Engineers in the Global Marketplace

The emerging global marketplace and the continued industrialization of developing countries will create significant opportunities for engineers and the companies that employ them, according to a study released by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The Globalization of Engineering Practice assesses nine emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and indicates that while engineers are encouraged to capitalize on the demand for technical services worldwide, they must also be alert to trade barriers and intellectual property rights which might hinder the flow of products and services across national borders. A trend toward "international teams" will develop where engineers, aided by advanced telecommunications tools and the Internet, will "promote collaborative learning" and "make it cheaper and simpler to conduct business across national borders."

However, along with opportunities come challenges. The report states global involvement will mandate that engineers take a fresh approach to product and systems design. While traditionally engineers may have focused solely on design functionality, the international marketplace is interested in products that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Still another challenge will be to dispense with ongoing perceptions regarding cross-border cultural differences and the acquisition of a totally different mindset and approach to the workplace.

The report also details the importance of understanding the economic, political and sociopolitical dynamics of globalization, pointing out that treaties, trade agreements and technical standards could restrict the flow of engineering services across the borders. Contact ASME, New York, NY, 800-843-2763.

New Energy-Saving Ideas to Market

Bodine Electric Company, Chicago, IL, was one of several OEMs to be awarded a portion of $1.6 million in grants under the US Department of Energy's Inventions and Innovation Program. Twenty-five recipients received up to $100,000 each to help bring their energy-saving inventions to the marketplace. Among the projects funded were a clothes dryer that could save enough energy to heat homes in New Hampshire for four months, an advanced design for small electric motors that offers a 25% improvement in output power, and an improved cardboard manufacturing process that uses 25% less wood fiber. The winners were selected from among 500 proposals received in response to the first competitive solicitation. In addition to financial support, the program assists inventors in bringing their energy-saving ideas and technologies to the marketplace by locating technical partners and commercial sponsors.

Notable accomplishments of the program for the past 20 years include: funding more than 500 inventions, with nearly 25 percent of them reaching the marketplace; cumulative sales of nearly $710 million; and cumulative energy savings of 600 trillion Btu's -- enough energy to fuel every car in Pennsylvania for a full year. For more information, contact the US D.O.E., Washington, DC, 202-586-5806.