By William G. Beazley, PhD

Robotic workstations are finding multiple applications in pipe and vessel fabrication, say exhibitors and speakers at HOUSTEX 2017.  “Many subtractive technologies such as oxy fuel cutting, plasma gouging and drilling and tapping and polishing benefit from the 3 dimensional capability of robotics,” said Dan Allford, President of ARC Specialties in Houston.  Additive technologies, such as weld surfaces and thermal sprays are used for cladding, repairs and wear protection.  The 3D versatility and programmability of robots with the expanding choices of end effector tooling makes it an ideal choice for the one-off custom fabrication industry.

Trump Executive Order, Reform Bills Aim to Stop the H-1B Engineering and IT Sweatshops

By William G Beazley, PhD, PE

Trump’s upcoming Executive Order and multiple reform bills all aim to stop H-1B Engineering and Information Technology sweatshops in Houston and nationwide.  Sweatshop visa abusers certify H-1B positions at labor rates for unqualified skill categories but filling it later with foreign workers qualified for the original position, at the lower pay.  Foreign degree holders and students at US universities are eager to work for lower wages in hopes of staying on as a permanent resident.  The sweatshop gets the qualified worker for as little as a third of what a US citizen or resident might earn. The proposed merit-based and salary-based visa reforms will halt this abusive sweatshop practice.

For example, a “DESIGN ENGINEER” position is certified as a “COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS” (SOC Code 27-1021) position. Commercial and Industrial Designers generally have art degrees and design furniture, point of sale displays and packaging for consumer products.  Although this art degree is unqualified for engineering analysis, the position is certified by the US Department of Labor to be paid as low as $20,100/year (FY2016), way below the typical engineering starting salaries of $55K to $65.  This exact practice was used 635 times in FY2016 alone (see table).

Calgary Technical College Process Piping Drafting & Design Industry Panel event, February 1, 2017. SPED Vice-President Kevin Noakes provided professional insight and career opportunity information to the process piping certificate (one year study program PPD) and diploma (two year study program EDDT) students.

The NSS (Non-SPED-Student) PPD Level I Exam is designed for students of piping design who have passed their final exam at a recognized, accredited technical educational institution in the United States or Canada. Passing the exam provides the successful student with SPED PPD Level I Certification status.

By William G. Beazley, PhD, PE

Piping designers and engineers who typically ignore the opportunities in the residential and commercial/mechanical market may not realize how complex these piping/plumbing systems have become.  A residential house, for example, may handle five or six separate fluids with different properties, with pumps, exchangers, boilers, sensors, actuated valves and complex control systems.  Piping materials range from black iron, cast iron, stainless, copper, brass, PVC, PEX, etc.  Joining systems vary widely from threaded pipe, to flared tubing, glued, expanded and specialty systems.  It’s simply short-sighted to dismiss residential and other building applications as, “plumbing.”  Many of these systems were on display at the International Builder’s Show (IBS) in Orlando, FL, January, 2017.