The Top 43 Marine Engineering Companies & Design Services for Consulting & Development in US


Why is it worth hiring marine engineering companies and design services for consulting and development in the US: Marine structures are what keeps the maritime world running, and no, they didn’t just magically appear in one snap. It took several stages and thorough planning before it’s brought to life by commendable experts. These structures are carefully tested, designed, and created by marine engineers ensuring that it runs safely and smoothly. In the U.S., there are a lot of companies that specialize in these services, which makes sure that every maritime vision is carefully designed and constructed. 

In this article, top 43 marine engineering companies and design services are being highlighted, giving ideas and information to everyone who is looking for the right firm to help them in mapping the way to achieve their project goal. And platforms like Cad Crowd  helps you in finding these right experts so that you would get to work with the ones that will truly guide you in making the wave out to your desired project result.

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Gibbs Cox 2

1. Gibbs & Cox 

Gibbs & Cox is known in the U.S. as a trusted naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy that mainly focuses in creating design for military, government, and commercial sectors. The company provides safe, high-performing, and efficient ships through services like systems engineering, full-service ship design, and technical consulting, which all aim to support projects right from the very beginning  until  its delivery. They are best known for being able to solve complicated engineering problems by applying solutions that are made from innovation and strong attention to detail. They have been operating for decades and still continue in delivering quality performance that helps clients to meet their operational needs and adhere to the structured industry standards.

Website: Gibbscox.com

Bristol Harbor Group

2. Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. 

Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. is a company that specializes in providing a full-service naval architecture design services and marine engineering solutions, ensuring to deliver an efficient and reliable results. The company handles various stages of kinship design, hull and systems engineering, vessel stability studies, stability calculations, and also engineering consulting for recreational, commercial, and even for special purpose vessels. The firm mainly focuses on providing innovative, practical, and code-compliant solutions through working collaboratively with clients. Bristol Harbor Group also considers helping in building vessels that are optimized and functional in the real environment inside the maritime world. The company’s expertise really provides hands-on guidance right from the very beginning of concept development up until to the construction process and even throughout its operational life-cycle. 

Website: Bristolharborgroup.com

Elliott Bay Design Group

3. Elliott Bay Design Group

Elliott Bay Design Group is a company that is really expert in designing ferries and specialized workboats, most especially for complex operating areas. They really put emphasis on creating vessels that are not just efficient, but ensures that it is practical in the real-world application, just like when transporting cargo, equipment, and most especially passengers safely. The company offers services that really guide clients right from the very early stages of designing until to the construction process. What really sets them apart from other companies is that they are capable of combining both innovative design with in-depth understanding of its operation, making sure that every vessel is reliable in everyday use.

Website: Ebdg.com

Glosten

4. Glosten 

Glosten is really known for being a company that solves marine projects that are not typical, complex and unconventional. The firm focuses on vessel designing and structures that don’t typically follow the required standard designs, such as offshore structures, research ships, and specialized workboats. The company specialize in yacht and marine design and is highly valued in their capability of providing solutions to projects that are very challenging, especially when it needs custom action. They provide a lot of services that really give emphasis right from the very beginning of concept designing as they ensure that every project they do is something that needs to be made reliably. They stand out in combining real-world functionality with their innovation. That is why they become a very trusted partner for most companies that want to have quality marine projects.

Website: Glosten.com

Swiftships

5. Swiftships 

Swift Ships is a company which is known for creating fast and reliable small vessels. These are particularly used for patrol, military, and commercial use. The firm technically specializes in building fast and durable boats which are designed to perform well, most especially in high-risk marine areas. Swift Ships really focus on making vessels that are efficient, strong, and high-speed so that they would be suitable for defense and possible mission-critical marine operations.

Website: Swiftships.com

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Moffatt Nichol

6. Moffatt & Nichol 

Moffat and Nicole is a company that doesn’t only focus on building ships, but literally builds everything around it. They are highly known in creating coastal infrastructure like ports, piers, marinas, and also waterfront developments. They do not just focus on creating vessels since they also specialize in improving the structures that support the activities around the maritime environment. This firm really handles complex infrastructure projects and even large-scale ones while ensuring that it is safe and durable throughout its life cycle.

Website: Moffattnichol.com

DLBA Naval Architects

7. DLBA Naval Architects (Gibbs & Cox Division) 

DLBA Naval Architects is highly recognized for being an expert in designing high-speed vessels and custom marine solutions. They are a part of Gibbs and Cox division, focusing on creating advanced crafts like high-speed vessels, patrol boats, and marine platforms that are uniquely designed. They smartly create these structures through designing it according to its specified operational needs instead of just focusing on its standard model. DLBA gives emphasis on combining customization with performance-focused engineering design services. That is why they always make sure that each vessel they create really meets the standard requirements needed.

Website: Dlba-inc.com

The Shearer Group Inc

8. The Shearer Group, Inc

The Shearer Group, Incorporated, is a company that specializes in designing inland and river vessels, like barges and workboat operations. They are based in Houston and are focused on making vessels that can be operated in canals, coastal waterways, rivers, instead of the open oceans. They are really innovative as they create practical and efficient designs that don’t just handle standard loads, instead heavy-loaded ones and continuous operations. They really stand out apart from other companies since they have a deep understanding of the inland waterway operations, helping companies that are looking for a reliable partner that aims for a purpose-built working vessel.

Website: Shearer-group.com

Herbert Engineering Corp

9. Herbert Engineering Corp

Herbert Engineering Corp. is known as an expert in ship design and advanced marine engineering analysis. They are all about creating ships that would work more efficiently through in-depth studying of how vessels work through water and clearly look through ways where they can improve its speed, fuel use, and the entire vessel performance. They are pioneers in marine survey drawings. Instead of just focusing on common design, Herbert Engineering Corp. gives more emphasis on its performance improvement and technical consulting, leading them to become a very trusted partner for businesses that aim to optimize vessel operations.

Website: Herbert.com

Appledore Marine Engineering

10. Appledore Marine Engineering Inc.

Appledore Marine Engineering Inc. is a company that highly focuses on marine inspections and water structures. They evaluate and maintain every improvement of the marine structures, just like in piers, docks, and all coastal facilities. The firm ensures that these structures are well-managed enough to be durable, safe, and comply with the standard regulations, focusing on the importance of on-site evaluation and maintenance support so that they could spot and assess issues early on before they become major problems along the way.

Website: Appledoremarine.com

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Argonautics Marine Engineering

11. Argonautics Marine Engineering, Inc 

Argonautics Marine Engineering is best known in figuring out how to lift big and heavy things over water. They specialize in planning out and thoroughly analyze how to properly transport big cargo like modules, industrial equipment, and offshore platforms. In this work, it requires detailed calculation, custom transport solutions, and risk assessments just to ensure that everything is being transported securely at the right place. They are very commendable in a way that they are able to handle high-risk and large-scale transport projects, ensuring that everything gets from one point to another.

Website: Argonautics.com

Quantum Marine

12. Quantum Marine Engineering of Florida, Inc. 

Quantum Marine Engineering of Florida, Inc. is a marine engineering company that is based in the US, which is highly known with its expertise in hydraulic equipment and engineering support, specifically for marine structures and vessels. They focus on maintaining, designing, and troubleshooting marine hydraulic systems, which includes cranes, winches, and many other onboard equipment that are very important for operations in the ship. Its services really ensure that everything operates efficiently and safely and all are aligned to the demanding conditions of the maritime.

