The most-read engineering stories of 2018

2018 was an interesting year for the engineering and manufacturing worlds, with a generally upbeat economy and good market for component manufacturers. We saw continued advancements in robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and the IoT — all things that affect how products are designed and made.

Our editorial staff is always looking to bring you the most topical and important engineering stories, from new products to the latest in system design to practical applications in different industries. But what features most garnered your attention over the past 12 months? Here’s a look at the top 10 stories of 2018 from Designworldonline.com; I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a quite varied and interesting list, and many of these are worth a second look:

1. Leadership in engineering: Mark Mondello, CEO, Jabil Inc.
This exclusive interview with the CEO of the custom manufacturing giant generated a lot of buzz, and Mondello’s career path and down-to-Earth approach fascinated our engineering readers. Mondello had some very interesting things to say, such as how he thought engineering degrees were similar to law degrees. And his take on the manufacturing plants of tomorrow is definitely worth another read.

2. When should you use self-clinching locknuts?
Vibration and thermal cycling can affect even the best-designed system, and these sorts of issues can wreak havoc on fasteners. This technical article focuses on the design and use of self-clinching locknuts, which allow for repeated screw removal and re-attachment without compromising thread-locking performance. These self-clinching locknuts have been designed for virtually any application where securing a mating screw is mandatory.

3. Engineering in their genes: Laura Supra and Rebecca Stoner
As part of our special Women in Engineering extra issue in November, we profiled numerous women who had fascinating stories about how they first became interested in engineering — as well as the many outstanding efforts they have made in changing the industry for the better. This feature story introduced us to two sisters, who both earned their engineering degrees at the University of Colorado, and eventually inspired their younger brother to follow in their footsteps.

Other top stories were (click the headlines to see the stories):

4. HP Mars Home Planet premieres virtual reality experience