Mentor Blogs

What can only be described as a series of unfortunate events (to borrow from Lemony Snicket) with prompted organizations dedicated to safety to launch investigations into the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s safety and potential for additional problems, as well as to ground 787s until its safety is proven. While some problems are expected in the release of new design into service the quick succession of these … Read More

Li-ion, JTM, Geek, Aerospace, All Nippon Airways, Hardware, JAL, Japan Airlines, 787, electrical, Boeing, Electronic, ANA, Engineer, APU, FAA, EASA, Dreamliner, Electric, Lithium Ion, Military, NTSB, Mil-Aero, Milaero, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, Logan Airport, Mentor

When we last left off, the auxiliary power unit (APU) of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner parked at Boston’s Logan Airport had caught fire, purportedly melting a Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery module. It would not be the last of the commercial airliner’s—or even Japan Airlines’—problems, however. The very next day (Jan. 8), in fact, a second Japan Airlines (JAL) 787 suffered a fuel leak, and its flight out of … Read More

Mentor, Logan Airport, JAL, Aerospace, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Li-ion, Lithium Ion, 787, Electronic, Boeing, Engineer, Geek, ANA, Hardware, APU, Electric, Dreamliner, electrical, Mentor Graphics, Narita International Airport, Milaero, Military, Mentor.com, Mil-Aero

Aerospace professionals the world over are focused on three little words: Lithium ion batteries. Even the collective interest of the defense community (more on that later) is piqued about potential power problems. Alliteration aside, Boeing’s 787 battery has captured the attention of aerospace geeks, government agencies, and the traveling public. In case you haven’t heard about the latest trouble with … Read More

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Forty-three years ago, on 20 July 1969, the United States Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to the moon. Were you aware, however, that it the first space vehicle to reach the vicinity of the moon was not manned at all? Intrigued? This geek hopes so. Fun fact: Unmanned spacecraft reached the vicinity of the moon a decade before the first manned mission landed on the lunar surface. The Soviet … Read More

Moon, Milaero, Mentor, Apollo, Mentor Graphics, Mentor.com, Mil-Aero, Aerospace, Electric, Geek, electrical, Hardware, Luna, Computer, Luna 1, COTS, Embedded Systems, Electronic, Engineer, nasa, spacecraft, unmanned, Sally Ride, Soviet Union

Forty-three years ago this month, astronauts made history. The Apollo 11 mission, a milestone in human history, continues to be celebrated worldwide decades later. The first words spoken on the moon by Neil Armstrong, the first to step onto the lunar surface, remain among the most famous and inspirational in the world: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Nearly 500 million … Read More

Neil Armstrong, nasa, Mentor.com, Apollo 11, Mil-Aero, Milaero, Moon, Aerospace, COTS, Geek, Hardware, Electric, Mentor, Buzz Aldrin, Mentor Graphics, Cold War, Electronic, electrical, Engineer, Soviet Union, Technology

A popular children’s toy has been named the first domestic robot, the first robotic toy, and a threat to national security in the U.S. Can you guess which toy? It was the cute, lovable, and interactive Furby! The Furby was produced by Tiger Electronics from 1998 to 2001, and again by Hasbro between 2005 and 2007. In fact, it has just been announced that the Furby will again line store shelves; it will … Read More

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Unmanned vehicles, especially the aerial variety, as the subject of much attention in the military & aerospace industry; public opinion of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) appears to be split, as concerns over safety, security, and privacy grow. The UAV’s history is nonetheless intriguing. In 1915, famous scientist and visionary Nikola Tesla first described a fleet of unmanned aerial combat vehicles. … Read More

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) continue to grow in use and popularity; yet, little attention is paid to UAV history, which contains some valuable, if not shocking (pun intended), insights. On November 8, 1898, Nikola Tesla was granted U.S. Patent Number 613809 for what was likely the first remote control and unmanned vehicle ever envisioned. The patent, entitled “Method of and Apparatus for Controlling … Read More

teleautomaton, remote-controlled robot, Milaero, Military, mind control, Nikola Tesla, Aerospace, electrical, Mentor, Mentor Graphics, Electronic, Mentor.com, Design Automation, Mil-Aero, Electric, Geek, Embedded Systems, Hardware, UAV, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

The military and aerospace (mil/aero) market is currently a hotbed of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) activity. UAV platforms, technologies, challenges, and even mishaps are making news headlines and drawing a great deal of attention of late. Whereas the UAV is likely the hottest topic in mil/aero today, a much smaller industry segment know well the UAV’s rich and interesting history. The geek wants … Read More

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The military and aerospace (mil/aero) market relies on efficiency. This is true of myriad industries during a down economy, which requires organizations—including the U.S. Department of Defense and other military organizations, as well as prime contractors and subcontractors—to do more with less. Not only do engineering and manufacturing personnel need to be efficient, but also the tools they employ … Read More

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Engineers from Bell Helicopter, a Textron Company, and The Boeing Company have unleashed a unique aircraft that has been turning heads at recent air shows, and for good reason. The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey was designed from the ground up (a rarity in a downturned economy, it seems) to meet the needs of multiple armed services. In doing so, it combines the capabilities of a helicopter with those of fixed-wing … Read More

Geek, Embedded Systems, Hardware, Warfighters, V-22, Milaero, Bell Helicopter, Military, Software, Aerospace, Textron, Mentor, Electric, Mentor Graphics, Electronic, Mentor.com, Boeing, Mil-Aero

System interoperability is a major issue and continual challenge in military and aerospace (mil/aero) applications. Electronic components and solutions from various vendors must all work together. The same is true of legacy versus modern systems. Many industry pundits in the mil/aero community have long compared the challenge to trying to have a 50-year-old communicate effectively with a newborn—they … Read More

electrical, Electric, Electronic, Software, Mentor Graphics, Computer, Mentor.com, Mil-Aero, Aerospace, Milaero, Engineer, Design Automation, Geek, Hardware, COTS, Mentor

Systems integration is no small feat. Ensuring disparate parts and systems—standalone solutions from multiple vendors—talk and work together seamlessly and reliably is a challenge. In fact, the systems integrator, not to mention the MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) specialist charged with keeping systems in good working order over decades of deployment, has been given many nicknames reflective … Read More

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Gone, in large part, are the days of military and aerospace (mil/aero) organizations buying a complete, comprehensive, end-to-end turnkey system from a single, solitary vendor. Rather, a vast majority of today’s mil/aero systems combine the technologies, components, and capabilities of myriad technology vendors. Integrating parts from various vendors in a single system, like most things, has its pros … Read More

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Just this month, PKC Eesti AS, a supplier of electrical wiring harnesses to European truck makers and a subsidiary of Finland’s PKC Group Oyj, announced that it is deploying the latest technology from the Mentor Graphics Capital suite of tools at its factory in Estonia. Among the tools adopted is the Capital HarnessXC product, which is designed to enable harness engineers to create detailed, validated, … Read More

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