National Academy of Sciences Releases Report on Marijuana’s Health Effects

A report released last week by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine detailed nearly 100 conclusions on marijuana’s health effects and the consumption of cannabis-derived substances. The conclusions were based on abstracts from 100,000 previous studies.

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Titan Industries

Titan Industries offers engineer services for today's demanding applications in Marine, Aerospace, Defense, and Automotive industries. We are experts in design of components that to drive substantial performance gains by leveraging the capabilities of additive manufacturing.

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Engineering Tech

Five automated processes for more efficiency in precast project delivery

Article | July 14, 2022

Construction projects are currently facing numerous challenges: increasing time pressure, changes at short notice, cost efficiency, rising complexity, higher demands on architectural design and a larger number of participants characterize precast design today.

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Engineering Tech

10 simple ways to ensure a successful infrastructure project

Article | August 24, 2021

In amongst the chatter about how we can 'do' infrastructure better, there's now a growing consensus that we need to improve the way we design our interventions - 'design' in the broader sense of the word, rather than the narrow sense we tend to use as engineers. My front-end principles for better infrastructure Over the course of my career, the following front-end principles have served well to ensure we think through, before we rush in where angels fear to tread. Be clear about the purpose and the expected outcomes, and engage communities in decision-making through an effective communication strategy. Prioritise the user, aiming to offer services that are modern, effective and affordable. Seek to improve people's quality of life and support the transition to a more sustainable future, while also facilitating the functioning of the economy, enhancing productivity and accommodating growth (to the extent possible, given other competing objectives). Extract greatest value from existing infrastructure through timely maintenance, repurposing, renewal and upgrading. Seek to remove constraints and bottlenecks. Aim to make best use of data, automation, innovation and technology (including for future asset management), recognising the complexity and risks this may introduce. Recognise, analyse, mitigate and manage technical, environmental and climate risks, and complete any surveys necessary to support this. Improve governance, with robust, timely and transparent decision-making, supported by strong evidence-based planning, clear prioritisation, and best practice technical design and delivery. Seek an appropriate funding balance between 'user pays' and general taxation which incentivises behaviours in the best long-term social, economic and environmental interests. Complete well-evidenced business cases and risk assessments of proposed initiatives before embarking on projects, including financing proposals. Aim to allocate the risks identified to those best able to carry them. Facilitate collaboration between the government and business to promote delivery of the broader social, economic and environmental benefits. Clearly, there are many other issues to consider as a project develops, and the above principles may seem obvious to some, and a counsel of perfection to others, but it's surprising how many are overlooked in the rush to build.

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Robotics and Automation

What ‘on the ground’ infrastructure delivery can expect in the year ahead

Article | July 13, 2022

While an important milestone, the remainder of Phase 2B connecting Birmingham to Leeds awaits similar backing. Delivery programmes can often become constrained by timescales associated with land acquisition, procurement and site mobilisation at the start of a project. As this legislation makes its way through Parliament, continuous and prompt delivery of the integrated route must be supported. This will enable efficiencies and benefits to be realised during both delivery and operation phases of the complete HS2 route, as well as Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). HS2 will provide 50% of the infrastructure for NPR; a project designed to transform the rail network in the north of England. Encouragingly, the Queen’s Speech recognised that improving existing processes can be equally conductive to positive transformation. The Planning Bill will modernise our current systems with simpler frameworks, enabling those on the ground to deliver environmental and commercial opportunities more promptly. This will also support delivery of the UK’s ambitious net zero target. While efficiencies are encouraging, the importance of public consultation, as many major infrastructure projects currently undertake from conception to completion, should not be forgotten.

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Feature engineering in machine learning

Article | April 24, 2020

Feature engineering is the process of extracting new variables by transforming raw data to improve the predictability of a machine learning model. But feature engineering is not just this kind of simple translation of categories like names or colors into numbers. The following section includes a collection of different kinds of engineering approaches that go beyond a translation of categories into numbers and address needs such as transforming numbers into categories or filtering data points due to missing or false data.

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Titan Industries

Titan Industries offers engineer services for today's demanding applications in Marine, Aerospace, Defense, and Automotive industries. We are experts in design of components that to drive substantial performance gains by leveraging the capabilities of additive manufacturing.