Website: Quantumstabilizers.com

Vigor Marine Group

13. Vigor Marine Group 

Vigor Marine Group focuses on building and fixing ships of different kinds, may it be ferries or workboats. They handle various kinds of vessels like commercial workboats or ferries and even government and defense ships. Vigor effectively combines hands-on fabrication and engineering, ensuring to deliver high-quality vessels that eventually meet the client’s needs and the standard regulation. They provide services like fabrication, engineering, and maintenance services, all while ensuring a reliable and efficient performance.

Website: Vigormarine.com

Huntington Ingalls Industries

14. Huntington Ingalls Industries 

Huntington Ingalls Industries is known to be the largest U.S.-based naval shipbuilder, since it is expert in designing and building complex military vessels, like aircraft carriers and amphibious vessels. They work on everything from the naval architecture to its marine engineering, down to the construction process and integration of systems. HII specializes in advanced warships, amphibious ships, and aircraft carriers, all while combining its precision and innovation strictly meeting the military standards. They follow this specific comprehensive approach to make sure that the ships are not just combat-ready, but also durable and efficient for long-term operations. The company has been operating for decades and has been a partner of the U.S. Navy and government agencies since they provide high-performance naval vessels all throughout the years.

Website: Hii.com

General Dynamics NASSCO

15. General Dynamics NASSCO

General Dynamics NASSCO is a shipyard on the West Coast that is based in the U.S. It is particularly known for being expert in maintaining and building commercial and naval vessels. They focus on constructing ships, repairing, and marine engineering services that typically deliver large-scale projects like tankers, cargo ships, and support vessels. The company’s team combines system integration, novel architecture, and practical shipyard in order to make sure that the vessels that they are creating are efficient and safe and are durable. NASSCO is highly recognized for being able to handle complex vessels, which makes them a very trusted partner for clients that aim to have high-quality construction along the West Coast area.

Website: Nassco.com

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Fincantieri Marine Group

16. Fincantieri Marine Group 

Fincantieri Marine Group is a shipbuilder that is based in the U.S., which is known as an expert in naval and commercial vessel construction. They mainly focus on designing and building vessels for both military and commercial purposes with the combined efforts of advanced design engineering services and hands-on shipbuilding experience. The integrated teams of the company handles system design, naval architecture, and project management in order to ensure that the vessels are being delivered efficiently, safely, and on the right amount of high performance. Fincantieri is known for customizing engineering solutions where they ensure that every ship meets the specific needs and standards regulations.

Website: Fincantieri.com

Bath Iron Works General Dynamics

17. Bath Iron Works (General Dynamics) 

Bath Iron Works is a naval shipbuilder that is also based in the U.S., which is known for designing and building surface combatant naval vessels wherein their expertise technically lies in constructing frigates, destroyers, and a lot more advanced warships. Through the combination of naval architecture, integrated systems, and marine engineering, they are able to deliver vessels that really meet strict military standard requirements. The firm specializes in creating ships that are ready for combat, efficient, and durable, incorporating engineering solutions that are tailored for operations that require high-risk performance. The company is highly trusted by the U.S. Navy since it has proven its track record in providing surface combatants that actually performs reliably, even in maritime environments that are risky and demanding.

Website: Gdbiw.com

Austal USA

18. Austal USA 

Austal USA is a shipbuilder that is based in the U.S., which is known as an expert in constructing and designing high-speed commercial and naval vessels. They focused on creating aluminum ships like expeditionary fast transports, combat ships, and ferries. The engineering team behind its creation mainly focuses on systems integration, marine engineering, and advanced ship design in order to have a creation that is durable, fast, and, of course, ready for any missions. The company is recognized for being innovative in lightweight and high-performance ships, which makes them a trusted partner for the commercial clients and the military since they ensure to provide reliable and efficient operational vessels.

Website: Austalusa.com

Tetra Tech

19. Tetra Tech 

Tetra Tech is based in the US where they specialize in engineering and consulting for marine infrastructure, coastal engineering, and environmental solutions, focusing on improving and designing harbors, waterfronts, ports, and many other marine facilities, all while making sure to integrate environmental responsible practices with sustainability. The services they offer are engineering analysis, project planning, and course consulting, not just for public clients, but also open for private ones. They are particularly known for its environmental stewardship combined with technical innovation, providing clients with projects that are not just safe and efficient, but also eco-conscious with the marine infrastructure around.

Website: Tetratech.com

Sea Engineering Inc

20. Sea Engineering, Inc 

Sea Engineering and Operation is known as a marine engineering firm based in Honolulu that is expert in shoreline protection, coastal infrastructure, and marine construction support. The company focuses on assessing, managing projects, and designing just like piers, sea walls, and coastal development, all while ensuring that everything is made durably, safely, and is resilient against all possible environmental challenges. The services they offer mainly includes planning, engineering design and analysis, and also consulting for public and private clients. They are especially known for local environmental understanding combined with technical knowledge, which makes them a perfect partner for clients that seek projects that give protection to the coastlines while also improving the maritime infrastructure across Hawaii and beyond.

Website: Seaengineering.com

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Cummins Cederberg

21. Cummins Cederberg 

A consulting firm that is based in Florida, which is known as an expert in marine and coastal engineering projects. They mainly focus on evaluating and designing marinas, seawalls, docks, and waterfront infrastructures, all while making sure that everything is created safely, ensuring it is functional, and resilient to any possible waves and despite any weather. The services they offer are planning, engineering analysis, and of course, consultation for any public or private clients. They stand out for its practical solutions that specifically tailor to its coastal environment, making them a perfect partner for projects that aim to have a balance of both efficiency and safety.

Website: Cumminscederberg.com

AMI Consulting Engineers

22. AMI Consulting Engineers 

AMI Consulting Engineer is an engineering design firm located in the U.S., where they are known as an expert in waterfront and marine infrastructure projects, focusing on evaluating and designing seawalls, piers, docks, and many coastal structures, all while making sure that it is durable, safe, and compliant with the rightful engineering standards required. They also offer structural and civil engineering services, providing clients a comprehensive support for developments in any waterfront matters. They are really capable in integrating marine, structural, and civil expertise, which makes them very reliable partners for clients that seek efficient engineering solutions right along the waterfront and coastline.

Website: Amiengineers.com

Sparkman Stephens

23. Sparkman & Stephens 

Sparkman and Stephens is a naval architecture firm that is based in the U.S. were known as experts in yacht design and commercial vessel design. The firm has been operating for decades and has proven a long-standing reputation all while combining practical engineering with innovative design in building vessels that are not just externally beautiful but guarantee high performance level. It can be seen on their portfolio all the luxury yachts, commercial vessels, and racing sailboats that they have built where it reflects the deep understanding on stability and functionality of hydrodynamics.

Website: Sparkmanstephens.org

Maine Design Company

24. Maine Design Company

A marine engineering and consulting firm that is based in the U.S. where being known as experts in marine survey, subaltern design, and engineering support. The firm specializes in providing structural and system assessments, evaluating ships, and also offering practical solutions for the improvement of every vessel. They offer marine engineering, naval architecture, and graphic consulting, not just for commercial vessels, but also for recreational ones. They combine hands-on survey experience with technical expertise in order to gain trust from clients who aim to have safe and reliable marine solutions that they longed to efficiently achieve.

