don’t get me wrong, shared geometry is a wonderful tool. But like most wonderful things, it can turn quickly if you are not careful.

Just another tip from your Uncle Lar…

Let the Production Increase BEGINNN!!!

Our CEO just sent an email to the entire company stating that, "Starting today, coffee will be free for all employees". WOOHOO!!!
It looks like we are kicking this thing into overdrive.

You might be an engineer if…

• your idea of good interpersonal communication means getting the decimal point in the right place
• you have "Dilbert" comics displayed anywhere in your work area
• you look forward to Christmas so you can put together the kids' toys
• you know the direction the water swirls when you flush
• you have ever taken the back off your TV just to see what's inside
• a team of you and your co-workers have set out to modify the antenna on the radio in your work area for better reception
• you own one or more white short-sleeve dress shirts
• you have ever purchased an electronic appliance "as-is"
• the salespeople at Best Buy can't answer any of your questions
• you have introduced your kids by the wrong name
• you have a habit of destroying things in order to see how they work
• you can remember 7 computer passwords but not your anniversary
• you thought the real heroes of "Apollo 13" were the mission controllers
• you think that when people around you yawn, it's because they didn't get enough sleep
• your lap-top computer costs more than your car
• you comment to your spouse that his/her straight hair is nice and parallel
• your favorite actor is R2D2

One stop shopping

My wife just told me that my blog has become a real downer with all of the layoff talk. So let’s take care of that right now….

A bunch of us decided to go out for lunch today and were having the “most embarrassing thing you ever did at work” discussion. There were some pretty funny stories but judging by the laughter I was the biggest moron at the table.

My story:
I was fresh out of college and a few hours into my first real job. I had drastically over dressed by wearing a suit and tie to the shop and was regretting the pot of coffee I drank that morning. After enduring hours of insurance forms, orientation and facility tours I had one thing on my mind; my old friend John who happens to be made of porcelain.

I snuck away to the factory floor where I saw a men’s room a few hours before. I went in and was immediately standing in front of a trough. I wasn’t too surprised to see this relic of the rest room as the facility was easily over 100 years old.

Anybody who has ever used a trough knows that it isn’t the most comfy of places to empty your bladder. Stage fright can set in quickly so “speed” is the name of the game. The room was empty and I got to work right away.

Not long after I started some one walked in. I realized that he was looking at me kind of funny as he walked by. I just figured he was a weirdo who happened to like the troth dynamic. But he kept on walking to the previously unnoticed row of urinals.

I looked in front of me and there it was; a soap dispenser. That’s when it hit me

I was making a terrible mistake!!!

Yep. It was my 1st day, I was wearing a suit, and I was peeing in the sink.

I immediately dug down deep into my inner self and found the will to stop mid-stream (never an easy task). I then zipped up, got squirt of soap and I stepped on the water lever to rinse off my hands and flush at the same time. I ran out and never used the trough again.

There it is. My most embarrassing work moment. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

My personal oil spill has finally been obstructed

The other night I was watching the experts on the funbox (tv) discuss the various ways they would stop the spewing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. As I listened to the experts (that no oil company feels compelled to hire) compete for “smartest man in the room” honors I realized that this is a friggin’ difficult situation. You’re trying to perform a very delicate procedure 50,000 feet beyond your physical reach while the environmentally concerned world is breathing down your neck.

As I took it all in it made me wonder, “What in the world could be harder than that?”. Then it hit me. This is what I’ve been doing for the last 18 months.

Stay with me here…

“perform a very difficult procedure” = Design and manufacture a machine that turns hydrogen and air into electricity.

“50,000 feet beyond your physical reach” = Instruct someone on the phone in India through that insanely complex procedure from your desk in New York.

“while the environmentally concerned world is breathing down your neck” = “while the environmentally/economically concerned investor is breathing down your neck”

Get it? I’ve been doing the mechanical engineering version of the deep-water jimmy-hat for the last year and half. The only difference being no ocean life is in danger, much less $$$ is being wasted and Geraldo Rivera doesn’t seem to give a crap.

