How Ole Evinrude's invention redefined boating across America

Interesting Engineering wishes you a Happy New Year! We're back and ready to bring you the most interesting developments in the world of mechanical engineering.

In this year’s first issue, we navigate the transformative journey of Ole Evinrude's outboard motor, reveal the latest breakthroughs in the engineering realm, and honor AMD's Lisa Su for her visionary leadership. Gear up for an enlightening read, complemented by our handpicked book recommendations.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES

China develops new iron making method that boosts productivity by 3,600 times
This method can possibly complete the iron-making process in just three to six seconds, while traditional blast furnaces take five to six hours.

China’s humanoid robot army turns factory into precision-packed powerhouse
MagicLab’s highly-trained third-gen humanoid can mimic 70 percent of human hand gestures. 

X-59: NASA jet hits silent supersonic milestone with first full afterburner test 
A major milestone for the quiet supersonic aircraft, the X-59 completes a full-burn test and prepares for full-flight testing.

Revolutionizing Quantum Tech: Palm-Sized Lasers Break Lab Boundaries
A low-cost laser that matches the performance of lab-scale systems, is right around the corner. 

Thruster Swap Keeps Voyager 1 Mission Alive
Engineers successfully activated a backup set of thrusters on the Voyager 1 spacecraft, 15 billion miles from Earth.

SPOTLIGHT

Ole Evinrude's outboard motor redefined boating

Ole Evinrude, a Norwegian immigrant, changed the face of water transportation with his invention of the outboard motor. A device that transformed boating across America's lakes. His innovation enabled boats to move beyond the limitations of manual rowing, making water activities accessible and enjoyable for many. Recognized for his significant impact, ASME declared Evinrude's outboard motor an engineering landmark in 1981.

In the early 20th century, Evinrude was inspired to create a small marine engine following a rowing incident where he fetched ice cream for his fiancée. This led to the development of a gasoline-powered engine that was lightweight and efficient. In 1911, he and his wife, Bess, launched a 62-pound, two-cycle engine that could generate 1.5 horsepower, featuring a design that has since become standard in the industry.

The Evinrudes' business flourished quickly. Former President Theodore Roosevelt even praised the reliability of an Evinrude motor during his Amazon River expedition. However, the stress of their business's rapid growth led the couple to sell the company in 1914. Yet, Ole's passion for innovation brought him back to the industry in 1921 with a new, improved outboard motor model. This model was lighter and more powerful, sparking further advancements in marine and land equipment, including the creation of the Lawn-Boy brand.

The Evinrude legacy continued through their son, Ralph, who took over in 1934 and expanded the company, even incorporating electric vehicles. Despite facing challenges such as economic downturns and the eventual obsolescence of two-stroke engines, the Evinrude brand made a lasting impact on outdoor recreation.

Sadly, Outboard Marine, the parent company, went bankrupt, and the Evinrude brand ceased production in 2020 after more than a century. Despite this, Ole Evinrude's contributions to engineering and recreation continue to resonate with enthusiasts and historians alike.

MechTech Innovations

New 3D printing technique offers stretchable, economical plastics

Princeton engineers have made a scalable 3D printing method to create soft plastics that combine exceptional stretchiness with recyclability and cost-effectiveness. This is a combination, rarely seen in commercially available materials.

Published in Advanced Functional Materials, the study by Emily Davidson and her team uses thermoplastic elastomers, common polymers, to develop customizable materials. By manipulating the 3D printer’s path, they can dictate the plastic’s mechanical properties, allowing for flexibility in one direction and rigidity in another.

This innovation holds promise for applications in soft robotics, medical devices, and even consumer products like sports equipment. The process centers around aligning nanoscale structures within the plastic, making materials that are robust in specific orientations yet flexible overall. The use of thermoplastic elastomers, costing merely cents per gram, ensures the method is both economical and adaptable for large-scale production.

The technique involves a thermal annealing step, enhancing the material's properties post-printing, enabling reusability, and even allowing self-healing capabilities. This breakthrough offers a new way to create complex, multi-functional items with localized material characteristics.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu 
This book features time travel mechanics and paradoxes that would twist any engineer’s mind in delightful ways, filled with conceptual tools that bend the laws of physics.

The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem 
A collection of humorous tales about robot engineers Trurl and Klapaucius who construct bizarre machines to solve equally bizarre problems with wildly unpredictable results.

Flatterland by Ian Stewart 
Like "Flatland" but with more dimensions and a whimsical exploration of modern physics and engineering concepts, it’s a fun read for those interested in theoretical mechanics.

Anathem by Neal Stephenson 
Involves a secluded community of scholar-monks who are deeply involved in theoretical philosophy, mathematics, and physics, including space travel engineering, within a context that is both intellectual and fantastical.

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett 
Features the revitalization of the Ankh-Morpork Post Office and introduces the "Clacks," a semaphore system that mimics the challenges of real-world mechanical and communication networks.