Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with industrial

Industrial Jewelry

lore — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:55:34 -0800

Industrial jewelry in the Bay Area? Can anyone recommend a place in the San Francisco Bay Area that sells jewelry with an industrial flair? A good example would be a bracelet I saw made of the insides of analog watches. It's too late for shipping, so I want someplace local.

Embedded x86 Linux

thewalrus — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:27:04 -0800

x86 embedded Linux filter: Please recommend a not-too-costly embedded x86 system that is fanless, has a full set of the usual external I/O ports and doesn't use a lot of power. Should be the size of a VHS tape or smaller. Probably Mini-ITX form factor or nano-ITX. Relatively low cost would be good. I'm looking for suggestions for a embedded x86 system to integrate into a product that will be produced in relatively low volumes, for a niche market. It should be relatively easy to make changes to and diagnose in the field so it needs to have a full set of ports, at least two USB (preferably four USB), VGA, one RS232, RJ45 ethernet. Having a minipci slot for a 802.11g card would be good too.

CPU power is not a factor so it can be the lowest power VIA or Intel Atom processor, but it needs to be fanless.

It may need to store a bit of data so it should have a mounting point for one 2.5" SATA SSD.

This will probably be in the mini-ITX form factor or one of VIA's nano-ITX type boards. I'm looking to buy the motherboard, case and power supply together as a package, and the power supply needs to accept 12V DC input. Any suggestions on vendors or sources?

Obscure early 90s rave song to identify.

spartacusroosevelt — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:38:52 -0800

Trying to identify an early 90s sorta ravey industrial track I only vaguely remember. I believe the song was called "Yaaa" and the word Yaaaaaaaaa was throughout as sort of a bed. There was a liberal usage of Flavor Flav saying "Bass in your face London." Apparently there was some more recent use of that sample that is messing up my Google-fu. It was played usually later in the evening as the DJ veered off into the Front 242 and Thrill Kill Kult sort of material.

Not a lot to go on, but surely somebody out there has heard this track. The DJ wasn't that adventurous.

Publishing a book on rivethead culture

velvet winter — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:51:33 -0800

I want to write and publish a book on the industrial music scene from a feminist perspective. I’m a decent writer, but I have no photography, graphic design, marketing, or publishing experience, and no industry connections. Where do I start? I have a long-standing interest in the harsh distorted music, extreme fashion, dystopian military aesthetic, and apocalyptic culture of the industrial/dark electro/EBM/powernoise underground music scene. I want to write and publish a book focusing on the people who are involved – bands, artists, fans and supporters.

There are a few books on industrial music and culture out there already, but I want to approach my project from a different angle. I envision the book as an affectionate portrait of a selected group of unusual people, focused on certain aspects of the subculture that I particularly appreciate. Rivethead culture is commonly seen as overwhelmingly male-dominated, but I see it as much more feminist-friendly than it might appear at first glance. It’s very accepting of LGBT folks, geeks, and body types that don’t fit conventional standards, for example. It’s also one of very few places (aside from a few others like goth, riotgrrl and punk culture) where women’s anger and aggression are accepted, and even encouraged.

What I want to do is shine the feminist spotlight on rivetheads of various genders, ethnicities and sexual identities. I want bold, insightful feminist analysis. I want to feature photos of real people with a variety of body types, rather than professional fashion models. I want to highlight older people involved in the scene, to counter the mistaken idea that this is just a youthful phase that everyone outgrows. And hey…it certainly doesn’t hurt that gritty settings featuring men in eyeliner and utilikilts, or women with purple hair and spiked leather jackets, are inherently interesting to me.

Inspirations for this project include:
* AxWound: Gender in the Horror Genre
(I found this while searching for one of my childhood heroes, Lt. Ellen Ripley in Alien!)
* The work of Kyle Cassidy, author of Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes (previously on MeFi)
* The work of UK journalist Mick Mercer
* The Origins of Industrial Music by Jennifer Onativia

I’ve never done anything like this before. I don't know any of the people I mentioned whose work inspires me. Though the scene is fairly small, I’m not well-connected at all – I’m not a musician, DJ, or promoter. I'm just a fan with an abiding interest (and an introverted one at that). I’m definitely not a photographer. And although some of my writing has been published in small-press zines, I’m hardly a professional writer, editor, marketer, graphic designer or publisher. So I really have no idea where to start. And furthermore, I just finished a post-bac in accounting and am currently looking for a job, which means I’m cleverly camouflaged as a semi-normal middle-aged woman and would not be able to devote myself to this book project full-time.