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Engineering Tech, Construction

RJC Engineers Strengthens US Capabilities with the Acquisition of Kordt Engineering Group

GlobeNewswire | March 24, 2023

Leading design and consulting firm RJC Engineers (RJC) strengthens their capabilities in the United States by acquiring Kordt Engineering Group (KEG). This acquisition allows RJC to serve the entire North American market better and for KEG to provide clients with the added capacity, depth, and experience of RJC. The firms will continue to provide structural engineering, façade engineering, structural glass engineering, and more. RJC has fourteen locations across Canada and is now in Las Vegas and Reno. “RJC is excited to further establish ourselves in the United States through acquiring KEG. Our firms and people have worked together for over a decade and share a history of successfully delivering projects throughout the United States,” said Mike Moffatt, Executive Principal of RJC Engineers. “Our strategic expansion into the US allows RJC to bring its expertise in many building sectors and service offerings to a broader client base.” KEG is a structural engineering firm with offices in Las Vegas and Reno. The firm provides timely, efficient structural designs for many building types, from commercial retail to landmark buildings. KEG has a strong signature client base across North America and into Europe, with a reputation for client service and people-focused culture akin to RJC’s. Stephan Kordt founded KEG and is now President of US Operations with RJC. A respected engineer and trusted leader, Stephan’s reputation for delivering quality projects within tight deadlines is well-earned. His deep technical knowledge, industry relationships, and ability to develop elegant and appropriate structural solutions make him highly sought after throughout the United States. His projects include The Watermark, Project 63, Crystals at CityCenter, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino Expansion, Venetian Casino Resort and Venezia Hotel Tower, and the World Market Center. Theodore Droessler (Ted) is Vice President of US Operations with RJC. Ted has a strong background in quality assurance and management. He has helped manage design professionals and technical staff for the delivery of projects ranging from single-storey luxury residential projects to commercial structures. His projects include 5G upgrades to existing communication buildings, load testing of deep foundations and redevelopment of older masonry structures to include change of occupancy. “We are thrilled to join forces with RJC and look forward to working with an even wider group of clients across the United States,” shares Stephan Kordt, President of US Operations. “We will continue to deliver the high-quality client service and innovative structural engineering solutions we are known for while bringing the expanded depth of expertise, resources, and services offerings now available to us as part of RJC.” “We are delighted to welcome this talented, passionate team to RJC Engineers,” Moffatt said. “Their depth of knowledge and experience in building structures, combined with their dedication to client success, is a natural fit with us. Together, we’re well-positioned to help our clients thrive.” About RJC Engineers: RJC Engineers (RJC) is an employee owned engineering firm that celebrates creative thinking, prompt service, and technical excellence in the design and maintenance of structures. Bringing the best of RJC to every project for over seven decades, the firm integrates ingenuity and practicality to create success for their clients and their projects. RJC provides structural engineering, structural restoration, building science, parking facility design, structural glass engineering, and building energy modeling services.

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Robotics and Automation

ABB Robotics is Advancing Construction Industry Automation to Make Buildings Safer and More Sustainable

ABB Robotics | May 21, 2021

ABB Robotics is driving automation within the housing industry with new robotic automation solutions to deal with key challenges, including the necessity for cheaper and environmentally friendly housing and to scale back the environmental impact of construction, amidst a labor and skills shortage. Robotic automation offers huge potential to reinforce productivity, efficiency, and manufacturing flexibility throughout the development industry, including automating the fabrication of modular homes and building components off-site, robotic welding and material handling on building sites, and robot 3D printing of homes and customized structures. also as making the industry safer and more cost-effective, robots are improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact by enhancing the quality and cutting waste. ABB Robotics is driving automation within the housing industry with new robotic automation solutions to deal with key challenges, including the necessity for cheaper and environmentally friendly housing and to scale back the environmental impact of construction, amidst a labor and skills shortage. Robotic automation offers huge potential to reinforce productivity, efficiency, and manufacturing flexibility throughout the development industry, including automating the fabrication of modular homes and building components off-site, robotic welding and material handling on building sites, and robot 3D printing of homes and customized structures. also as making the industry safer and more cost-effective, robots are improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact by enhancing the quality and cutting waste. With the industry facing increased environmental regulation and therefore the need for less expensive buildings, robotic automation reduces waste by improving quality and consistency, which is critical when it's estimated that up to 1 / 4 of fabric transported to a vacant lot leaves as waste3. With automation and digital solutions, builders also can design waste out at the start of a project through effective building design and construction processes. With quite 200,000 vacancies for low and high-skilled workers within the EU alone in Q2 20204, the industry labor shortage may be a growing issue, with younger people postpone construction careers by perceptions that it's a dangerous occupation. Construction workers account for around 30 percent of workplace injuries and are up to fourfold more likely to be involved during a casualty vs. other sectors, with an estimated 108,000 fatalities per annum worldwide5. Robots can make construction safer by handling large and heavy loads, working in unsafe spaces, and enabling new, safer methods of construction. Using robots for the repetitive and dangerous tasks that folks increasingly don't need to try to do means automation can help support the industry's labor and skills crisis and make construction careers more appealing to children. About ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation may be a pioneer in robotics, machine automation, and digital services, providing innovative solutions for a various range of industries, from automotive to electronics to logistics. Together with the world's leading robotics and machine automation suppliers, we've shipped quite 500,000 robot solutions. We help our customers of all sizes to extend productivity, flexibility, and ease and to enhance output quality. We support their transition towards the connected and collaborative factory of the longer term. ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation employs quite 11,000 people at over 100 locations in additional than 53 countries.

