Pneumatics is playing a Mythbuster role

Pneumatics has its share of fun applications—with Halloween coming up this week, I’m reminded of the many uses of the technology in haunted houses that I’ve seen over the years. The simple, robust, easy-to-incorporate systems scare a lot of adventure seekers each Fall.

And what can be a more fun application than helping out on the popular television show MythBusters?

Bimba Manufacturing has had an active relationship with MythBusters’ Jamie Hyneman, who is also  president of M5 Industries in San Francisco. M5 is a leader in special effects for movies and commercials, and Hyneman himself is a leader the design and testing of innovative tools that advance popular understanding of science and technology. Now Bimba is announcing a more formal agreement with the designer at next week’s PackExpo show in Chicago.

Hyneman has been very active designing and prototyping a variety of innovative robotics platforms and will serve Bimba as Director of Strategic Development. In this role, he will consult and collaborate on strategic initiatives that are key to the fluid power industry’s future.

“For me, there is nothing as exciting as a good problem to solve,” Hyneman said. “Working with the team at Bimba, we’ll have opportunities to combine theoretical possibilities with practical solutions.”

Hyneman is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with Bimba. “I have been applying Bimba products for decades,” he said. “The functionality and durability of these products are unmatched. I have also come to realize that Bimba’s great products could never have been developed without the support of a dedicated team of brilliant engineers and researchers with backgrounds in such fields as chemistry, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, which is the kind of diversity I rely on myself when developing projects. As we move forward, I intend to work closely with Bimba’s experts, to come up with ideas for new components and subject them to rigorous tests to validate them.”

Kent Sowatzke, Bimba’s Chief Operating & Engineering Officer, said, “We are proud to announce our partnership with Jamie Hyneman. He is one of the world’s most innovative thinkers, a frequent lecturer at Stanford University and whose honorary degrees from the College of Engineering at Villanova University and Twente University in The Netherlands recognize him for his achievements in science and technology. We will also collaborate with Jamie to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers, and to develop concepts and products that will make the world healthier, safer and more efficient.”