In any case, I would not want this to be a fly-by-night kind of thing. I'm organized, hard-working and responsible, and I’d prefer to take a professional approach. I realize that the market for a book like this is very limited, and that it would be more a labor of love than a profitable venture. But beyond that, I'm clueless. What kind of budget would I be looking at, and would I have any realistic funding options aside from tapping my own pocketbook? Would it even be worth trying to pitch this idea to a traditional publisher? Are there any specific people I should talk to, and if so, what would be the most appropriate way to approach them about a project like this?

What else should I know that I probably haven’t considered?

Any advice would be very much appreciated, particularly from those who've successfully completed projects of similar scope. Thanks!

i wan't goth, i just played chess there

jeffamaphone — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:41:03 -0800

WhatsThatSongFilter: Heard in the mid-ish 90s at a goth coffee shop, some sort of industrial/technoy song. Only lyrics I remember: "nemesis... play sega genesis...". That's it. Do you know the artist / track title?

Where can I find recorded speeches about working in factories during the first half of the 20th century?

hooray — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:05:57 -0800

Where can I find recorded speeches about working in factories during the first half of the 20th century? I am looking for recorded speeches (audio or video, not text) of people talking about the benefits of automated workflow systems in an industrial, or manufacturing context. Something like I would imagine Henry Ford would have had to whip up, promoting the assembly line. Industrial advocates from the first half of the 20th century type talks. Archive.org hasn't shown me much love, but it may be bad search queries. (Posting for a friend.)

Where did this mystery song come from?

FatherDagon — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:53:19 -0800

Trying to track down the source of a very early ('82) Minsitry song. I've got a large chunk of Ministry tracks from across their early years - unreleased remixes, live recordings, etc. One of the songs is called "America", and there's a few different live versions dated around 1982. I'm guessing this is a track from before 'With Sympathy' or around the same time, but it has a more aggressive edge to it than most of their pop-type work around that era. It sounds halfway between 'With Sympathy' and 'Twitch', really. However, I can't find any reference on an official release, either from back then or on the 'Early Trax' comp that came out in '04. Anyone have any idea what release it was off of, if any? Was it just a live track?

In search of gothic, darkwave, industrial, and related music.

filthy light thief — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:43:38 -0800

I host a gothic/industrial radio show, but I've taken a break as I ran out of ideas. Please suggest any suitable bands, labels, blogs, or other sources of inspiration. More details inside. I've hosted an hour-long gothic/industrial/darkwave/etc. show on the local college radio station a few times over the years, but I usually stop after a quarter or two (3-6 months). I have a few old playlists online:

* Jan. 11, 2009
* Dec. 10, 2008
* Nov. 17, 2008
* Nov 10, 2008
* Oct. 27, 2008
* Oct 19, 2008
* Oct 12, 2008

I tend to lean towards the electronic/new industrial side of things, but I like proper gothic stuff. My wife knows more of that realm, and she co-hosts, so some playlists are more into the gothic side things. Common bands include VNV Nation, Wolfsheim, Coil, Ministry, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, Skinny Puppy, Projekt Pitchfork, Siouxsie / Creatures, Depeche Mode, Dead Can Dance, Cranes. Labels include Projekt, Metropolis, old Wax Trax!, random Cleopatra stuff, and more. The station has an impressive back-catalog of 1990s-era industrial and the like, but it's buried amongst indie rock from the past years, too.

Degree or Disagree?

Anonymous — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:20:02 -0800

(How) Should I pursue a career in industrial design? Over the past year, I've become increasingly interested in my own personal time (day job is completely unrelated) to designing original, improving exisiting and gernerally making products more beautiful and useful. I am smitten and stoked on industrial design. I have a couple products I am taking to market very soon, on a very small production run. The entire process is exciting, but i have no formal training in any of it.

My background: I have a completely unrelated, BS degree in a social sciences field and a medium ammount of student debt associated with that. I've got a day-job that is not relevant to product design, and is also rather dead-end-ish when it comes to pay (has some nice perks though). I have fair amount of experience working in graphic design (mostly print) and branding. I did quite a bit of freelance work in both areas over the last 3 years.

I've been looking at going back to school specifically for a degree in industrial design. There seem to be a severe lack of proper industrial or product design programs in Portland, OR (the only one that exists is with the Art Institute, and through the roof expensive, and is a brand new program with only 1 graduate...worrisome), and relocation isn't really possible right now.