Website: Mainedesigncompany.com

Katz Naval Architecture Engineering Services

25. Katz Naval Architecture & Engineering Services, Inc. 

Katz Naval Architecture & Engineering Services Inc. mainly focuses on helping to create ships to be strong, safe, and can really work well in the water. They specialize in designing the ships on how its system would fit, by varying its stability so that the vessel can have a proper movement, which is smooth and safe. The firm works collaboratively with clients who aim to ensure that every boat and ship meets its operational needs and will really work well and ready for action.

Website: Katzna.com

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Bay Engineering

26. Bay Engineering 

This design engineering company is located in the U.S. which is an expert in designing and improving ships and marine structures. They specialize in making sure that the ship can work well, having a thorough plan on its port topography and the systems that could fit together, making sure that it keeps steady and that everything works reliably as it should. Their work combines both practical solutions of the real-world marine projects and the engineering knowledge, all while keeping in mind its safety and efficiency.

Website: Baengineeringinc.com

Birdon America

27. Birdon America 

Birdon America is a company in the U.S. which focuses on helping with building ships or vessels. They mainly provide support in the entire phases of the process, from designing, constructing, and up until the improvements of the both, just to ensure that everything is built strongly, safely, and can work efficiently. They are known for having practical solutions which are very helpful in the performance of the vessels that are applicable in the real-world conditions.

Website: Birdongroup.com

HCB Yachts

28. HCB Yachts 

HCB Yachts is an architecture company in the US that specializes in designing and engineering yachts. They are particularly building yachts that ensure its speed, safety, and style, all while making sure that every intricate detail is being designed to perform smoothly on the water. Through their expertise, clients are able to receive outcomes that are high quality and well-engineered that really look great and also can sail efficiently in the water.

Website: Hcbyachts.com

Brunswick Boat Group

29. Brunswick Boat Group

Brunswick Group is a company in the U.S. which specializes in designing and engineering recreational boats. What they do is that they focus on creating boats that are not just safe and reliable, but also fun. While ensuring that it smoothly sails and performs above the water. Some of the boats that their boat designers design, are personal watercraft and larger leisure vessels. Also meeting the quality standards it requires. Brunswick is a highly trusted company in the recreational marine industry since it continuously produces enjoyable and well-designed boats.

Website: Brunswick.com

Edison Chouest Offshore

30. Edison Chouest Offshore 

A company that is located in the U.S. focusing and providing marine services, vessel operations, and engineering. They mainly specialize in supporting the projects offshore by making sure it is operated, designed, and maintained efficiently and safely despite any challenging marine environments. The engineering team behind its successful creations makes sure that every ship and equipment are ready and reliable to use despite tough offshore operations. 

Website: Chouest.com

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National Oilwell Varco NOV

31. National Oilwell Varco (NOV) 

National Oilwell Varco NOV, is a company that is based in the U.S. where providing engineering solutions for offshore maritime operations are what they specialize in by focusing on systems and equipment that ensures in helping gas and oil companies to ensure a safety operation at sea. They do services like drilling rigs to marine support tools, all while focusing on the fact that everything works efficiently, even under tough offshore operations. Through their expertise, clients keep on trusting them as they provide safe and productive operations.

Website: Nov.com

SAIC

32. SAIC 

SAIC is a company that is located in the U.S. which is known for providing engineering and 3D design services for naval platforms, maritime systems, and ships. They also help in designing and integrating vessels and maintaining its systems to ensure that it is reliable, efficient, and ready for any mission. All of their work includes everything while you install advanced electronics and control systems, which enables operational support, ensuring that every ship is performed efficiently and safely no matter how challenging the environment is.

Website: Saic.com

Seakeeper

33. Seakeeper 

Seakeeper, a company that is based in the U.S. wherein they focus on marine stability and systems design. They specialize in creating technology that maintains vessels and boats’ speed, making sure it’s smooth and steady despite sailing in rough waters. The systems they are using helps in reducing rolling and making sure that it’s comfortable, safe, and improves the performance for recreational and commercial vessels. They are best known for making an enjoyable and safer boating experience. They’re also addressing the biggest challenge at the sea, which is vessel stability.

Website: Seakeeper.com

Willard Marine

34. Willard Marine 

Willard Marines focuses on designing and engineering small crafts that are strong, reliable, and safe to sail, ensuring that boating experience would be enjoyable and stress-free. This is a company that is based in the U.S., creating boats or traditional crafts and commercial vessels, ensuring that every design we create can really work well in real-life conditions in the maritime environment. They are very practical while combining smart engineering with the real-world disability of the vessel, making sure that the boat doesn’t just look good, but also functional and dependable on the seawater.

Website: Willardmarine.com

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

35. Eastern Shipbuilding Group

Eastern Shipbuilding Group is a very known company when it comes to creating and building ships that are efficient and reliable. It is located in the U.S., wherein naval architecture, shipbuilding, and marine design is what they are focusing to create, making sure that clients’ ideas are successfully turned into a vessel that can really perform well on the seawater. Creating specialized vessels and commercial ships, the mechanical engineering team behind ensures that every decision they create leads to a safe, efficient, and practical outcome. They are really amazing since they combine real-world usability with the engineering precision so that every ship that they create is ensured to be ready no matter how tough the conditions are.

Website: Easternshipbuilding.com

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Edmonds Design

36. Edmonds Design 

Edmonds Design is a US-based firm which focuses in marine and naval architecture consulting, simply turning ideas from paper to a real vessel that smoothly sails in the water. The expertise behind its success are people who really make sure that every system and layout is intricately engineered to really work well in real-life applications. By the help of Edmonds Design, clients are able to receive efficient and practical boats that are already ready to sail.

Website: Edmondsdesign.com

Eagle Harbor Engineering PLLC

37. Eagle Harbor Engineering, PLLC – Marine engineering consultants

Eagle Harbor Engineering, PLLC  is a specialized naval architecture and marine engineering firm founded in 2006 by John Van Buskirk. This company focuses on vessel design, structural modifications, and marine operations, as well as providing 3D modeling design and drafting services. Their core capabilities and specialization includes Vessel Design & Modification, Custom design, Alteration of maritime craft, Engineering & Consulting which means assisting with vessel operations and compliance. Lastly, Modeling & Drafting which provides accurate 3D modeling and structural drawings.

Website: Eagle-harbor-engineering.com

CMI Waterfront Solutions

38. CMI Waterfront Solutions 

CMI Waterfront Solutions is the great answer when having to build or approve any waterfront structures since they help indicate smooth work. This is a firm that is located in the U.S. and focuses in marine engineering consulting wherein they offer guidance on piers, seawalls, docks, and all other waterfront projects. The main focus of this firm is creating designs that are not just practical, but also safe and really built to last. So, they always make sure that all things are well when performed in real-life coastal conditions. The clients really trust CMI Waterfront since they provide expert advice and engineering solutions that are practical with a balance of efficiency, durability, and safety.

