PLYMOUTH – Telling the “cool” stories he sees around the nation is the task of T.J. McCue and his “Driven by Design” national tour and Wednesday that tour brought him to Plymouth.
An independent journalist – McCue and his wife and son hit the road in their year long journey aboard the “3DRV” and that journey brought them to ITAMCO in Plymouth on Wednesday. The story of what the area company is doing in 3D imaging and the applications both in their business and in education were the focus of McCue as he visited the main ITAMCO plant and took a tour of the facility that the company partners to run with Plymouth Schools.
“I’ve seen some really cool stuff around the country and my intention is to tell those stories,” said McCue. “I want to get people around the country familiar with the new face of manufacturing around the country.”
Some of his stops have brought him in contact with the lastest 3D imaging techniques and how they are changing the face of nearly every occupation in the workforce today.
“I got to meet (Jeff Tiedeken) who has a blog called ‘Monkey Likes Shiny’ who’s. just a metal worker who is just on fire about making things out of metal,” said McCue. “I was in British Columbia where they were making the new Harry Potter Roller Coaster and giant telescopes. I met an artisan who’s using MRI and CAT scan data to make full human bodies in plastic that helps make surgery more accurate and faster.”
ITAMCO’s 3D imaging use came to McCue’s attention and his hope was to add Plymouth’s company to the list of innovators he’s been documenting around the nation.
“These guys just showed me some great stuff back at the plant how they are making gears out of plastic to refine the process and cut down on mistakes and waste when they put them in production,” said McCue. “It’s company’s like ITAMCO that are using these techniques to build the economy and create jobs. Those are the stories people are interested in.”
McCue has had work published by Forbes and the Harvard Business review. His current travels and they stories they produce can be seen at www.3drv.com.
