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.
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
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,
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
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.
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
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
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
When you’re a fancy socialite and the servants keep breaking your fine china while washing it, you can either hire better help, or you can invent a machine to do the job right. Josephine Cochrane chose the latter. I’ll Do it Myself! The daughter of an engineer and granddaughter of
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
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
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
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
Dean Casady, Technical Services Director at Custom Powder, has been a runner for 45 years. Recently, he decided to take on one of the most rigorous runs on earth: A run into the Grand Canyon, traveling from rim to rim to rim, also known as R2R2R. “It’s seven miles to
“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
Imagine you’ve just flown a quarter-million miles to the moon to collect some rock samples that every scientist on the team is eager to get ahold of. However, you need to figure out a way to let them get their hands on them… without letting them actually get their hands
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
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
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
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,
Sending a working rover to Mars is a remarkable feat. Keeping the rover working longer than expected is even more remarkable. When the rover, Curiosity, landed on Mars on August 6th, 2012, the mission was planned to last 90 sols (Martian days), equivalent to approximately 92.73 Earth days. To this