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Engineering Tech

Buildertrend, the Leader in Construction Management Software, Secures Significant Investment Led by Bain Capital Tech Opportunities

Buildertrend | December 29, 2020

Buildertrend, the main supplier of cloud-based programming for homebuilders, remodelers and forte temporary workers, today reported that it has gotten a venture from Bain Capital Tech Opportunities and HGGC to quicken its development and grow the administrations it gives to clients. This first institutional venture will quicken Buildertrend's development direction through essential acquisitions and drive venture into neighboring contributions, for example, installments, information investigation and temporary worker administrations. Monetary terms of the private exchange were not revealed. Established in 2006 by Steve Dugger, Jeff Dugger and Dan Houghton, and situated in Omaha, Buildertrend is the main cloud-based development the board stage for private homebuilding, giving hearty and present day development the executives devices to more than 16,000 homebuilding, redesigning and claim to fame development organizations, their sub-contractual workers and their customers. Development groups depend on Buildertrend to maintain their organizations by normalizing planning and work processes, dealing with installments, buy and change arranges, and improving client correspondence and perceivability. "We established Buildertrend with a dream to upset the development business and make the confounded homebuilding and forte development measure more straightforward and effective," said Dan Houghton, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Buildertrend. "Bringing top notch cloud-based applications to the business has situated our foundation to be a reasonable differentiator. It was a considerable choice to welcome on an accomplice unexpectedly, and we are eager to cooperate with Bain Capital and HGGC and to use their worldwide organizations and ability scaling vertical programming organizations. This association will empower us to convey considerably more incentive to our clients across the world."

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Engineering Tech, Construction

RJC Engineers Strengthens US Capabilities with the Acquisition of Kordt Engineering Group

GlobeNewswire | March 24, 2023

Leading design and consulting firm RJC Engineers (RJC) strengthens their capabilities in the United States by acquiring Kordt Engineering Group (KEG). This acquisition allows RJC to serve the entire North American market better and for KEG to provide clients with the added capacity, depth, and experience of RJC. The firms will continue to provide structural engineering, façade engineering, structural glass engineering, and more. RJC has fourteen locations across Canada and is now in Las Vegas and Reno. “RJC is excited to further establish ourselves in the United States through acquiring KEG. Our firms and people have worked together for over a decade and share a history of successfully delivering projects throughout the United States,” said Mike Moffatt, Executive Principal of RJC Engineers. “Our strategic expansion into the US allows RJC to bring its expertise in many building sectors and service offerings to a broader client base.” KEG is a structural engineering firm with offices in Las Vegas and Reno. The firm provides timely, efficient structural designs for many building types, from commercial retail to landmark buildings. KEG has a strong signature client base across North America and into Europe, with a reputation for client service and people-focused culture akin to RJC’s. Stephan Kordt founded KEG and is now President of US Operations with RJC. A respected engineer and trusted leader, Stephan’s reputation for delivering quality projects within tight deadlines is well-earned. His deep technical knowledge, industry relationships, and ability to develop elegant and appropriate structural solutions make him highly sought after throughout the United States. His projects include The Watermark, Project 63, Crystals at CityCenter, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino Expansion, Venetian Casino Resort and Venezia Hotel Tower, and the World Market Center. Theodore Droessler (Ted) is Vice President of US Operations with RJC. Ted has a strong background in quality assurance and management. He has helped manage design professionals and technical staff for the delivery of projects ranging from single-storey luxury residential projects to commercial structures. His projects include 5G upgrades to existing communication buildings, load testing of deep foundations and redevelopment of older masonry structures to include change of occupancy. “We are thrilled to join forces with RJC and look forward to working with an even wider group of clients across the United States,” shares Stephan Kordt, President of US Operations. “We will continue to deliver the high-quality client service and innovative structural engineering solutions we are known for while bringing the expanded depth of expertise, resources, and services offerings now available to us as part of RJC.” “We are delighted to welcome this talented, passionate team to RJC Engineers,” Moffatt said. “Their depth of knowledge and experience in building structures, combined with their dedication to client success, is a natural fit with us. Together, we’re well-positioned to help our clients thrive.” About RJC Engineers: RJC Engineers (RJC) is an employee owned engineering firm that celebrates creative thinking, prompt service, and technical excellence in the design and maintenance of structures. Bringing the best of RJC to every project for over seven decades, the firm integrates ingenuity and practicality to create success for their clients and their projects. RJC provides structural engineering, structural restoration, building science, parking facility design, structural glass engineering, and building energy modeling services.

