(Morrisville, N.C.) Montie Roland, president of collaborative product design and development firm Montie Design, will be leading the discussion, “X-Rest - The Process of Going from Concept to Consumer” February 1st as part of the RTP Product Development Guild Speaker Series. The event will be hosted at multimedia and mobile messaging firm Tekelec from 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) “CE Marking” certification for Europe is a “Self-Declaration”, but what happens if it’s incorrect? Many company owners don’t realize the liability they assume when signing the CE documentation. In North America, most electrical equipment manufacturers are required to have their products tested by an independent testing laboratory, such as UL, MET, CSA, ETL, and TUV. In the US, these laboratories are approved and audited by the Federal Government (OSHA) and are required to prove experience and competence for the accreditation. For the European Union, “CE Marking” “Self-Declaration is allowed. (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) The RTP Product Development Guild and NC Product Design & Prototyping Co-Op have launched a new interactive map to connect out-of-state business professionals with quality Research Triangle Park-area manufacturing design and production talent. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) City Manager J. Russell Allen today named John Robert Carman to head the City of Raleigh’s Public Utilities Department. He will begin work on January 4. While he has spent the past four years with global engineering firm CH2M Hill, in Utah, northern California and currently as a vice president based in Chicago, the majority of Mr. Carman’s 30-year career in water and sewer operations and management has been in the public sector. (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) The NC Product Design and Prototyping Co-Op, a project of the RTP Product Development Guild, is continuing its popular lunch and learn series with an event hosted at Fidelity Bank in Cary on Wednesday, October 28, from 12-1:30 p.m. The lunch and learn events are one of several educational and business networking opportunities presented by the Co-Op in an effort to promote regional entrepreneurship and, specifically, growth in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) Laboratory equipment represents an elevated risk of product safety dangers. CertifiGroup has a special new program to help manufacturers, designers and equipment owners for this high-tech category. In many cases, non-certified laboratory equipment is never identified as a high risk category in the workplace. Scientists and facility owners assume the manufacturers have considered electrical and product safety merely because the equipment is often expensive. The CertifiGroup laboratory equipment evaluation team has been collecting data on the hazards for operators and facilities, and the results are startling. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) CertifiGroup, a North Carolina testing laboratory, is offering special programs for US companies who are preparing to sell products in Europe. Since the creation of the “CE marking” system, it has become more obvious over the years that this was not just a “Free trade” arrangement for the countries in the European Union. In recent years, companies shipping products to European ports have had entire shipments delayed and even returned, for not bearing the CE mark, or for missing or incorrect paperwork. With these occurrences, it is now clear that these regulations were also intended to be a trade barrier for companies outside of the EU. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) For the third year in a row, a grassroots coalition of product designers and manufacturing professionals are banding together to showcase their industry by hosting a free networking and educational event in Morrisville. The RTP Product Design Street Faire will be held Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009 from 3 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at 400 Dominion Drive, attracting over two dozen vendors in addition to attendees and their families enjoying conversation, barbeque, drinks and snacks. (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) The RTP Product Development Guild – a local group of engineers and designers working together to improve the regional economy – is hosting its third annual RTP Product Design Street Faire Saturday, Sept. 12  from 3:00 - 6:30 pm at 400 Dominion Drive in Morrisville. This fun, outdoor networking and educational event will feature exhibits and demonstrations by leading Triangle-area product designers and affiliated professionals showcasing the technological innovation that makes North Carolina a hotbed of state-of-the-art manufacturing design and production talent. Admission to the Street Faire is free but requires pre-registration online at RTPStreetFaire.com. (more…)

(Apex, N.C.) NCTechNews, North Carolina’s technology news source, is accepting submissions from business and organizations to be listed in the publication’s North Carolina Technology Resources Guide. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) With an increase in lean manufacturing and change in consumer trends, many independent industrial design firms are seeing an uptick in work due to on-demand outsourcing. Design Group Associates of Cary, N.C. is one of those firms leveraging specialized services and innovation to capture a greater market share of these new opportunities. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) CertifiGroup is providing a service to manufacturers and designers of energy-saving “green” products and systems. For many years, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) was usually associated with Product Safety testing, now this alternative will be something helpful for local companies. The CertifiGroup Green Initiative will help insure manufacturers and designers have every advantage in the marketplace, by assisting with design and safety compliance. (more…)