I was exploring the idea of hodge-podging experience together by taking a combination of machinist and other practical fabrication classes, together with some drawing, sculpture other design/aesthetic oriented classes at my local state university, and community colleges. Is this a good idea, a bad idea, a travesty waiting to happen?

I'm mostly just exploring my options right now for furthering this interest into a career, because its something i may be quite happy at...

From anyone who works directly with, or as an industrial designer, how did you get your start? Was a degree in your field necessary? Did it make it markedly easier to get a job? Would there be any alternative degrees i should look at that would have enough crossover?

If you're an industrial designer, or work closely with them, i'd love to pick your brain over a couple emails or if you're local to PDX, a cup of coffee or a beer on me.

If you'd like to post anything off-list here, contact me at meta.meta.anon.anon AT gmail.com

(this is posted anonymously because i recently found out my current employer reads mefi, and they have no idea I'm looking to leave or return to school anytime soon)

Art, design, technology

Your Time Machine Sucks — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:23:01 -0800

Please recommend some sites to me that are focused on art and design and are technology-friendly to boot. Hello,

I am looking for sites (blogs or online magazines or similar) which have design and/or art as their focus, but which are tech-friendly in those areas and where it wouldn't be surprising to read about an unusual or well-designed UI along with good industrial design examples or art installations. Which are your favorites? Disclosure: I'm asking a) because I adore that kind of site and always want to find more, and b) because I think there is a possibility that sites with that focus might be interested in a project of mine.

Thank you very much!

New industrial architecture

lou — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:28:49 -0800

Looking for examples of creative, modern industrial architecture. When I think industrial buildings, I (and probably most people) imagine gigantic bland boxes, tens or hundreds of thousands square feet large surrounded by parking lots. But it doesn't always have to be that way, right? Zaha Hadid's BMW Central Building in Leipzig comes to mind, but even then, it's just a small piece in a collection of otherwise typical box warehouses.

What else is out there? I'd really like to see:
- Green - I'm thinking along the lines of LEED certification, or some kind of production in green materials.
- Industrial - light or heavy. Blue collar work environments. Nothing that's primarily office space.
- Mixed-use? If you can mix office, retail and residences, is it possible to mix industrial? Perhaps smaller industrial spaces? Does this even exist?
- On a similar vein, high-density is a bonus.
- The exterior environment is really important- It's not just the architecture that should be compelling but also the landscaping.

Alright, now please educate me!

"Tell me what company you keep and I'll tell you what you are."

pickingoutathermos — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:12:26 -0800

I'm currently looking for a job in the Vancouver or Victoria BC areas, and I'd like some suggestions on companies that do the kinds of things I'm looking for. I'm a Mechanical Engineering Technologist trained at BCIT, with all my post-grad work experience in manufacturing. I'm looking to move my career into a design focused job that has elements of Mechanical and Industrial design. Job classifieds have been pretty meagre, and I'd like to take a proactive approach instead of waiting for something great to come along.
I would love to work for a company that designs / makes / does :
- bicycles, automobiles, boats, aircraft, personal transportation
- heavy equipment like excavators, bulldozers, backhoes
- product design on a contractual basis
- toys, recreational equipment
- musical instruments (guitars, drums)
- medical equipment and/or instruments
- furniture

Any suggestions for companies that have design departments, and do any of the above ?

How can I get started in composing music?

indigo4963 — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:08:56 -0800

I have no music background, but it's been something of a lifelong dream to compose music. How can I create and record industrial music utilizing my PC? Of course there is no typical with regards to industrial, but I listen to say "Father Don't Cry" by Doubting Thomas and I think I can identify drums, keyboards, sound clips from movies, and sound effects. Then again in "Pyromance" by Chemlab, I also hear guitar (and probably bass).

What do I need to get started?
Should I get some kind of keyboard, guitar and/or drum training?
Should I plan on purchasing some kind of physical instruments?
What software can I use?
Would I record each of the instrumental tracks, slowly building the song?
What's involved in taking sound clips from movies?
My lyrics won't be like typical pop songs with rhyming or a chorus, so I'd either do like spoken word (if that's the right term) or some sort of distorted vocals -- what can I use for that?

What type of jobs could I apply to with my education?

shap — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:15:47 -0800

Whats sorts of jobs and career paths are available for MSc in industrial engineering graduates? I am going to be graduating in about a semester and I know this is something I should of thought about before, but still..

I would be happy if someone could advice me on the career paths I could choose, and how to get there, I mean, which positions should I be looking for right now.