Website: Cmilc.com

Kemplon Marine Engineering Services

39. Kemplon Marine Engineering Services

Kemplon Marine Engineering Services focuses on helping marine projects, especially in times where ships and vessels really need its smart engineering solutions. This is a firm that is based in the U.S. wherein marine engineering consulting is what they specialize in, so it’s really important for them to help clients in solving technical challenges, ensuring safety, and high-quality performance. Their team of product engineering experts handles everything from the very beginning of the system design to structural assessments, ensuring that every project they create is reliable, practical, and really lasting. A lot of companies trust Kemplon since they provide professional guidance and are proven to be focused in making marine engineering projects efficiently and smoothly.

Website: Kemplonmarine.com

Structure Incorporated

40. Structure Incorporated

A US-based firm delivers marine design and engineering support services is what they specialize in. Top priority of this firm is to assist clients in the process of project creation, right from the very beginning of planning, designing, until the optimization of the vessels, all while ensuring that it is stable, safe, and efficient. Structure Incorporated makes the creation of vessels possible, ensuring it performs well on the water. The company’s work is to provide reliable and practical ships that are perfect to perform in the real-world conditions, leaving clients with confidence that their vessels can weather whatever the water will throw at them any moment of the time as they sail through.

Website: Structureus.com

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Submersed Technologies

41. Submersed Technologies, Inc

Submersed Technologies, Inc. is what comes to help every time a marine project needs expert technical guidance. It is a company that is based in the U.S. wherein they mainly provide marine engineering technical services, ensuring to help clients with structural assessment, system design, and operational support thoroughly. Every work they do is supported with mission to create a safe, reliable, and efficient ships and boats that can perform well even when the water condition is challenging or risky situations. Submersed Technologies is highly known for being professional and in offering practical solutions that greatly provide marine projects the way of taking ship its very initial plan up until its execution.

Website: Submersedtechnologies.com

42. Wave Dispersion Technologies, Inc

Wave dispersion Technologies Incorporation focuses on designing marine structures such as the seawalls, breakwaters, ensuring that everything they create is built to stand and last long. This is a company that is based in the US wherein they provide marine engineering solutions for marine structures. All the creations they are doing are backed with the consideration of its safety, efficiency, and stability whether the water conditions may be at the specific time they sail. The work they provide ensures that everything is practical, reliable, and able to handle the tides, currents, or waves of the water. Behind all these successes are engineers who work collaboratively with clients that really rely with the wave dispersion technologies since they provide effective solutions, smart, and reliable in protecting both the vessels and the projects in the waterfront.

Website: Whisprwave.com

Coastal Engineering Co

43. Coastal Engineering Co

Coastal Engineering Co. focuses on helping in making waterfronts, coastal projects, and piers to be durable, efficient, and safe. It is based in Massachusetts, and in this firm, they focus on specializing marine engineering design and coastal, wherein they assist clients right from the very beginning of the planning, designing, up until to improving its structures that can weather the tides, waves, and weather while they sail. The work behind it ensures that everything is reliable, practical, and really built to last since it is in a maritime environment. Coastal Engineering Co. is a really trusted partner for any clients since they value professional guidance more and providing smart engineering solutions to whatever waterfront and coastal projects they handle.

Website: Coastalengineeringcompany.com

Conclusion

The world of marine engineering can really be overwhelming, especially as you navigate through the process and whys of every ship and vessel that’s being made. The companies that are listed above showcase the right innovation and expertise, whether it’s a custom yacht, coastal structure, or a commercial vessel, according to the track records they have been operating for years and years. From designing small crafts to constructing a large naval ship, it can really be challenging and difficult, especially without the proper guidance of expert professionals.

RELATED: Why Your Business Needs Product Engineering Services to Innovate & Accelerate

How Cad Crowd can help

If you are looking to bring your marine project ideas to life, whether it’s a prototype or a detailed design that you visualize through your eyes how it would look, then CAD Crowd is the best platform for you. CAD Crowd helps you connect with the top freelance experts that are really skilled and trained for these specific services, engineers and designers who can greatly help in making your vision come to life. 

With the help of the skilled professionals, your work would really run smoothly as they provide you with custom solutions. that are currently aligned with your project needs. As we know, it is really not easy to pull the marine design ideas out from heavy waves so you really need to find the perfect experts to sail with you through achieving your desired marine project. Contact us for a free quote.

author avatar

MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.

Connect with me: LinkedIn ✦ X ✦ Cad Crowd

How Minecraft Dungeons II’s Interconnected World Makes Every Journey an Adventure


Minecraft Dungeons II is paving the way for a bold new chapter for Minecraft as a whole. Not only is it giving us a new and robust ARPG that levels up the original dungeon crawler, but also a vibrant new dimension to explore with the Sift when it launches tomorrow, September 29.

Minecraft Dungeons II Screenshot

Going hands-on with Minecraft Dungeons II ahead of its global launch, we sampled some of its new additions including the deeper character builds, more detailed gear, and the ability to jump(!). Yet the feature that impressed me most was its massive, interconnected world: a landscape filled with distinct biomes, side quests, and dungeons for you to explore and uncover that makes it a huge part of the adventure.

What’s Over There?

Where the original game sent heroes on missions with clear beginnings and ends, Minecraft Dungeons II has turned the journey between quests into part of the fun. Its connected regions encourage detours, discoveries, and shared exploration that allow you to navigate through the forest-filled Howling Woods, to the icy Frozen Highlands, all the way down to the muddy Rainy Plains with no loading screens to break up the journey.

Minecraft Dungeons II Screenshot

Not only does that let me get my steps in but also lets me appreciate just how great Minecraft Dungeons II looks – now powered by Unreal Engine 5 – as I walk through its world. The series’ classic block design aesthetic has never looked better with incredible lighting and detailed characters that help to make the entire world pop – especially once you enter the Sift. Its unique hues and pastel-infused design make it stand apart from anything we’ve seen in Minecraft before.

I also appreciated being able to explore freely, discover side quests, or take on enemy encounters as they appeared on my own time. And of course, getting my battle on while facing off against zombies, creepers, skeletons, spiders, and other foes makes the world feel alive and more immersive, just like core Minecraft.

Put It on Repeat

Repeatable events deepen that loop, giving you a reason to return to the underground caverns of the Deep Dark and other locations in pursuit of better loot. One of my favorite spots to come back to early on was the Witch boss encounter in the northern part of the Howling Woods. Interacting with the nearby Boss Totem reactivates the fight, giving you a second, third, or 10th attempt at its loot drops. These rematches were useful for not only learning the combat and testing different builds, but also for chasing rare equipment to outfit my adventurer.

Minecraft Dungeons II Screenshot

The same is true for the Rifts and Dungeons. These encounters are packed with foes and loot chests and are great deviations from the mainline story. Rewards can also include Enchantment Books, which fuse unique abilities to your equipment, as well as Echo Shards, which are used to upgrade Merchants, Blacksmiths, and equipment. Loot is one of Minecraft Dungeons II’s central pillars, so it is encouraging to see multiple, easy-to-access paths to acquire better gear spread across the world map.

A quick note on the Enchantment Books – they’re absolutely worth your time to track down, opening a whole new world of character customization and upgrades as the game progresses. Some of my favorites to infuse in equipment include Healing Smite, which gives a chance to produce a healing circle around you after defeating an enemy; Ender Mines that deploy exploding crystals; and Somersault (which can be stacked) to allow you additional dodge rolls. So, make sure you spend some time building your library with repeated dungeon runs you find on the world map.

