The Connected Engineer

Dear DE Reader:

Radio, audiobooks and podcast discussions are all variants of the oral tradition. When done well, they inform and entertain us in a way that staring at a screen simply cannot. And you can enjoy them while jogging, commuting or doing less intensive tasks at work. Today’s Check it Out link takes you to a podcast series that does its job well. You should like this big time.

PTC recently launched a new engineering podcast channel called the Connected Engineer. The concept is that technology is changing product development as well as the world we live and work in, so here’s what’s happening.

Analysts and industry leaders from innovative companies discuss the latest trends in engineering and groundbreaking advancements in the world of engineering on PTC’s new Connected Engineer podcast channel. Image courtesy of PTC.

The format is that the host speaks with analysts and innovators about things like the latest engineering trends, what a company is doing and where all this engineering activity is heading. None of it is an ad. Well, one gentleman announced that his company has some 300 job openings. The point is that this is engaging and remarkably free of marketing.

Your host is a guy named Gavin Quinlan. He knows his stuff. He keeps the conversation both on target and free flowing with grace as well as without talking over his guests. For their part, the guests are impressive in what they know and do. They seem well-selected for the depth of their knowledge and for their ability to articulate what they are doing in a manner that spans across engineering disciplines.

Currently, the Connected Engineer channel offers nine podcasts, and more are under development. They run from 16 to 27 minutes, and there’s no registration roadblock.

Some discussion topics cover general interest areas like augmented reality, virtual reality, adapting product designs for the IoT (internet of things) and autonomous vehicles development. Other are more hands-on. For example, you have individual podcasts covering requirements, data and BOM (bill of materials) management. And engineering, IT and corporate managers will be especially interested in the podcast exploring PLM (product lifecycle management) in the cloud.

Among the industry segments highlighted are aerospace & defense and medical devices. But none of these podcasts are solely for people in those types of outfits, so you shouldn’t skip one if it’s not your milieu. You’ll learn and think about something from any of them.

In short, the Connected Engineer podcast series is great stuff. Hit today’s Check it Out link and start listening to the first podcast you see that floats your boat.

Thanks, Pal. – Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, DE