Our hero Chung-Chee Tai shared his story and it was an absolute treat.  When he decided to pursue engineering he chose Iowa State University.  Believe it or not coming straight from Asia and not speaking English wasn't the biggest culture shock for him.  The winters in Iowa was a completely different story!  Chung-Chee is full of life and was one of the most fun guests ever on EECO Asks Why.

Chung-Chee shares what young engineers should embrace to grow their careers by not drawing a box around yourself.  He fully embraces mentoring young engineers and is intentional about investing time in others.  Every two weeks he sits down and coaches these individuals and loves to help others achieve their goals. 

Chung-Chee has many passions outside of work and shares about his amazing family.  He's an avid runner and loves to play music as often as possible.  He enjoys playing piano and even taught himself drums.  Cello is next on his list and we're sure he'll master that!   He loves visiting national parks and has visited 13 so far (50 to go and we're certain he'll hit that goal).  His why sums up this conversation perfectly - he wants to know the unknown.

We are delighted to share this hero conversation with the EECO Asks Why listeners and are humbled for the time Chung-Chee devoted to share his amazing story.

Guest: Chung-Chee Tai - VP Engineering at BluePrint Automation
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Video Editing: Andi Thrower

Resources for BluePrint Automation:
Facebook Page
LinkedIn Page
Twitter Account
YouTube Channel

Understanding variable frequency drives (VFD's) can be difficult and in this episode Chase Boehlke does a fantastic job of breaking down this technology.  He shares the general design differences in a VFD and other motor starting devices.  Understanding variable and constant torque applications are areas that Chase unpacks.  Ever heard of an IGBT? Chase's explanation of that technology is sure to clear the air.

When it comes to applications the selection process can be complex to ensure the right VFD solution is selected to meet the required operation.  Chase reviews several applications that are common to industry to help listeners understand some of the variables that need to be considered before investing time and resources to ensure success.

This episode is full of nuggets to help the industrial end user make more informed decisions with VFD technology.  Other areas such as heat, control, coordinated systems, reactors and multi-motor applications are all topics reviewed. 

Guest: Chase Boehlke - Motion Control at Siemens
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets

Additional Resources: EECOonline.com
How to Select Between a Soft Starter and VFD
What to consider with a VFD Startup
What is a VFD

What drives our hero Greg Paulsen is the opportunity to build a better tomorrow.  As the Director of Application Engineering at Xometry Greg leads innovation and has a passion for aligning client needs to the providers with expertise to meet the necessary requirements.  His passion for industry is contagious and he shared how he was able to fine tune his communication skills as a wine educator during his days at James Madison University.

Greg speaks to the importance of work ethic for the next generation of industry leaders.  He also makes a unique tie to people who have served in the hospitality industry and what that teaches you in order to be able to work with others.  While these experiences are beneficial he encourages others to stay focused on humility throughout their careers.

Greg is a new dad and shares a lot about his family and his passions outside of work.  For those watching on YouTube you'll have the opportunity to meet Greg's home work partner - Cocoa the cat wanted to be featured on this episode and made his presence known.  We are grateful for Greg taking the time to share his story and after hearing his story you'll quickly see why he is one of our heroes.

Guest:  Greg Paulsen - Director of Application Engineering at Xometry
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

Check out Xometry's 3D printing service and CNC machining service today. 

So how do you market to engineers in a meaningful way?  

Wendy Covey is the expert in this area and literally wrote the book to help bridge the gap. In this exciting episode Wendy unpacks what content marketing is and discusses how to conduct it effectively to help engineers and industry get better. She also covers the importance of brand and overall strategy that can be impactful in helping others get on the right track. 

Most people have heard the term of being sticky with material but what really matters to the leaders in industry these days? In Wendy's eyes it about creating content that provides meaningful and dependable information. Something that sets you up as the expert in that space. Not having the right strategy can hurt companies that are trying to grow and by following Wendy's advice many of the common headwinds can be avoided.

For the listeners that want to help engineers grow and support them in achieving their goals this conversation is a gold mine of information. Wendy has a great way of painting practical steps anyone can take to truly make an impact in the exciting world of engineering.

Guest:  Wendy Covey - CEO & Co-Founder at TREW Marketing
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

Resources:
TREW Marketing on LinkedIn
TREW Marketing Website
Content Marketing, Engineered (This is a MUST have in your library!)

Tessa Myers has a heart for helping others and her career has given her many opportunities to do just that. Since her days at Purdue, Tessa has been serving industry at the highest level and shares about her amazing journey. She's traveled the world and opens up about some of the amazing places she's called home such as Singapore, Canada and California. 

One of the areas that she sees as a hurdle for industry is the ability to attract the best talent possible. This inspires her to support many areas of STEM and is where she is intentional about supporting the next generation of innovators.

Tessa isn't afraid to take risks and offers great advice to those wanting to advance their careers. She encourages others to be willing and open to try new experiences as it may be those opportunities that you find your true passions and set a new course for your career. 

Tessa shares some of her personal favorites in the lightning round and talks about the time she enjoys at the soccer field cheering her two sons on. She loves helping others achieve what they have been striving for.  After hearing her story you'll quickly hear why Tessa is our hero! 