I Get Around

Speaking of the map: it’s huge. After roughly a dozen hours, I still feel as though I’ve only scratched the surface of both the Overworld and the Sift. Thankfully, each realm offers generous fast-travel options through Minecart Stations and Teleport Statues, keeping that scale exciting rather than exhausting.

Minecraft Dungeons II Screenshot

Another player-friendly feature I leaned on often was the Guidance Trail, a temporary line that points toward your active quest when you click down on the left thumbstick. It was especially helpful when I needed to navigate around steep cliffs, broken logs, and deep valleys as I got further into Minecraft Dungeons II with multiple side quests in my back pocket. And, of course, you can always ignore it if you see something shiny off the trail…

Respawn Shrines are also scattered across the map, typically near Dungeon entrances or Boss Totems. If you fall in battle against foes in the Overworld or the Sift, you resurrect back at Brave Haven. From there, interacting with the Teleport Statue sends you back to the nearest Shrine you previously passed, saving you from retracing the entire route on foot.

I can’t tell you how often I found myself leaning on all these player-friendly features during my time with the game, usually after my arrogance had gotten the best of me, thinking “I could take ’em…” when I absolutely could not. At least not yet. But the ease in which I could swiftly get back into the fight with no penalty and get back to my adventure? That’s a great player-focused feature I’d like to see in more ARPGs.

Minecraft Dungeons II Screenshot

Compared with the first game’s streamlined, chapter-driven adventure, Minecraft Dungeons II has really opened its world to players. Now every trip, whether it leads to a new route, a sudden encounter, or an unexpected discovery, makes the journey itself feel like part of the adventure.

Minecraft Dungeons II arrives on September 29 and will be available for XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, cloud, and included with Game Pass. Play it on both console and PC at no additional cost with XBOX Play Anywhere. Also available on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Xbox Play Anywhere

Minecraft Dungeons II Deluxe Edition

Xbox Game Studios


☆☆☆☆☆
7


★★★★★


$49.99


Drop the pickaxe, grab a sword, and charge into a thrilling new adventure in the Minecraft Dungeons II Deluxe Edition, featuring unique cosmetics, pre-order cosmetics, and DLC 1+2 (when released)! Journey through unexplored lands in a quest to stop a new evil from causing chaos in not one, but two worlds. Clash with menacing foes in explosive encounters and fight your way through hordes of mobs that will do everything in their power to stop you from saving the day. The challenges will be tougher than ever, so face them solo or with up to 4 players in online or couch co-op. With a crisis upon us, will you and your friends rise to meet it? 

Includes the Minecraft Dungeons II base game and the Deluxe Edition, featuring 4 hero skins, the Soul cape cosmetic item, the Blub pet companion, and DLC 1 & 2 (available as released) 

Xbox Play Anywhere

Minecraft Dungeons II

Xbox Game Studios


☆☆☆☆☆
7


★★★★★


$29.99


Drop the pickaxe, grab a sword, and charge into a thrilling new adventure in Minecraft Dungeons II. Journey through unexplored lands and mysterious locations, in a quest to stop a new evil from causing chaos in not one, but two worlds! Clash with menacing foes in explosive encounters and fight your way through hordes of mobs that will do everything in their power to stop you! 

The challenges will be tougher than ever, so face them either solo or with up to 4 players in online or couch co-op. Pre-order today to get 2 hero skins, the Twisted cape, and the Twisted chicken pet! With a crisis upon us, will you and your friends rise to meet it? 

Truecaller takes its scam intelligence to the open web as it looks beyond caller ID


After more than a decade building a caller ID business serving over 500 million users, Truecaller is now taking the scam intelligence it gathered along the way to the open web, with no app or sign-in required.

The Swedish company on Sunday launched Scam Checker, a new web and Android service that lets users paste in a suspicious phone number, link, or message to find out if it’s fraudulent. To work, the service surfaces related reports from Truecaller’s community, ScamFeed. However, more detailed information about a phone number, including the name associated with it, remains available only through Truecaller’s existing service, which requires a sign-in.

The free-to-access tool will initially be available in India and is set to expand to Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Southeast Asia, the company said.

In addition to serving as lead generation for its app, the community reports can give Truecaller a better view of the scams circulating at a given time. This could also help the company with its fraud and risk products sold to enterprises through Truecaller for Business, although Jhunjhunwala said Scam Checker itself is aimed at consumers.

To work, Truecaller’s Scam Checker checks the link the user submits, expanding shortened URLs and following redirects to the final destination. It then checks these against its proprietary risk database and other fraud signals. Users can also paste a suspicious message, allowing the service to pick out a phone number or link and surface related reports from the Truecaller community.

Truecaller Scam Checker
Truecaller’s scam checkerImage Credits:Truecaller

The launch comes as scams have grown well beyond phone calls to text messages, messaging apps, and web links. In a 2025 GSMA survey of Indian adults (PDF), 46% of those who reported being scammed said they were approached through messaging apps, while 37% via SMS and 32% through voice calls.

Truecaller estimates that people make about 14 million web searches a month to check suspicious links and phone numbers, based on its analysis of search volumes and traffic to existing verification services. That behavior helped shape Scam Checker, CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala told TechCrunch.

“When you need it, you’re usually somewhere else. The link shows up on WhatsApp. Your mum gets a message about a traffic fine. A friend forwards you a screenshot and asks, ‘Is this real?’” Jhunjhunwala said. “What people do in that moment is search.”

Truecaller’s community is becoming a crucial piece of its scam-detection effort. The company told TechCrunch that about 20,000 scam reports are live on ScamFeed, its crowdsourced feed where users can post and discuss scams, in India, with around 1,300 new reports added each week. Between September 14 and 20, the company also said it evaluated 12.9 billion messages globally and flagged 20.3 million as fraudulent.

In the near future, Truecaller says it plans to broaden the types of scams Scam Checker can detect and add screenshot uploads for further analysis.

The company’s push beyond caller ID comes as its core business faces new pressures in India, its largest market with more than 350 million users. Telecom operators are rolling out the federal government-backed Calling Name Presentation service, while Apple and Google have added their own caller identification and spam-protection features. Last week, India’s telecom regulator also ordered caller-ID apps to share user-submitted spam reports with telecom operators, a move Truecaller criticized as a “one-way exchange.”

As a result, Truecaller’s focus is evolving beyond caller ID.

“Caller ID was the first problem we solved, and it’s still how most people find us,” he said. “But scams moved to a more multi-channel approach with links and messages, and increasingly to voice and video. Our protection has to follow the scammer.”

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Improperly Secured Tow Loads and Serious Highway Accidents


tow loads on the highway
Deposit Photos

It’s not uncommon for us to envision major dangers on the highways as sports cars driving above the speed limit, drivers who are busy looking at their cell phones, and adverse weather such as heavy rainfall and ice. There is one danger lurking on the open roads that has continued to grow in importance, and that is unsecured tow loads. According to the professionals at Dubin Law truck accident attorneys, these accidents are very serious because they turn regular cargo into high-speed projectiles. When this occurs, other drivers have very little time to react, and it can cause chain-reaction accidents and even collisions with the debris.

