Top-Down Engineering LLC

15/10/2013

A video update for TDE product-to-be, Direct-Bag-It...for those who want to spend significantly less time and effort raking and bagging leaves. Venture out to my Direct Bag It page and give it a like if interested in receiving all updates.

31/08/2013

Zamzar - convert document, eBook, image, audio and video - free online file conversion

Just threw a Like out to Zamzar, a graphics file conversion website. It does a real nice job of converting larger format files. I've run into situations where I need a good jpg or png from a powerpoint slide. First save the ppt to a pdf (preserves the font type) and then upload the pdf to convert to jpg or png. Of course if you have Adobe, it can probably do all that for you, but this is a good tool otherwise. Does a lot of other formats too that I haven't tried yet...

Free conversion between document, image, music, video, audio, eBook, compressed and CAD formats. No download or account required.

29/07/2013

Direct-Bag-It

Several updates to pics and videos on the Direct-Bag-It website. Check them out below. Also, several contests have cropped up that I am entering. Like the Direct-Bag-It page for all DBI updates!

21/07/2013

The latest update from the Direct-Bag-It page: https://www.facebook.com/DirectBagIt

BAM!...Direct-Bag-It beta prototype is fully assembled! Add a yard bag bag and fill chute, and it'll be ready to cut that leafy yard work at least in half.

Grateful for Solidworks 3D CAD...all of my holes lined up perfectly.

Ungrateful for the "now-me" who never thinks about the "later-me" when setting down tools :) where'd I put that socket wrench?

20/07/2013

This Is Engineering (with President Mitch Daniels)

An enginerdy parody...

DOWNLOAD AND ENJOY! https://soundcloud.com/thewestwing-1 A Purdue Engineering parody of 'Thrift Shop' by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Directed and Produced by ...

09/07/2013

Rake less! Live more! Direct-Bag-It!

Sales campaign week 1 stats:

$420 raised - Thank You!
343 views on YouTube
66 likes on Direct-Bag-It page

It's a long way to go to meet the campaign goal.

Baby steps goal for this week: reach $2000 raised, with at least two Direct-Bag-It systems sold. If you are considering the purchase, please take the step to help gain momentum! Click below for the Indiegogo sales campaign. Thank You!

Discover the new and better way to bag your leaves and grass clippings. Direct-Bag-It discharges directly into paper yard bags!

04/07/2013

Remember...

As you enjoy that shade tree during your 4th of July BBQ or gathering, remember those leaves will have to be dealt with just a few months from now. Direct-Bag-It will cut your leafy yard work in half! Check out the timeline for the "On the Clock" contest...taking entries through Sunday! Finally, if you would like to help support the DBI effort or better yet, buy a complete system, please check out the crowd funding page: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rake-less-live-more-direct-bag-it

03/07/2013

Here's a contest running on the Direct-Bag-It page. Check it out!

Take a look at this yard. A leafy mess. In your mind, estimate how long it would take you to rake and bag this leafy landscape. Now, take a guess how long it will take with Direct-Bag-It! Comment with your raking estimate and DBI guess. Will post the answer Sunday evening...until then, please share! http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rake-less-live-more-direct-bag-it

02/07/2013

Direct Bag It

An easier way to get to the Direct-Bag-It page to post a like...thank you all so far! 30 likes by Friday is the goal!

www.facebook.com/DirectBagIt

Discover the new and better way to bag your leaves and grass clippings.
Direct-Bag-It discharges directly into paper yard bags!

02/07/2013

Direct Bag It

Help me reach my baby steps goal...30 likes on the Direct-Bag-It page by Friday!

Hello all...Thank you for the early support!

Baby-steps goal: get 30 likes on this Direct-Bag-It page by Friday!

Help make it happen!

Remember, the campaign link is pinned to the top of the timeline. Check it out and share!

30/06/2013

Rake less! Live more! Direct-Bag-It!

The sales campaign is live! Please share on your timeline and spread the word!

Discover the new and better way to bag your leaves and grass clippings. Direct-Bag-It discharges directly into paper yard bags!

29/06/2013

Ok, scratch that. It turns out that Fb business pages don't work worth a darn (no search bar, ability ) unless created under your personal profile. Time to re-created the Direct-Bag-It page.

29/06/2013

Faithful TDE followers. I need to reincarnate this page on a different account in conjunction with the Direct-Bag-It sales campaign launch. I'll get new links out there once they're available. The launch should happen tomorrow if things go well!!!

28/04/2013

Patenting for a First Timer: Some tips and a rundown of the process

Check out the latest TDE blog post if you or someone you know has a great idea they are considering patenting:

http://topdownengineering.com/patenting-for-a-first-timer-some-tips-and-a-rundown-of-the-process/

About a month ago I submitted the utility patent application for my yard bagging product, Direct-Bag-It. (Woo Hoo!) Having successfully navigated this pr

02/03/2013

Multiple posts in one day!? What gives?

I have been busy preparing the drawings for the Direct-Bag-It utility patent and just received the first draft of text today from Linda at CreatiVenture Law. Very exciting progress that I wanted to post.

In parallel, the design and manufacturing drawings for the beta-prototype for Direct-Bag-It are nearing completion with the next step of talking to fabricators to get pricing coming soon. Those numbers will help drive to-be-determined next steps. I anticipate a challenge bridging between low-volume fabrication costs and the economies of scale that come with higher volumes, but I expect to figure something out.

Once the utility patent is submitted and I have a handle on pricing and sales approach, I'll get some pictures and videos out to the masses. In the mean time I hope you don't have too many left-over fall leaves to rake and bag! :)

02/03/2013

OREO Separator Machine #1 - Creator: Physicist David Neevel

A very satisfying mix of engineerdiness, subtle humor, and actual function. Time for an Oreo! (fortunately I find the cookie to creme balance of a normal Oreo just right...otherwise I'd need to build one of these)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pii4G8FkCA4

It's a basic human desire to separate an OREO cookie. Humans love either cookie or creme. And sometimes a man just needs to invent a machine to do the hard w...

18/11/2012

Kickstarter

Big day today for Direct-Bag-It, TDE's new and better way to collect leaves and grass clippings. My bro-in-law came over with his sweet video equipment and we filmed DBI in action for a to be produced marketing video. We had great weather and a leafy yard to work with. Working toward a probable Kickstarter campaign to get things really rolling.



http://www.kickstarter.com/

Kickstarter is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects.

17/09/2012

GRC - Travis Pastrana wins in New Hampshire!

While researching the latest TDE blog post, making sure it was Travis Pastrana driving the Dodge Dart rally car, I ran across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdNcpobp70k

Wow that is some cool racing! Love the in car action!

Travis Pastrana takes the victory in New Hampshire with the Dodge Dart in the 4th event of the GRC series.

17/09/2012

Dodge Dart Commercial: 1 min 30 sec Microcosm of Engineering Design?!

Check out the latest TDE blog post. Do you think the Dodge Dart commercial "How to Change Cars Forever" is a good microcosm of engineering design? I do:

http://topdownengineering.com/dodge-dart-commercial-1-min-30-sec-microcosm-of-engineering-design/

Ok, wouldn't have expected to play off of a car commercial for one of my blog posts, but here goes anyway. I first saw the Dodge Dart "How to Change Cars

17/09/2012

Top-Down Engineering Begins!

The opening TDE blog post. Find out why this all got started:

http://topdownengineering.com/top-down-engineering-begins/

Growing up we had a black lab named Oscar who had daily pursuits of rabbits and squirrels in our back yard. When he had one identified through the glass sl