When you get out you will see by Tony Green

I reflect back on occasions to my time as a Navy Nuke. One of the best times during my tour of duty was the final days on the submarine. Your hand is wrapped firmly around SNOT rag. For those not familiar with Navy terms S.N.O.T. means Shortest Nuke on Topeka. The rag is held by the nuke on board who is closest to their E.A.O.S. End of Active Obligated Service date who had not reenlisted. After four long years my E.A.O.S. would soon be a reality.

I was doing final checkout where I had turn go around my boat get a checklist signed off documenting I had spoken with required personnel. I had covered the front of the boat and I was making my way through the back portion.

The Engineering Department Master Chief EMCS Jeffrey Birch(at the time) said to me in effect, “you may be thinking how things are going to be when get back in the civilian world there will be days where you will wish more people operated in military fashion ”. My initial thought was,” Could you sign off my checklist so I can get off of the tin can for last time?”

Once the topside duty announced on the ship’s 1MC(loudspeaker), “ET2/SS Green departing” and I walked across the brow in Guam, took a plane flight back to Hawaii, and spent some time in X-Div my enlistment in the Navy would be finished.
Almost ten years later after my time working in Silicon Valley I have noted various instances where problems or issues existed and no one wanted to admit they were wrong. In addition, nobody wanted to take action while everyone waited for someone else to resolve the problem.

I wished someone would either step up or “volunteer” someone address and resolve our problems. It was then I thought about my last days on Topeka. I must admit being a touch embarrassed when reflected back on my thoughts on my days of my enlistment.

Time has proven Senior Chief to be 100% correct. Honestly, I wish I had the chance to tell Senior. I think he would want to know. Wait, I published this blog on the Internet, I already did.

P.S. I served in the U.S.S. Topeka S.S.N. 754, a nuclear powered fast attack submarine. Currently she is based in San Diego but was stationed in Pearl Harbor while I was a Reactor Operator from 1996-2000.

Epoxy in the Automotive Industry by Tony Green

There are various polymers that are utilized in manufacture of automobiles. Some include silicone, urethane, polyester and epoxy which are designed for applications ranging from the painting on the outside of the car, to forming the material used make the bumper, to bonding the wire to the PCB board which form many of the control electronics.

The polymers types are used include polyesters, urethanes, silicones, and epoxy. All of these polymers share the characteristic of enabling technology. Epoxy in particular has played a role due to its high chemical and heat resistance.

There are many uses for epoxy in the assembly of an Automobile. For instance, Epoxy is used in many of the motors by adhering the magnet to the commutator, in wire harnesses to protect wiring in the harsh automobile environment, in compressors to pot the wiring in the clutch, just to name a few.

Due to the gas crisis and a new desire to leave a more environmental footprint the automotive industry as a whole is moving away from gasoline power vehicles to alternative energy vehicles power by electricity, Fuel cells, and ethanol.

The usefulness of epoxy is still clear in light of the change in automobile due to its flexibility. By adjusting the some of the ingredients epoxy can be formulated with customized properties which can be catered to any specific automotive application.

Examples of these applications include potting for Flex Fuel sensor due to resistance to ethanol environment and Lithium ion battery packs due to its ability to adhere in alkaline/acidic environments.

The future is guaranteed to bring changes in customer requirements which will spur changes in technology. Participants in the industry will need to ensure their product offering meet the changing requirements of their customers. Epoxy will continue to play large role in the automotive industry due to its versatility.

Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com http://www.freefoto.com

Nuclear power on the rise by Tony Green

A month ago I read an article detailing plans to add multiple nuclear powered plants in the United States and in China with the intention of bringing them on line by 2015.

Due to the regulatory requirements associated with building a plant ten years can pass from the initial planning to the delivery a fully operational nuclear reactor.
I had mentioned in one of my previous blogs about the future of nuclear power due the requirement for relatively cheap method of generating power which nuclear reactors can provide.

The United States Navy has showcased the fact the reactors involved in its nuclear power program can be operated in a safe manner. This requires a large amount of organization, oversight, procedures, and qualified and trained operators.

The increase in the demand of nuclear power will lead to resources being allocated including research and training programs. The result will be that the infrastructure can be provided to enable full adoption of nuclear power as a viable power source.

The key for adoption for future growth is proper regulation of the industry. It is clear nuclear power can meet the requirements for power needs as long as its production is regulated thus ensuring safety.

The accidents of the past taught us valuable lessons about the effect of poor oversight. We should not forget these incidents, however, it is time to move forward and focus on today’s crisis. Solutions involving nuclear reactors may not as ideal in most people’s minds but out of the box solutions may be what is needed in the future.

So, what are we waiting for? Are we more concerned about history or the reality that your television requires electricity to create a picture when you turn it on?

Photo courtesy of http://www.freefoto.com