Obstacles | Key Tech Blog

Get Started

03.15.2011 by Chad Schneider

If you’ve been waiting for a reason to get started on something, now is the time. Seth Godin’s new book, “Poke the Box” might give you the push off the branch you need to really fly.

Business

When life gives you lemons, make a lemon battery!

11.10.2010 by Jessica Fisher

Inside most kitchens, a lemon leads a normal life, being integrated into a delicious dish or drink. But many science students have found in their classroom experiments that a lemon is no mere fruit.

Engineering, Product Design, Resources

Medical Device Interoperability

07.27.2010 by Chad Schneider

Is it possible to verify and validate the safety and efficacy of medical devices if they could be connected to unknown current and future products? The medical device industry is working with the FDA to work out the safety issues of device interoperability.

Engineering, Product Design

Collecting very fine volumetric accuracy data

06.29.2010 by Chad Schneider

As part of the V&V test procedure, we designed a gravimetric means to characterize the volumetric and flow-rate accuracy of a couple of precision injection instruments. With this setup, we’re able to achieve measurement resolution of just 0.1 milligram and reduced the error due to water evaporation to 40 times better than using a mineral oil emulsion.

Engineering, Microfluidics, Problem Solving

Learn by doing

05.25.2010 by Chad Schneider

I don’t learn anything new from examining a design for the 23rd time. I’ve checked for mistakes, but it’s all based on what I already know and a few educated guesses. The only way I can learn more is by building.

Engineering

Sit still for a great idea

05.18.2010 by Chad Schneider

Making progress feels good, but when progress slows or I’ve hit a roadblock, it can be frustrating. When I need some fresh ideas, it’s time for a distraction.

Engineering, Problem Solving

The symbiosis of modeling and prototyping

02.23.2010 by Chad Schneider

Prototypes are essential to testing system performance. However, due to the current technological constraints of creating microscale prototypes, compromises in the characteristics of the prototype usually must be made, which can lead to unforeseen, expensive problems on the production line. Fortunately, basic, fundamental models of significant aspects of the system (first-principles modeling) can be “calibrated” through the use of focused CFD models and empirical data. The result is improved models that allow the designer to bridge the knowledge gap between paper and production.

Engineering, Lab-on-a-chip, Manufacturing, Microfluidics, Problem Solving

Meeting the Challenges of Micropart Design

11.02.2009 by Chad Schneider

Recently, I published an article in MicroManufacturing Magazine about the challenges of designing microparts for manufacture. Not unlike any collaborative process, good communication is the key to a successful project.

Engineering, Lab-on-a-chip, Manufacturing, Microfluidics, Problem Solving, Product Design

10 Years – 10 Biggest Mistakes – Part 4

10.08.2009 by Brian Lipford

In tribute to our 10 year anniversary, I thought others outside of Key Tech might like to hear some of our more colorful screw ups. So I put together a four-part series of what I think are some of our best. I hope you find something of value.

Business, Engineering, Mistakes, Product Design, Resources

10 Years – 10 Biggest Mistakes – Part 3

10.06.2009 by Brian Lipford