Well, the cool part of my story is that we were able to cap our oil leak by finally delivering the design. The ironic twist is the moment we finished our product delivery Sales and Marketing came to the realization that they can’t sell it. So our entire program has been canceled.

Oh well, sometimes you have to work your butt off to find out that the world just wasn’t ready for something so cool. Plus that hard work always makes you smarter, stronger and more prepared for the next big challenge.

We know we kicked a$$ on this project and will gladly move on to the next challenge; Motive Power Fuel Cells.

A rough one today

Today was one of those days that you hate to remember. ½ of my co-workers at Plug Power lost their jobs (117 in all). One of them being Jonathan B., who has sat right next to me for the last 6 months. What a bummer.

The good thing (for those of us left) is that our company will be very focused for the foreseeable future. Plug has become crippled over the last few years by depending too much on international collaboration and by trying to develop too many different products. It may work for us some day, but it clearly wasn’t working right now.

The immediate solution:

As a result of the above mentioned problems Plug will be consolidating all employees to one location (Latham, NY), and we will be focused on one product (material handling power systems).

I have to admit that I’m starting to get excited about the new adventures as the initial shock and sadness wears off.

"Pro/E doesn't work"

So I’m sitting at my desk a little while ago and I get a phone call from one of our engineers who only uses Pro/E when he wants to pick on someone’s else’s work. Let’s call him “Oprah” to protect his identity. I answer the phone and the following conversation unfolds…

Larry: “Hello, Larry Pitts.”

Oprah: “Hey Man, it’s Oprah. Pro/E doesn’t work.”

Larry: “Ohhh (suppressing a million sarcastic replies) Ummm, can you be more specific?"

Oprah: “Yeah, I click on the Icon, enter my name and password, and it tells me I can’t get in.”

Larry: “Ok, when is the last time you turned your computer off and back on?” (always the 1st question any CAD admin should ask)

Oprah: “When I got here.”

Larry: “Ok, I’ll be right over.”

So I go and sit down at Oprah’s desk and take a look. I immediately notice that the taskbar looks like the blades of a radiator because there are so many programs open. I turn to Oprah and say, “I thought your computer was restarted just this morning. How did you get all of these programs open?”

Oprah looks at me very seriously and says, “I didn’t say that. I meant I turned it on when I started working here in January.”

the end

Check out the voCADulary

Those of you that are familiar with the old badDesign.us website probably remember the voCADulary list. It was by far my favorite part of running that website. Especially because I received so many great words from everyone.

So I'm happy to say the list is back. I just added it to the badCAD blog [click here]. Be sure to comment or send me any new ones.

Getting Ready for PTC/User World Event 2010

Well, I'm getting ready to attend the big PTC/User conference in Orlando in a little more than a week. Last year's shindig was great, and I’m expecting this year’s will be even better.
One thing that really surprised me last year was the overall quality and attendance considering that the economy was in such shambles. I had expected a dialed-back version from previous years, but that was not the case. From the moment I arrived at the Shingle Creek Hotel I realized that it would be much more comfortable than the previous year in Long Beach CA. The Rosen Shingle Creek is one amazing place and the staff is great. Having been involved behind the scenes I can honestly say that they are top-notch.
So you should be getting very excited if you are fortunate enough to attending this year’s event.

Welcome to badCAD

Hi. My name is Larry Pitts. Some of you might remember me from my website www.BadDesign.us, while others may have endured one of my PTC-User presentations. How ever you ended up here, I hope you enjoy your visit.

If you’ve ever met me you know that I like to have fun (especially when I am not supposed to). Whether it’s sitting in a design review, traffic court or church I have a hard time being serious. Just like that kid in the Sixth Sense saw “dead people”, I see “funny people”.

One thing I have learned is that this black and white world of hard physics and pocket protectors can be very funny if you look at it from a different angle. Call it what you will; engineering satire, design follies, or just plain nerd humor, this amusement may be the one thing that gets you through another day of monotonous meetings and tolerance stack-ups.
On the other hand, if this stuff isn't funny to you you’re probably the butt of more office jokes than you realize.

Either way, I hope you enjoy my weird ramblings on the wacky world of design.