The Dynamics of a Towing Catastrophe

Securing cargo is not a question of simple common sense but is a practice driven by physics. Improper attachment and uneven distribution of loads affect the mechanical dynamics of the tow vehicle considerably.

The most hazardous consequence that can be derived from improperly loaded and secured trailers is trailer sway or fishtailing. If too much weight is put near the rear end of a trailer, the tongue weight will drop below the acceptable levels. On highways, small gusts of wind or even small steering movements will cause the trailer to oscillate. As it gains momentum, the trailer will start swinging in such a violent way that it will cause the towing vehicle to lose its stability or even roll over or swing into other lanes.

In addition to fishtailing, unsecured objects are deadly dangers. Any wooden beam, spare tire, or any loose power tool that flies off a trailer traveling at 65 miles per hour will become a high-speed projectile. The driver behind the trailer with heavy tow loads faces a terrible dilemma: braking hard or maneuvering into other lanes to avoid a direct hit. Such abrupt maneuvers cause multiple-vehicle pile-ups frequently.

Why Tow Loads With Securing Failures Are Increasing

Several factors contribute to the troubling increase in cargo-related highway incidents:

  • Inexperience and Lack of Proper Training: Most non-commercial operators buy or rent heavy trailers without any knowledge of calculating tongue weight, proper hitch ratings, or tie-downs.
  • Degradation of Equipment: Ratchets get worn out, safety chains get rusty, and synthetic straps degrade due to UV damage. Wearing out of tie-down equipment is the main reason for catastrophic failures when driving on highways.
  • Complacency and Speeding: Many accidents occur simply because of hurry. Drivers assume it is just a short ride and believe that the weight of the object will hold it down.
  • Lack of In-Transit Inspection: Driving on long highways causes vibrations which automatically loosen straps and move loads. Failure of the driver to make inspections causes loads to slip off in transit.

The Devastating Human and Financial Cost

The physical effects of collisions involving tow loads that are not properly secured tend to be quite serious. This is because such accidents happen either at very high speeds or when pieces of flying debris go through the windshield, leading to brain injuries, injuries to the spine, or disabilities for life.

In such instances, liability depends on several factors. One must establish whether the accident resulted from driver negligence, a commercial company’s loading negligence, or a hitch defect.

Essential Steps for Safe Tow Loads Towing

Preventing these dangerous incidents requires universal adherence to strict load security protocols before every trip:

  1. Calculate Weight Distribution: Ensure roughly 60% of the cargo weight is positioned in the front half of the trailer to maintain proper tongue weight and prevent sway.
  2. Use Rated Tie-Downs: Always secure equipment with straps or chains that meet or exceed the Working Load Limit (WLL) of the total cargo weight.
  3. Cross Safety Chains: Always attach safety chains under the trailer tongue in an “X” pattern so the hitch is caught if it detaches.
  4. Conduct Mid-Trip Checks: Pause during your trip after 10 to 15 miles and check all straps, bolts, and chains.

Conclusion

An unsecured tow-vehicle load is a completely preventable danger. When you don’t take responsibility for securing your load, others can feel the results of your irresponsibility immediately. If you or one of your family members has been injured by a loose load or unstable trailer, getting help from Dubin Law truck accident attorneys is crucial.

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AeroPress Unveils a Coffee Press Made of Luscious Walnut Wood


Ahead of National Coffee Day on Tuesday and just weeks after dropping a stainless steel version of its iconic coffee press, AeroPress released its walnut collection, marking the first time the company has launched a wood design. 

Known for its three-in-one brew method that combines immersion like a French press, aeration like a pour-over and air pressure like an espresso machine to give you your java in under two minutes, AeroPress’s walnut collection is an extension of the brand’s premium line and includes both a brewer and a manual grinder in solid, clear-grade walnut. 

Why walnut?

A representative for AeroPress told CNET that because the brewer and grinder are tactile products, the company has been interested in using wood for quite some time. They settled on walnut for its warm tone that contrasts nicely with the final design’s darker finishes.

A walnut AeroPress brewer and grinder.
A warm walnut was chosen to complement the new darker finishes.AeroPress

What else has changed? 

Like the other brewers in the premium collection, the walnut version is still made of 304 stainless steel, aluminum and double-wall borosilicate glass with laser-etched measurement markings. 

However, the AeroPress representative said that the brewer’s chamber had to be completely redesigned to accommodate the walnut accent. So did the plunger, flange, scoop and stir accessories, all of which are made of solid wood. 

The AeroPress walnut brewer, grinder, scoop and stir.
What the walnut collection looks like on my own countertop.Anna Gragert/CNET

As for the 25-gram-capacity grinder that has over 60 grind settings, AeroPress gave its arm a new black finish and its handle a walnut makeover, while the overall body now has a darker tone. The catch’s metal component was designed to fit a solid walnut sleeve. It also has Italian-made, titanium-coated 38-millimeter conical burrs with a lifetime warranty, dual bearings, a patent-pending Easy-Grind system and a removable magnetic handle that allows the grinder to be easily stored inside the AeroPress itself. 

Being able to store both the grinder and its handle inside the AeroPress brewer is a first-of-its-kind design for the company. 

A close-up of the new AeroPress grinder's walnut handle.
I especially love the grinder’s walnut handle, which has a lovely feel. Anna Gragert/CNET

Sustainability

When asked about sustainability, the AeroPress representative said that the walnut used in the new design is grown in the USA and sourced from responsibly managed forests. 

“For us, sustainability is also about durability and longevity,” the representative added. “Everything we make, including our walnut line, is designed to last, and we offer replacement parts for key components so products can be repaired rather than replaced.”

The walnut AeroPress on a walnut board next to a cup of coffee with milk being poured into it.
The walnut is sourced from responsibly managed forests in the USA.AeroPress

Price and availability

In addition to being repairable, the walnut collection was designed with the countertop — not the inside of the cabinet — in mind. The brewer and grinder each cost $250 for a total of $500 and are now available on AeroPress.com and Williams-Sonoma.com.

I Need to Fix My Dream Car (But I Work at a Junkyard) Free Download (Build 25368515)


I Need to Fix My Dream Car (But I Work at a Junkyard) PC Game




I Need to Fix My Dream Car (But I Work at a Junkyard) Direct Download

Dig Through Junk Last Pirates: Die Together

Break down piles of trash, scrap, broken machines, car parts, and forgotten junk. Every pile can hide something useful, valuable, or just weird.

Restore Your Dream Car

Earn money, buy missing parts, and rebuild a rusty old car piece by piece until your dream is ready to ride again.

Complete Customer Orders

Strange customers will arrive with strange requests. Find rare parts, prepare their cars, and get paid for your work.

Rescue Dogs

Find lost dogs hiding in the junkyard, rescue them, give them a home, and let them help you while you work.

Upgrade Everything

Upgrade your tools, improve your workflow, drive a forklift, and use the magnetic crane to clear bigger piles of junk faster.

Find Collectibles

Search for lost collectible cards and other rare treasures hidden deep in the trash.

Relax

Take breaks, enjoy the music, chill with your dogs, and embrace the cozy junkyard atmosphere.

