OK, it’s early in the month, but I won’t do this again for a while. I promise.

Entertainment Engineering is a wonderful online publication from at least a few perspectives. First, the topics these guys cover are really cool. Except for the occasional fun engineering article in a couple of publishing mainstays, simply no one else is doing what EE does. Second, founders Terry Persun and Bruce Wiebusch aren’t just great folk, but accomplished writers and editors both within and outside of engineering. Third, while engineering is fun (and fun to write about), EE covers only the particularly enjoyable elements.

That said…

I used to work for an entity called Verdex (Yes, part of Thomas Publishing Company, also the keepers of ThomasNet and Industrial Market Trends, for example.) who created and maintained a valuable, online mix of data specific to more than 20 vertical slices of engineering and manufacturing. My job was to go through dozens, sometimes hundreds, of daily news items and select and publish a choice few to each of the vertical market sites. On one end of the spectrum, FactoryAutomationHQ.com, was complex in terms of product breadth and depth. On the other, BearingsHQ was much more focused on that particular component.

I’m fascinated by the little things, like bearings. They’re everywhere. They’re highly engineered, and often endure hellish conditions of heat, grime, every-which-way load forces, and insane rotational speeds just as matter of factly as China assembles PDAs. Bearings literally make the world go ’round.

In this month’s (January) issue of EE, there’s an article covering bearings: and how they help downhill skateboarders achieve speeds of nearly 100 mph with no brakes, no steering wheel, and no seatbelts. “A lot has changed in skateboarding over the years. It has evolved into a sport incorporating mathematics, aerodynamics, ergonomics and high-tech construction methodologies. Downhill skateboard racing can be viewed as ‘gravitational management.’ The idea is to be the fastest rider using only the natural pull and push of gravity. The only aid is the equipment, the competitive strategy and the ability to use aerodynamics efficiently.” How fulfilling — and dangerous — is the sport? “Each rider takes personal pride in research and development to make sure equipment does not fail when on a course. A misstep here can result in serious injury or even death.” Death by bearing? It could happen. Interesting, EE worked with SKF, who also supplies bearings for many forms of auto racing including NASCAR Nextel Cup.

Another piece covers how software has improved the design process of Disney’s ‘most complicated attraction to date: Expedition Everest in Anaheim. Not your typical Engineering a Rollercoaster (most of which are really interesting, granted) article, the EE piece goes deeper into this particular attraction in which the ride structure is separate from the mountain structure, though both are tightly integrated. Software is key to making it all work, “all’ being HVAC, large volumes of steel and bent rebar (“ride steel”), catwalks, audio, and special effects all in a relatively complex package. Additional details, such as rides clashing with each other or the structure itself, are also “pre-visualized” using software. One of the experts quoted in the article said, “Before we had 4D scheduling, we had to look at components on hundreds of different two-dimensional drawings and visualize how they would fit together to be able to develop an installation plan. 4D scheduling technology has really simplified this process.”

I collect quotes, many of which cannot be published here. In an interview, actor/auto racer Paul Newman — whose work in the movie Winning (1969) gave him the racing bug — was asked why he got into racing at such a late age (in his forties, I believe). He said it was “the first thing that I ever found I had any grace in.” For 15 years starting in 1972, according to the article in EE, “he drove from May to October and never did a film. All he did was race.” But the article’s not a People magazine-like article about the man himself, rather, of the weight jackers (devices that help raise and lower the rear of Indy racecars) which, in the case of Newman/Haas cars, incorporate brush-type dc motors from Maxon. Before the use of the motors, the jackers were hand-operated and hydraulic — and required the drivers to remove a hand from the steering wheel at speed to make in-race adjustments. The new motor setup lets drivers keep their hands on the wheel — generally a good thing at 200 mph.

Those are just a few of the articles in the January Entertainment Engineering that I found of interest. Take a look. Registration is free and easy — and worth far, far more.

Enjoy.