Thanks to a new project spearheaded by researchers at MIT, it may soon be possible to manufacture your very own robot. This revolutionary new technology is a game-changer that will make it possible to design and print your own robot using your computer and a 3D printer.

Currently, it can take years, millions of dollars and hours of labor to create just one robot. Thanks to MIT, this process may be a thing of the past.

“This research envisions a whole new way of thinking about the design and manufacturing of robots, and could have a profound impact on society,” says MIT Professor Daniela Rus, one of the project leaders. “We believe that it has the potential to transform manufacturing and to democratize access to robots,” he continued.

This project focused on creating working robots through materials as simple as paper and a circuit board. In time, it will be easy enough for anyone with a 3D printer and the right software to create their own custom robot, right at home.

“Our goal is to develop technology that enables anyone to manufacture their own customized robot. This is truly a game changer,” said project member Professor Vijay Kumar from the University of Pennsylvania. “It could allow for the rapid design and manufacture of customized goods, and change the way we teach science and technology in high schools.”

While the project still is on-going and will span 5 years, it is clear that they are making incredible headway and will soon be close to realizing their goals and creating a functioning robot from a 3D printer. They’ve already created a proto-type robot that is intended for use in exploring contaminated areas and a gripper device that can be utilized by limited mobility patients.

“Our vision is to develop an end-to-end process; specifically, a compiler for building physical machines that starts with a high level of specification of function, and delivers a programmable machine for that function using simple printing processes,” Rus continued.

The future is certainly bright and soon, we may all have access to our own personal robots, thanks to this research team.

In today’s competitive marketplace, setting the right level of compensation for engineers is a vital step of the hiring process. If you come in too low, you might lose that highly qualified candidate you want, while if you come in too high, it doesn’t leave them enough room to grow with your company. There are several different methods that you can use to help you find the perfect salary rate for your new engineering hire.

1. See what your local market is paying. If you want to be competitive in your local area, you’re going to need to know roughly what your competitors are paying their employees. You’ll want to at least match that, or even exceed it for the right candidate. This is a great way of making sure that you won’t be losing out on the most talented candidates. Many employers forget to check what the local market will bear and end up not getting the new hires they want.

2. Check the state and national averages. If you don’t have a local estimate to go on, you can find the state and national averages for that specific job title. Sites like PayScale.com allow you to search by job title and get an idea of the starting wages as well as mid-line and experienced wages for each employee. Take this number against what your local market will bear to arrive at the best possible pay rate.

3. Pay by experience. Experienced employees are going to be able to get a higher wage with your competitors and as such, they deserve a higher pay rate for you. While it’s pretty common to set entry level pay scales, you’ve also got to consider what that engineer is bringing to the table and how they will benefit your bottom line. If they’ve got extra skills that set them apart from your other candidates, reward them by offering them a higher rate of pay.

4. Round out a smaller pay scale with better perks. In many cases, smaller companies find it hard to compete with larger competitors who are able to offer higher base salaries. You can sweeten your offer by including different perks. Most engineering candidates aren’t all that interested in money and would rather have better perks such as paid time off, the ability to have flexible hours and the ability to work from home whenever possible. Other small perks like a dry cleaning service on site or services that make your employee’s lives easier will help swing the balance in your favor.

Want help on setting salary rates for your engineering employees or finding highly qualified engineers? Let the experts at SoloPoint assist you!

If you’re fresh out of school and looking for a job in the engineering industry, one thing you’re going to find is the heavy reliance on CAD tools. This has definitely become a skill that is of extreme importance in this industry and trends indicate that it will continue on this path for many years to come. If you want to land a top job in this industry, broadcasting your CAD knowledge is essential.

First, if you do have experience in this tool, you’re not only going to need to state what you know and what you can do, but you’re also going to need to provide some examples. Think of this like an artist’s portfolio. Your potential employers are going to want to see what you can do. Having a portfolio ready to go that showcases your work is going to give you the edge you need to stand out from the crowd.

Next, it never hurts to show exactly how much training you’ve had on CAD tools. List all of your achievements, particularly if you have had special training. This should figure prominently on your resume and you may also want to mention it in your cover letter as well. The vast majority of employers in this field are going to expect at the very least, entry level experience in CAD applications. If you’ve got more training, this will help you move to the front of the pack.

If your studies weren’t heavily focused on CAD design, or if this is simply not a strong suit, now is the time to get a little extra training. There are numerous courses that can help you get the basics down and learn to branch out a little more. Find CAD-centric networking groups online and you’ll quickly learn some great tips and tricks that will help you fill out your skill set even more. Even if you end up having to pay extra for your training, this is definitely money well spent. Not only will it help you get your foot in the door, but it will also help make your transition to your new job a lot easier.

You don’t have to be a CAD wizard, no one expects this from their new candidates. However, you should at least have the basics down and be ready to show what you can do to ensure that you can land the job you want.

Need advice on landing the engineering job of your dreams? Give the experts at SoloPoint a call today!

With numerous means available for screening applicants, it’s becoming easier than ever to develop a systematic hiring process. Instead of relying on going through resumes and interviewing, you can add a few more steps to the process to ensure that you are getting the absolute right candidate for the job. This process takes out the guess work and helps you narrow down the field more accurately.

While you’ll still need to have the initial phases of the hiring process include going through resumes and interviews, there are definitely a few things you will want to add to your process.

1. Personality Evaluations. Ideally, you should evaluate your existing team before you start the hiring process. This not only helps you gauge the type of personality you’re looking for in your candidate, but it also helps you manage your existing team more effectively. There are numerous personality tests and evaluations that are available to human resource managers. Many of these can be accessed online or you can have a special application built for your company. While your candidate is being interviewed, if they appear to be a good fit, schedule them to take this evaluation.

2. Skills Tests. The next phase in the process is measuring their actual skill level against what they’ve put in their resume. You can have an application created solely for your company’s use, or if you hire infrequently, there are several standard applications that can be used for this process. Schedule the skill test at the same time as the personality evaluation.

3. Job Fit Assessments. Now that you’ve got all of this extra information at your fingertips, you can go to the last phase of the systematic hiring process and put all of your data together. Use the personality tests to determine who will be the best fit in your existing team. For example, for management, you’re going to want to focus on the leadership type, while other positions are best suited to the personality types that work well in a team situation. This will help you narrow your field down where you can lastly apply the results from the skill tests to determine your best candidate.

Creating this step-by-step process will help you save time and reduce the amount of new hires that just don’t fit in your organization.

Have a question about the best type of personality evaluations or skills tests to use? Need assistance in finding the perfect candidate for your position? Let the experts at SoloPoint help you today!