Screenshots

System Requirements

Minimum
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i3 3.0 GHz or Ryzen 3xxx
Memory: 2048 MB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 4GB VRAM
Storage: 4 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam

Installation Guide

Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game

1 :: Download Game
2 :: Extract Game
3 :: Launch The Game
4 :: Have Fun 🙂




Why AI Glasses Are About to Become a Real Android Accessory Category


AI glasses connected to a phone

For several years, smart glasses were put in the same category as flip phones and smartwatches with a week-long battery life — they existed in theory and on paper (in terms of the technology) but had not yet found their way into the everyday lives of Android consumers. However, that is changing rapidly.

With the help of the growing third-party market, as well as the entrance of Google, smart glasses with an integrated camera and voice assistant are becoming the logical next accessory for Android users, along with smartwatches and wireless headphones. As more options become available, consumers shopping for the best AI glasses will have to look beyond the novelty and compare things such as camera quality, battery life, Android compatibility, and privacy features. They satisfy a need in the market that cannot be filled by phones alone.

Let’s Explain at the Outset What Smart Glasses Are

The latest smart glasses that consumers can find nowadays should consist of a pair of frames containing a camera and microphone to provide a voice assistant. The smart glasses should be connected to a smartphone, allowing the user to store, set, and synchronize the glasses over Bluetooth. They do not possess a screen in front of the user’s eyes, but the user can take pictures, make videos, or ask the virtual assistant questions using the glasses.

Furthermore, Google’s Announcement Was Well Timed

Google introduced its own Android smart glasses in 2026 in cooperation with Samsung and eyewear companies such as Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. The functionality of the glasses includes the use of the Gemini system for navigation, translation, visual search, and voice assistance. Moreover, Google’s entry into the market signals that the company takes smart glasses seriously and considers them a viable product to invest in. This news puts pressure on the already existing brands producing smart glasses to work harder and improve their existing models. The first smart glasses will become available to the public in the fall of 2026. However, the first version released will be the audio version, and then the second version will include the video function.

However, Even Before the Involvement of Google in the Market, the Trend Was Already Observed

The production of smart glasses has increased, which will double in the next few years according to analysts due to the dropping prices and increased availability of other producers’ products. Consumers will remember the previous trend with the development of smartwatches, and it will not be a surprise for them to see the market grow as well.

And you don’t have to learn any new mental models. Anyone who’s already built a solid ecosystem of wearable devices and applications already knows the basic idea: give the device the task of doing a regular job instead of pulling out the phone for every little thing. Camera glasses simply carry this idea through but make it hands-free and voice-activated. They are another component of the Android ecosystem that has been trending toward low-friction interfaces.

When it comes to a device that features both a camera and a microphone, you will need to address exactly the same issues as with any connected device, but with much bigger consequences. All the recommendations regarding how to prevent applications from unnecessarily collecting information on Android work here as well: pay attention to what permissions the application asks for, whether the media is stored on the device until exported or automatically uploaded, and disable any permissions that are not strictly necessary for the operation of the glasses. An easy-to-forget gadget definitely is worth having its data practices checked thoroughly.

Let’s not forget that Google has tried something similar before. The Google Glass product launched more than ten years ago was less of a product category and more of a cautionary incident since it was criticized for being an obvious gadget, having a distracting display that was more annoying than useful, and for having pricing as well as an initiation system of advertising that could not reach a typical client. The new generation of smart glasses has made sure that it doesn’t repeat these mistakes. Most models today, including those from Google, reject having a display in the lens and instead use audio and voice. They look like regular glasses and do not focus on having a heads-up display at all.

There is a reason why Google’s entry into smart glasses does not throw the rest of the manufacturers out of the market. If anything, a new arrival at the same level of technology only leads to the expansion of the market rather than taking control over it, as we have already seen with the arrival of Android. That would mean we are facing serious competition in areas such as battery life, transcription speed, footage transfer speed, and synchronization of the phone suite with other Android applications.

There are a few specifications that are more important than marketing information. Nowadays, the batteries of smart glasses can last anywhere from four to eight hours, making them just about average for the day. You have to verify that the relevant application is updated for your version of Android. Another check you should not forget about is looking out for the indicator that lights up when people are nearby the wearer of the smart glasses.

The smart glasses market had been eagerly anticipated for quite a long time, with many people speaking about it while only one company had started using it. After Google’s initiative together with the other companies, the situation in the market is likely to change.

 

Which Is Better To Use?


Provided you don’t drive long distances every day, Level 1 charging could be all you need.

If you’re a new electric vehicle owner, you may be surprised to learn just how many charging options you have available, both at home and to extend your range on the road. While the industry has standardized terms like Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 charging, those labels offer little information on their own. Installing a Level 2 charger can also cost hundreds of dollars, so is it an expense worth taking on?

A Level 1 charger can take more than 40 hours to fully charge up an EV’s battery, while a Level 3 charger can add hundreds of miles to your car’s range within a single hour. While you may think faster is always better, we also have to account for tradeoffs like cost and battery longevity. So which charging level should you use? The answer depends entirely on where you plan to charge your car, how far you drive and the cost of electricity in your region.

Level 1 vs. Level 2 vs. Level 3 charging: What’s the difference?

A Level 1 EV charger simply uses the standard 120-volt household outlet in North America, which limits it to about 1.4kW of charging power. Level 2 chargers use 240-volt circuits, typically at higher currents, allowing them to deliver substantially more power. How much more depends on the charger and circuit: A 40-amp Level 2 charger (on a 50-amp circuit) can deliver as much as 9.6kW of power. Level 2 chargers all the way up to 80A exist too, delivering up to 19.2kW, provided your home’s electrical service can support it.

Level 1 and Level 2 chargers supply the grid’s alternating current (AC) to the EV. The vehicle’s onboard charger converts this supply to direct current (DC) before it reaches the battery. Converting AC to DC isn’t 100-percent efficient, so it generates heat, and onboard chargers only work up to a certain power limit. With Level 3 charging, the AC-to-DC conversion takes place before it reaches the car, bypassing the onboard charger and delivering high-voltage power directly to the car’s battery.

This lets Level 3 chargers dial things up a notch, typically pushing anywhere from 50kW to 500kW of power. It’s important to note that charging speeds drop as the battery gets more full, so no EV will be charging at their absolute peak rate for very long. Regardless, Level 3 chargers can be enough to fully recharge a depleted EV battery in an hour or two. That’s especially true for newer vehicle models that support the highest power levels. The Lucid Gravity, for instance, can charge at up 400kW if you can find a Level 3 charger that supports that rate. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model Y’s maximum charging power ranges from 175kW to 250kW, depending on the model.

Level 1 vs. Level 2: Which EV charger do you need at home?

If you only drive a few miles a day, a Level 1 charger is all you need. There’s little reason to shell out hundreds of dollars for a Level 2 charger and an electrical upgrade when your EV’s battery can simply charge overnight. If you’re on a time-of-use plan with your energy provider, you can schedule charging during off-peak hours and still gain plenty of range through Level 1 charging for your commute the next day.

While the exact figure depends on your vehicle’s efficiency, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates Level 1 charging adds about 5 miles of range per hour. So even with a conservative 8 hours of charging time, you stand to gain roughly 40 miles of range.

Level 2 chargers make a lot more sense when you frequently drive longer distances during the week. You can still take advantage of off-peak electricity rates, but with a 40A charger can add over 30 miles of range per hour. This all but eliminates range anxiety since you can easily add hundreds of miles in a single overnight charge session.