Guest:  Tessa Myers - Global Vice President, Software & Control at Rockwell Automation
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

In a world where so many things are shifting to wireless we asked an industry expert to share their knowledge on wireless ethernet. 

Victor Parangelo breaks down how this technology has evolved and is now being utilized in many industries across the world.  Some of the trends that are discussed are eye-opening to reveal how far the evolution has come. 

For those new to industry Vic does a phenomenal job of breaking down the core of the technology and makes a great comparison to the wireless routers most people have in their homes. From an industrial standpoint, there can be headwinds that should be considered and Vic speaks to the engineers that insist that a blue hose has to be in place for their systems to work as desired.

Vic opens up the thinking around where wireless ethernet can be used and provides outstanding examples of where most people have experienced it in places such as theme park rides. He even covers items such as cybersecurity and explores ways to enhance your security position with this technology.

This episode is packed with information designed to help others learn about wireless ethernet and build their confidence as more industries adopt this technology in the future. 

Guest: Victor Parangelo - Regional Manager ProSoft Technology
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

ProSoft Technology Website
Funtime Skyfall - World's tallest mobile drop Tower (Albanifest 2016 / Winterthur / Switzerland) - YouTube 

Try new things and don't be afraid to fail!  That's the type of wisdom that our hero Bill Migirditch provided in this fun hero conversation.  Bill has served industry in many capacities and his passion for making complex solutions possible is amazing.  He offers advice to those out there is to try new challenges more frequently as they may be the opportunities that stretch your abilities into new heights never dreamed of before. 

Bill is an avid sailor and loves to get out on the water as often as possible.  He also is a thrill seeker and enjoys getting on the trail on his mountain bike.  If he's outside he's happy! His why revolves around trusting his gut and driving for positive change in the world.  In this episode you'll quickly hear why Bill is one of our heroes! 

Guest:  Bill Migirditch - Manager of Manufacturing Systems at Rovisys
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets

Special Note* -  Since recording this episode, Bill took a new position as the Digital Pursuit Desk Consultant of Rockwell Automation. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

In this episode Mike Rathbun defines what the differences are in low and medium voltage. This can be an often misunderstood area in industry and Mike does a phenomenal job of explaining the different ratings and how they can impact decisions in the field.  Then by going a few steps further the idea of load, cost and supporting resources are explored in depth.

Mike breaks down the underlying issue of voltage drop and for those that are not familiar with this concept or would like to learn more this portion of the discussion could be extremely valuate.  We hope the conversation helps those that are trying to define what voltage system to focus on for new projects and potential upgrades. Please let us know what you think and if there are additional questions that we can answer.

Guest: Mike Rathbun - Power & Control Solution Architecture Manager at EECO.
Host: Chris Grainger.
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets.
Audio Engineer: Luke Yntema.

Additional Resources: EECO's Inspire Blog "What to Consider when Evaluating Low Voltage and Medium Voltage Applications"

Renee Eddy is the first in her family to go to college and she has been making an impact in the world ever since.  She has the opportunity to work on F22 Joint Strike Fighters right out of school and learned quickly the importance of delivering on a solution and the importance of the system to meet all requirements.  Her career has led her through Defense, Data Analytics, Commercial Systems and now she's leading innovation at Eaton! 

Renee has wonderful advice for those considering industry and she says to be willing to take a chance on a company you may not know everything about.  Do your research as you may find they are highly innovative and align to areas that you are looking to grow in professionally. Her intentionality around mentoring others is inspirational and she speaks to several ways that she is able to help others.  Renee is very active in the Society of Women Engineers and worked through task forces with that organization.

The why Renee shared was truly impactful.  She is passionate about helping people achieve their goals.  She also LOVES the opportunities she has been given to work with some of the most innovative products and solutions that make such a huge impact on the world.  This is an exciting conversation from our hero Renee Eddy!

Guest: Renee Eddy - Director, Innovation, Methods & Operations at Eaton
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

Resources:
Harvard Business Review
Wall Street Journal
BBC  Podcasts
NPR

What better way to hear about why Ethernet/IP is a great way to enhance your VFD solutions than directly from the engineer himself that designs these systems daily.  Matthew Simmons is a brilliant controls engineer and walks through how he utilizes this communication protocol to improve his systems.  He is joined with Harvey Eure who is the VFD specialist in NC for EECO and they talk openly about why this solution works for ANCO Rendering and what benefits they are seeing.

Matthew gives direct examples about process improvements and how he's been able to utilize data to make enhancements to the systems he designs.  He shares common headwinds that he's faced in the past and these are areas that may help others in their pursuit of this solution.  The conversation is packed with meaningful advice and for those that say this guy sounds familiar Matthew was featured as a hero in an earlier episode of EECO Asks Why and we are blessed that he is always willing to try new concepts with us to bring the most meaningful information possible to those that want to succeed in industry. 

Guest: Matthew Simmons - Controls Engineer at ANCO Rendering
Guest: Harvey Eure - Product Manager at EECO
Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Audio/Video Editing: Andi Thrower

Matthew's Hero Episode