Maybe some more background could help: After highschool I had my BSc in Information Systems Eng. (which is a course shared to CS and IE). I worked for a year as Java programmer but didnt like it, and eventually got fired. Got back to University and now getting my master in Industrial Eng.

Thanks,
Yaron.

Help with Money

CollectiveMind — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:00:29 -0800

Two years ago, when the DJIA was at 11,200, I thought the market was approaching its peak, and I moved money from an index stock fund to government bonds. For the next two years, I kicked myself as the market hit 14,000. Now, the market is full 600 points below its peak and 300 points below when I bailed. I'm wondering if I should believe the market has hit its bottom and go back to stocks. I realize it's the same concern in reverse and either way, I may lose by going back too early or too late. But, based on what is known so far, what do you think?

Which path to go for product design/usability/human factors?

NeoLeo — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:16:59 -0800

I'm a jack-of-all-trades type of guy interested in getting into product design/usability/human factors. I'm somewhat convinced getting a degree in industrial engineering is a good start. Any other paths to consider before I commit to that? Hi MeFites, I'm a relatively new member, yet another person in their mid-20s looking for some career guidance. Well, at least I have a good idea of where I want to be -- something related to product design/usability/human factors -- but I'm not 100% positive as to which path is the best for me to get there -- and the problem is, I have no relevant experience and many undeveloped skills/lack of knowledge, so I think I'll need a new degree.

I'm interested in many aspects of this field, such as the product hardware design, software design, and research involved in product development. Ideally I could utilize one of my strengths (versatility) and not need to specialize in a specific area. However I do recognize the possibility that specialization may be necessary to get a good job, but I want to hold on to the hope that this isn't true for every job out there in this field.

One side issue is that I already have a B.A. degree (in Asian Studies), so I'll have a tough time with finances (little financial aid); I'm in the process of figuring out how to deal with that. (Any advice and/or links to relevant scholarships would be helpful.) However, in the past, I have never felt the sense of clarity that I do now in terms of what I want to do in the future. I want to be prepared and qualified, and I want to do an excellent job in this field.

There are several ways to go, with certain routes having certain emphases and possibly less versatility:
-B.S. in Industrial Engineering
This is the option I am learning toward. I believe that it offers the most flexibility in choosing which area to pursue. Also gives a technical understanding to design that other fields lack. Unfortunately getting a second degree in this would probably require 3-4 years of schooling. (One side benefit to this path is that engineers will be in demand in the near future.)
-B.S./B.A. in Industrial Design
I'm torn about this option. It would take less time to complete than an industrial engineering degree but I don't feel "artsy" enough to do it. Even though I don't consider myself to be good at basic arts (drawing/painting/etc.), I have a pretty good eye for what looks good, and can draw decently with a computer and a tablet with trial and error (thanks Undo button :). Photography and videos is something that I've done fairly well with in the past as well. Does that qualify enough for a degree in this?
-B.A. in Graphic Design
Similar "artsy" issues as the Industrial Design degree, but moreso. Another way that can get into the field, but has little emphasis on anything technical. In the end, a portfolio lands you a job, so paying up cash for a degree in this seems unnecessary. I can just teach myself some graphics tools via book/cheaper classes.
-B.S. in Computer Science
Many CS majors (esp. with HCI emphasis) have the chance to get into some of my desired fields, but I feel this narrows me down specifically to software-related fields. Depending on the program, CS tends to be less on the practical side and more on theory. Instead of a degree, I can teach myself commonly used programming languages through books or cheap classes.
-B.S. in Cognitive Psychology
I feel that this limits me to research-oriented areas. However, this may be the cheapest option (in terms of both time and money).
-Network Like Crazy; Land Entry-Level Job
Hard with my current degree that is completely unrelated and a lack of professional-level skills. Possible, but seems to be a big risk because there is no guarantee when and if I can get a job, especially with the current state of the economy.

After that, I can do one or a combination of:
- A Human Factors/Ergonomics graduate degree
- An Industrial Engineering/Product Design graduate degree
- A Human Factors International certificate
- Networking, networking, networking
- Any other possibilities?

My current plan:
- B.S. in Industrial Engineering, if time permits, minor(s) in Industrial Design/Cognitive Psychology. During that time I will learn some common programming languages and the skills to use some common graphics/CAD tools. Also networking/internships during this time. Biggest problem here is figuring out the financial aspect.
- M.S./M.A. in Human Factors/Ergonomics OR a M.S. in Industrial Engineering/Product Design plus an HFI certificate. Of course, networking/internships/programming and graphic tool skill development during this time.

