News & Resources

Big Ideas

As engineers, we love learning about the world around us and drawing inspiration from other people and inventions throughout history. And, we love sharing our favorite stories with you! Who knows? Maybe they’ll help spark your next big idea too.

Accidental Invention: Silly Putty

Simple. Squishable. Moldable. Silly Putty has been a popular children’s toy for over 80 years. But did you know it wasn’t created for kids? Silly Putty’s origin story begins with an accidental discovery during the rubber shortage during World War II. During WWII, many of the countries that produced rubber

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Mothers of Invention: Martha Coston

Inventor and businesswoman Martha Coston knew how to draw attention to herself… By using a Coston flare. This essential tool for signaling at sea can be credited to the hard work of one incredibly dedicated mother. Martha Coston did not let being a young, widowed, single mother in the mid-nineteenth

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Inventions Ahead of Their Time: The Electric Car

With gas prices soaring, many drivers are considering the transition to electric vehicles. While many consider electric cars to be technology from the future, we actually have over two centuries of research and development to thank for this incredible invention. When people today think of electric cars, most envision sleek,

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The Benefits of Refurbishing Your Old Bins

Whether your Intermediate Bulk Containers need modifications for a new process idea or repairs from a little run-in with a forklift, we at CPS are happy to fix them up for you. While we do specialize in building custom machines, there are also some significant benefits to choosing to refurbish

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Inventions Ahead of Their Time: Corrective Lens/Contact Lens

Today, a large portion of the population wears eyeglasses or contacts regularly. But how long ago would you suppose corrective lenses were first utilized? 100 years ago? 500? 1,000? How about over 2,000? Yep, that’s right. Check out this article to learn the early origins of these incredibly useful tools.

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Mothers of Invention: Olga D. González-Sanabria

A minority in many facets of her life, Olga D. Gonzalez-Sanabria was one of the few women who earned an engineering degree from the University of Puerto Rico and eventually became the highest-ranking Hispanic employee at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. Her invention of the long cycle-life nickel-hydrogen battery has been

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Who is “The Real McCoy” Anyway?

Rumor has it that the phrase “the real McCoy” could have come from a variety of sources. But the origin story we like the most is about Canadian inventor Elijah McCoy and his coveted products which customers understandably only wanted authentic versions of. If you want something that’s “the real

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Accidental Invention: Corn Flakes

Corn Flakes – the best-selling breakfast cereal in the United States. You know them. You love them. But do you know how they were created? Check out this article to learn the surprising story behind the accidental invention of this iconic Kellogg’s product. As with many notable inventions, Kellogg’s Corn

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The Amazing Engineering That Gave Us Raisinets

What do you get when you combine American raisins, sweet chocolate, and the right equipment to polish? One of our favorite treats: Raisinets. One specific grape, a method of polishing, and the right kind of chocolate are just a few of the key components in making Raisinets. Let’s grab a

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Accidental Invention: Penicillin

It was a simple mistake. You’ve probably even done it yourself: a trip out of town, a forgotten bowl of fruit… Next thing you know, you’ve invented penicillin. Admittedly, there were a few more steps involved in creating usable penicillin, but it just goes to show that you never know

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History of Tums

When your stomach is upset, it’s convenient to have a pharmacist for a husband. When your husband/pharmacist makes something that works so well it becomes a best-selling product within two years, you’ve got yourself the History of Tums. Something Isn’t Agreeing With Me In the 19th century, there were many

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Welcome Back to CPS, Rayce Gibson!

Sales Executive Rayce Gibson has rejoined us here at Custom Powder Systems, and we couldn’t be happier. And it sure seems he’s happy with his decision, too. “I’ve known these guys forever,” Rayce says. “We already knew each other, we knew what we expected from each other. We know how

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Blended Romance: How Custom Powder Systems Came to Be

“I don’t know how many times my boss introduced us… He really only needed to introduce us once,” recalls Denise on meeting Dale “Mac” McIntosh. The two had been working in the plant food industry and, if opposites do attract, Denise and Mac soon figured out how to blend their

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International Adventures: China’s City of Dalian

When Pfizer needed an aseptic system for dispensing and blending powders, Custom Powder Systems knew exactly what to do. We developed a fully automated system to dispense sterile antibiotic powders from aluminum shipping cans, mill and transport them into vial filling equipment. We also happened to discover a diverse seaport

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Six Celebrities Who Studied Engineering

While some celebrities know from childhood that they are destined to be an actor, model, comedian, or other iconic personality, others may not begin pursuing these passions until they get older. But what, then, are they doing in the meantime? Well, for these six famous individuals the answer is: studying

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Mothers of Invention: Lillian Gilbreth’s Ergonomics

Born in Oakland, California at the end of Reconstruction, Lillie Moller was one of the first women engineers to earn a doctorate. She entered the first grade at age nine, and in less than ten years graduated high school. Although her father didn’t approve of a young woman going to

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When Industry Rivals Become Friends, Everyone Wins

The morning of April 2, 2021 brought devastating news for luxury brand Valentino: a fire had ravaged one of their shoe plants. Thankfully, no lives were lost. However, the structure and contents of the building were not so lucky. With 90% destruction, Valentino Shoes Labs was nearly a complete loss,

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