If you’re on the fence about installing a Level 2 charger, consider that you may also be able to charge all day on the weekends. Some time-of-use plans offer lower or off-peak rates over the weekends, allowing even a Level 1 charger to add significant mileage if plugged in for a full day. This can make Level 1 chargers a perfectly viable option if your car sits parked for most of  the weekend. And if you’re ever in a pinch, you can simply use a public Level 2 or Level 3 charger.

On the flip side, some EV batteries require warming up in the winter, so a Level 1 charger may struggle to both heat up and deliver power to the battery simultaneously. Cold weather also reduces an EV’s effective range, so an unheated garage can make Level 2 chargers the more sensible option.

When should you use Level 3 chargers?

Level 3 chargers are the fastest option to charge your EV’s battery, but they’re uncommon in residential settings. This is because they require a much more substantial electrical connection, and installing one in your home would almost certainly entail a significant electrical service upgrade. You’ll typically find Level 3 chargers in commercial settings like parking lots or highway rest stops.

Level 3 chargers can add over a hundred miles of range within a single hour, making them ideal for road trips and quick top-ups. Having said that, the maximum power varies considerably between DC fast chargers so one Level 3 charger might be significantly faster than another.

The downsides to Level 3 chargers are cost and, potentially, battery longevity. While the jury is still out on the impact of faster charging on long-term battery health, sticking to Level 2 charging will alleviate that concern. The upside is obvious: Public Level 3 chargers offer the closest analog to the fill-up-and-go experience of a gas-powered car.

When looking at public chargers, you’ll need to pay attention to the physical connector. North America is currently transitioning from older J1772 and CCS connectors toward NACS, which you may recognize as the plug historically used by Tesla vehicles. NACS has now become the standard for EV charging in North America and will ship on most new electric cars in the coming years.

If your car requires NACS and a public charger only offers the CCS connector, you won’t be able to plug in at that location without an adapter. Some charging stations offer multiple connectors to choose from, but this isn’t always the case.

The CCS/NACS issue should solve itself over time, but for now I’d recommend using an app like PlugShare or ChargePoint to find out which connectors are available at a particular location. These apps also report whether a location offers Level 2 or Level 3 charging, allowing you to find the fastest station when in a hurry.

Former Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah explains what he’d change about each game: ‘It’s kind of filler’



Over on Tiktok, Mark Darrah was asked, “If you could go back in time what would you remove from each of the Dragon Age games and what would you add?”

Like everyone who ever installed the Skip the Fade mod for Dragon Age: Origins, Darrah thinks the Lost in Dreams quest needs a snip. “I would be tempted to cut or dramatically reduce the dream sequence part from the Mage Tower,” he said. “It’s not very good content. It’s kind of filler. It was definitely done pretty fast in the end.”



How Open Science Can Help Researchers Prepare for the Next Pandemic



When COVID-19 emerged, scientists had a crucial advantage: Decades of prior research on coronaviruses meant they understood the virus’ key proteins well enough to design vaccines in record time. The next pandemic may not offer the same head start. 

To help improve the odds, NVIDIA has joined a coalition of global research organizations, including Google DeepMind and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), to release predicted 3D structures for the protein complexes of more than 2,800 viruses — openly available to any scientist, anywhere, through the AlphaFold Database.

The structures in the newly released dataset were inferred using AlphaFold2 — Google DeepMind’s AI model for predicting how proteins fold into 3D shapes — with optimization from NVIDIA BioNeMo Inference Runtime. This allowed the team to scale inference to thousands of viral proteomes, predicting the complexes, or groups of interacting proteins, encoded within each virus. 

“Our ambition with the AlphaFold Database has always been to democratize access to foundational biology at scale,” said Risha Patel, life sciences partnerships manager at Google DeepMind. “This collaboration to bring thousands of viral complexes into the database will equip scientists around the world with insights they need to help prepare for future outbreaks.”

NVIDIA is also openly releasing the BioNeMo Structure Prediction Pipeline, the GPU-accelerated workflow used to generate the dataset, so researchers can go from protein sequence to predicted 3D structure for their own targets.

Preparation for the next pandemic must begin now. An analysis by the Center for Global Development estimates a roughly 50% chance of the world facing a pandemic as severe as COVID-19 by 2050.

“When the next pandemic happens, there may be something that comes out of the blue, and we’ll be lacking the knowledge we had for COVID,” said Joe Grove, professor of molecular virology at the Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research and a collaborator on the project. “What we’re trying to do is stockpile some of that knowledge ahead of time.”

About 30% of the protein interactions being added to the database are completely new to science, showing interaction shapes that have never been documented in the Protein Data Bank, the main repository of experimentally determined protein structures. This translates to new insights for the biological community to explore and harness to generate new knowledge.

“This database is an engine for hypothesis generation,” said Chris Dallago, applied research science team lead in digital biology at NVIDIA. “We’re enabling biologists and the AI community to investigate protein interactions, not just as single molecules but as complexes, so the whole field can move forward.”

Predicting Complex Protein Structures

Most proteins don’t work alone — they come together in complexes of multiple molecules to perform sophisticated functions. Those structures are often what a vaccine or drug must target to disrupt viral function. 

Understanding the 3D structure of the COVID-19 virus’ spike protein, for example, proved foundational to vaccine design. For thousands of other viruses, no such structural knowledge exists today. This dataset begins to fill that gap.

Traditional methods for determining protein structures — crystallizing proteins and shooting X-rays at them — can take years and cost thousands of dollars per structure. AlphaFold2, which was optimized with NVIDIA BioNeMo to efficiently run on NVIDIA GPUs, predicts a structure in minutes and can be run in bulk. Scientists can then verify high-confidence predictions through experimental methods. 

For this project, the team systematically worked through the protein structures of viral families known to infect humans, from common-cold viruses to emerging threats like Mpox. 

A Global Collaboration With Global Access

The collaboration spans the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, EMBL-EBI, Google DeepMind, NVIDIA, Seoul National University, Sungkyunkwan University, the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and the University of Glasgow. 

The dataset release — coinciding with a United Nations General Assembly meeting convened by the World Economic Forum on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response taking place this week in New York City — contributes to the AlphaFold Database, which now holds more than 260 million protein and protein complex predictions covering nearly every cataloged protein known to science.

“Making this data open is critical for understanding viral diagnostics and developing treatments and vaccines,” said Jo McEntyre, interim director of EMBL-EBI. “The dataset also covers lesser-studied viruses and lowers the barriers for scientists in low-resource settings who are confronting outbreaks firsthand.”

Predictions in the open dataset are labeled by confidence. The structures show what viral complexes may look like and how individual proteins might interact within a viral proteome. 

Overall, the new data represents a major contribution to the information available for scientists across digital biology and disease research.

“When I did my Ph.D., there were no structures for any of the proteins we were investigating. It was like working in the dark — we had to guess what was going on,” said Grove. “This dataset is a powerful tool for all the researchers doing their Ph.D.s now, giving them high-quality structural data that’s going to accelerate fundamental science.”

Explore the viral protein complex dataset on the AlphaFold Database Pandemic Preparedness Portal, predict structures for protein targets with the BioNeMo Structure Prediction Pipeline, and learn more about NVIDIA BioNeMo.