Now, I hope you can help me decide which way to go! I really like my current plan, but I hope that you guys can expose any flaws in my thinking and/or recommend any other possibilities. My plan seems too perfect and perhaps too idealistic. Feel free to rip it apart (with rationale, of course)!

Thanks a lot, and I hope to contribute useful info to MeFi in the future!

collapsing folk melodies

Benjamin Nushmutt — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:05:48 -0800

What are the sources used in Einstürzende Neubauten's Armenia and Armenia II? Armenia is built around a sample of a choral rendition of an Armenian folk song . Armenia II features a (live? sampled?) duduk, playing a few melodic lines, presumably from another folk song.

Any background information on these songs would also be appreciated. Thanks!

old toys & industrial waste

xz — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:46:21 -0800

yesterday, my neighbor was talking about that stuff we had as kids that was basically a little tube of awful smelling plastic gunk and a small straw. you put a glob of plastic on the straw and blew weird, oily bubbles. anyone remember what that crap was called? what was it?

delta machine music

signal — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:39:43 -0800

Is there such a thing as industrial-blues? I'm looking for blues-based music with metal/industrial sounds, sort of what Al Jourgensen and Robert Johnson jamming would sound like, with KMFDMuddyWaters as a warm-up act.
Does such a beast exist? Slide guitars a definite plus.

Suppliers to the trade

Eater — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 07:27:53 -0800

What sorts of items do individuals commonly buy for personal use from "B2B" catalogs or suppliers that primarily sell to industrial or commercial customers, or to professionals in particular industries? "Tactical clothing" is an example that comes to mind. And what are the reasons?

I don't want to have Jack Dangers nightmares...

ostranenie — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:43:10 -0800

What was this Meat Beat Manifesto song with a long voice sample talking about prison life? A long time ago, I had a cassette of MBM's "Storm the Studio," and the aforementioned song was on it. I lost it, or it was stolen, or something (long before CD burners became cheap enough for anyone to buy, or else, well, you know...) A while back I bought the CD version of Storm the Studio and it had every track I remembered from the tape on it except my favorite song - what was that all about?! And what was this song called? And which CD is it (really) on that I can order and listen to it over and over?

If it helps I remember the song titles were versions of each other like "God O.D. Part I" "God O.D. Part II, God O.D. Part III" and "Strap Down Part I," "Strap Down Part II" etc.,

If I remember right it also had a chorus of guy-voices shouting "gods of war! gods of war!" (or maybe it was "dogs of war! dogs of war!") toward the end of the song.

Online metal label source needed

wylde21 — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:18:17 -0800

Online source for SINGLE metal or foil customer specified text labels? I am looking for an online source for making single etched metal (preferred), or waterproof metal foil labels that have specified text.

I see many places I can order labels with 100 and above minimum qualtities, but I need a source that will allow for single label orders. I have several labels I need made, but they all have differing text requirements.

These wil be going on stainless steel plates and need to be waterproof and durable.

Looking for angle iron source for shelving

bagelche — Fri, 11 May 2007 08:09:30 -0800

I'm trying to find angle iron uprights for industrial shelving. My small non-profit was given shelving (well, shelves) that we originally expected uprights to come with and they ended up without the uprights. I'm looking for angle iron around 8 ft(96inches) long, of reasonable strength, and with bolt holes running the length. Holes on the shelves are approximately 3/4" on center from the corner, but are oval. leads are appreciated as my google-fu has mostly failed me. thanks.

Does the Industrial Psychologist know who moved my cheese?

ubu — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 18:22:53 -0800

What kind of tests might an industrial psychologist give me? I have a job interview tomorrow, and I noticed that the job description states that candidates will undergo testing by an industrial psychologist. What kind of test might this be?

Rat poison-mercury-vapor-radioactive-lead dust factory?

R. Mutt — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:40:18 -0800

What is the best, least expensive way to research the industrial history of a factory building in the Gowanus area of Brooklyn, NY? I have the chance to rent space in an old factory (for art studio/work, not living) but given the nature of the Gowanus Canal and the area's industrial history, I wonder about the past uses of this building. For instance, several blocks away is a building that still has the sign (I presume) from its past life: The Kentile Company. (I believe that Kentile made asbestos laden floor tile among other things.)

I have had several studios over the years, all in old factory type buildings, but the Gowanus area, while improving, does seem to have had a more hardcore past.

I was wondering what resources might exist for discovering where any given building falls on the range of, say: a cardboard box factory (the usual landlord favorite), to: a rat poison-mercury-vapor-radioactive-lead dust factory (my worst fear).