Read More

Robotics and Automation

ABB Robotics is Advancing Construction Industry Automation to Make Buildings Safer and More Sustainable

ABB Robotics | May 21, 2021

ABB Robotics is driving automation within the housing industry with new robotic automation solutions to deal with key challenges, including the necessity for cheaper and environmentally friendly housing and to scale back the environmental impact of construction, amidst a labor and skills shortage. Robotic automation offers huge potential to reinforce productivity, efficiency, and manufacturing flexibility throughout the development industry, including automating the fabrication of modular homes and building components off-site, robotic welding and material handling on building sites, and robot 3D printing of homes and customized structures. also as making the industry safer and more cost-effective, robots are improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact by enhancing the quality and cutting waste. ABB Robotics is driving automation within the housing industry with new robotic automation solutions to deal with key challenges, including the necessity for cheaper and environmentally friendly housing and to scale back the environmental impact of construction, amidst a labor and skills shortage. Robotic automation offers huge potential to reinforce productivity, efficiency, and manufacturing flexibility throughout the development industry, including automating the fabrication of modular homes and building components off-site, robotic welding and material handling on building sites, and robot 3D printing of homes and customized structures. also as making the industry safer and more cost-effective, robots are improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact by enhancing the quality and cutting waste. With the industry facing increased environmental regulation and therefore the need for less expensive buildings, robotic automation reduces waste by improving quality and consistency, which is critical when it's estimated that up to 1 / 4 of fabric transported to a vacant lot leaves as waste3. With automation and digital solutions, builders also can design waste out at the start of a project through effective building design and construction processes. With quite 200,000 vacancies for low and high-skilled workers within the EU alone in Q2 20204, the industry labor shortage may be a growing issue, with younger people postpone construction careers by perceptions that it's a dangerous occupation. Construction workers account for around 30 percent of workplace injuries and are up to fourfold more likely to be involved during a casualty vs. other sectors, with an estimated 108,000 fatalities per annum worldwide5. Robots can make construction safer by handling large and heavy loads, working in unsafe spaces, and enabling new, safer methods of construction. Using robots for the repetitive and dangerous tasks that folks increasingly don't need to try to do means automation can help support the industry's labor and skills crisis and make construction careers more appealing to children. About ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation may be a pioneer in robotics, machine automation, and digital services, providing innovative solutions for a various range of industries, from automotive to electronics to logistics. Together with the world's leading robotics and machine automation suppliers, we've shipped quite 500,000 robot solutions. We help our customers of all sizes to extend productivity, flexibility, and ease and to enhance output quality. We support their transition towards the connected and collaborative factory of the longer term. ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation employs quite 11,000 people at over 100 locations in additional than 53 countries.

Read More

Engineering Tech

Buildertrend, the Leader in Construction Management Software, Secures Significant Investment Led by Bain Capital Tech Opportunities

Buildertrend | December 29, 2020

Buildertrend, the main supplier of cloud-based programming for homebuilders, remodelers and forte temporary workers, today reported that it has gotten a venture from Bain Capital Tech Opportunities and HGGC to quicken its development and grow the administrations it gives to clients. This first institutional venture will quicken Buildertrend's development direction through essential acquisitions and drive venture into neighboring contributions, for example, installments, information investigation and temporary worker administrations. Monetary terms of the private exchange were not revealed. Established in 2006 by Steve Dugger, Jeff Dugger and Dan Houghton, and situated in Omaha, Buildertrend is the main cloud-based development the board stage for private homebuilding, giving hearty and present day development the executives devices to more than 16,000 homebuilding, redesigning and claim to fame development organizations, their sub-contractual workers and their customers. Development groups depend on Buildertrend to maintain their organizations by normalizing planning and work processes, dealing with installments, buy and change arranges, and improving client correspondence and perceivability. "We established Buildertrend with a dream to upset the development business and make the confounded homebuilding and forte development measure more straightforward and effective," said Dan Houghton, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Buildertrend. "Bringing top notch cloud-based applications to the business has situated our foundation to be a reasonable differentiator. It was a considerable choice to welcome on an accomplice unexpectedly, and we are eager to cooperate with Bain Capital and HGGC and to use their worldwide organizations and ability scaling vertical programming organizations. This association will empower us to convey considerably more incentive to our clients across the world."

Read More

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