Introduction - J.R. Sedivy
Posted by jrsedivy 10 years, 4 months ago to The Gulch: Introductions
I am new to Galt's Gulch and wanted to take a moment to introduce myself at the recommendation of a few members of this site. I have followed the newsletter for a bit and felt compelled to join after reading some of the posts and articles within this site.
About me - I am an entrepreneur located in Austin, Texas whose recent interests include 3D printing/additive manufacturing, business, technology, big data, objectivism, anything by Ayn Rand, and Austrian economics. I am an avid reader and enjoy playing iPad social games to decompress.
In terms of my involvement with Galt's Gulch I am looking to meet "my kind of people" - those with an interest in objectivism who have a desire to learn more about this philosophy and are seeking to further integrate objectivist principles into their daily lives.
I also have a strong interest in those "going Galt" as I would like to found and build my own community of objectivist entrepreneurs with a desire in building a physical community based on objectivist, free-market principles.
I look forward to meeting and getting to know the members of Galt's Gulch and thank you for having me here!
About me - I am an entrepreneur located in Austin, Texas whose recent interests include 3D printing/additive manufacturing, business, technology, big data, objectivism, anything by Ayn Rand, and Austrian economics. I am an avid reader and enjoy playing iPad social games to decompress.
In terms of my involvement with Galt's Gulch I am looking to meet "my kind of people" - those with an interest in objectivism who have a desire to learn more about this philosophy and are seeking to further integrate objectivist principles into their daily lives.
I also have a strong interest in those "going Galt" as I would like to found and build my own community of objectivist entrepreneurs with a desire in building a physical community based on objectivist, free-market principles.
I look forward to meeting and getting to know the members of Galt's Gulch and thank you for having me here!
I look forward to your input.
Learned a lot about the movie making business. Chat with other producers as they are filming live.
Hope to see you there or here in the Gulch.
Bill
Bill
I believe we have overlapping interests. 3-D printing/additive manufacturing has cut into my business. When you can print a pattern as fast and affordable as one can be injected into a mold I will have to join you. Until then, my clients will continue to need my services. Over the last ten years some of my clients have purchased these machines, but the ones suited for their purpose have been less than reliable and expensive to maintain. Most have found that for their limited needs it is better to buy their patterns from those who specialize in the field.
Objectivism, Austrian economics, free markets...All good!
Respectfully,
O.A.
We should contact each other. I have 3D printing projects to make tissue scaffolding, solid rocket propellant, and metallic heat exchangers, either funded by myself or by private industry.
I have been a professor for 15 years at Florida Tech in chemical engineering, and as of this year, biomedical engineering. I teach the future rocket scientists and engineers, as well as the Stealth technology necessary for generating a shield like Galt did for his gulch, in my materials science and engineering class, too.
My primary focus has been developing a nanotechnology minor program that has more credits of lab than any others I have seen. I have funded that program and my research with about $100 K from my own pocket, purchasing items on EBay and LabX, and either getting them working myself or having students do it with me. At Florida Tech, if I bring in research contracts and can't publish for propietary reasons, that is acceptable (unlike the publish or perish elsewhere). In addition to the traditional research grants and contracts, we have a branch called Florida Tech Consulting for which you can pay only a 15% overhead rate for my (and perhaps my group's services) while keeping the intellectual property (IP) for your company.
I see myself as like Quentin Daniels, John Galt's assistant from the Utah Institute of Technology.
Educating future Galts,
Prof. Jim Brenner
Florida Tech Chemical and
Biomedical Engineering Departments
Chair, Nanotechnology Minor Program
150 West University Blvd.
256 Olin Engineering Bldg.
Melbourne, FL 32901
jbrenner@fit.edu, jb012767@aol.com
http://my.fit.edu/~jbrenner
321-749-3437
You may wish to re-post this comment in the "Add Comment" box at the top of the comments section. Replying beneath my comment alerts me to your reply by e-mail, but I am not sure J.R. Sedivy is notified... If you do, he will definitely be alerted.
Regards,
O.A.
Concerning custom 3D printing I tend to have two challenges with inventors. The first is ensuring that the model they provide me is of quality. I suspect the defective models are a result of the designer/engineer divide of which you speak. The other challenge is with managing expectations in terms of print quality/speed/cost. I believe many people read the mass media reports that you can just click "print" and print mass quantities at pennies on the dollar rivaling the least expensive China source. In fact, 3D printing is best (in terms of production), for that inventor who just needs a basic prototype to see and demonstrate their design without incurring the cost and time commitment of tooling. Once they have one, the design can be updated and a new prototype printed within hours, with new iterations possible. Once the design has been locked down the design would be passed off to someone like yourself to create tooling and manufacture in volume.
If the government wasn't putting roadblocks in the way of manufacturers your prospects, while still good, could be so much greater.
Success!
O.A.
I agree that the roadblocks are really presenting business challenges. Although it is never a good time to start a business, things are becoming increasingly challenging. Add constricting capital availability and longer payment hold times and increasing transaction fees by the financial sector and it is little wonder why entrepreneurs and businessmen are seeking alternatives.
Pleasure,
O.A.