Tomorrow’s Engineer Week 2023:  Day 4

Navigating the dynamic seas of design, innovation, creativity and effective communication can be challenging. So how does an engineer balance such things? Guy Watson, Lead Design Engineer at SMC shares his experience.

1.  How do you balance creativity and innovation with the technical aspects of your work as an engineer?

“When designing, one of the biggest factors that comes into play is manufacturability – can it be made to your budget? We are very fortunate now with the manufacturing capabilities around, metal 3D printing, injection moulding etc, however these come with a steep price.

Although the concept stage of any design is to create and explore various ideas, I always keep manufacturing capabilities in mind, prioritising in-house first as it is more cost effective.”

2.  What ways does innovation play a role in your work, especially when adapting to evolving military and governmental needs?

“I think innovation happens when you fully understand a client’s needs/specification and can come up with something that meets these needs in a new way.

Because the world is forever changing, unfortunately so are the problems within it. But with problems come opportunities for solutions.”

3.  How do you ensure clear and effective communication between project stakeholders, team members, and clients to align with the project’s objectives and requirements outlined in the brief?

“I have found, a tight and clear process partnered with time management tools like Gantt charts allow projects to run efficiently due to accountability and clear scheduling throughout the project. Having projects start off on the right foot, with all information gathered, possible timescales agreed, allow projects to run smoothly, however as stated, as long as this is all outlined in a process, this should be accounted for.”

4.  What are some of the specific design considerations and requirements when creating masts and antennas for defence or government clients, and how do they differ from civilian applications?

“Environment and durability are some of the main considerations when designing for defence. The way a lot of our products are used mean they have to withstand a lot of punishment from weather conditions, rough personnel use and potentially dangerous environments.”

Tomorrow’s Engineer Week (6-10 November 2023) is an excellent opportunity to shine a spotlight on the amazing minds and talents that drive progress in our field.

It is an opportunity to help students explore the alignment of their skills and passions with the world of engineering and to shine a light on inspirational engineers and technicians, reshaping young people’s perceptions of the industry.

Discover more about how SMC can help design your next project here, or check out Tomorrow’s Engineer Week 2023 at tomorrowengineers.org.uk

Catch up with our other blogs:

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Five

Photo by Adobe Stock.