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Xometry: Your Source for Custom Manufacturing on Demand Xometry is your source for fast, high-quality CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication. Visit our quoting engine for a free quote today. Our network of highly vetted US-based shops -- including ITAR registered and AS9100D/ISO9001 certified facilities -- delivers highly custom parts to spec. You can also now get quotes directly from 2D Mechanical Drawings in our new marketplace.
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In this issue of Designfax |
News |
Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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70 trillion pictures per sec: New ultra-fast camera is quick enough to see waves of light Super steel project claims big breakthrough: Super strength and enhanced fracture resistance Weird science: Robot that grips without touching being developed in Switzerland New fuel-efficient, rotating detonation rocket engine could enable cheaper, lighter spacecraft |
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Build-to-order knobs and hand hardware Rogan Corp.'s innovative use of two-shot plastic injection and insert molding has been providing customers with high-quality plastic clamping knobs, levers, and control knobs for 80+ years. Rogan offers concurrent engineering, product design, and assistance in material selection to ensure customer satisfaction. Cost optimization and on-time delivery are hallmarks of Rogan service. Three levels of build-to-order parts offered: Standard, Modified, and Custom.
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| Featured Articles |
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Army scientists on verge of perfecting nearly unbreakable battery During an era of modernized warfare, a small cadre of Army scientists has pioneered an all-but-invincible, lightweight battery set to roll out by 2024. So far, they have chopped up the new battery, dropped it in water, and conducted ballistic tests.
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Sneak Peek: Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 drag racer Ford Performance, the automaker's motorsport and racing division, has taken the wraps off its one-off Mustang Cobra Jet factory drag racer with all-electric propulsion ahead of the vehicle's official world debut this summer. Details are slim, but the EV is the latest in a growing line of demo and real-world plug-in cars from the Pony car maker.
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250-mph Speedtail is fastest McLaren road car ever With a silhouette like something from a 1950s issue of Popular Mechanics, the new Speedtail is McLaren's fastest road car ever and its first Hyper-GT model. The 250-mph three-seater is way more than retro-futuristic chic, though. It provides a glimpse into the latest developments in lightweighting and hybrid-drive technology, featuring titanium woven into its carbon fiber, a Formula E-derived electric motor, and a special high-voltage battery design
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Defiant attack helicopter proves it's faster than Black Hawk On a recent flight test, Sikorsky-Boeing's new SB-1 Defiant attack and assault helicopter proved it was faster than the legendary Black Hawk by reaching 205 knots -- and the compound coaxial copter is designed to go much faster. Defiant is one of two designs in the running for the Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition. This article also contains a new update on the Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition.
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Tesla demos ventilator design that uses car parts On April 5, Tesla showed the world the first prototype of the ventilator design it's working on to help with the shortage of medical equipment in the fight against COVID-19. Tesla engineering used several parts from its electric car lineup to create the artificial breathing device, including the Model 3 infotainment computer system and screen, the air mixing chamber, sensors, and vehicle controllers. The Tesla system is portable and even comes with an extra battery and O2 backup that lasts for 20 to 40 minutes.
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Shooting for 300+ mph: SSC North America Tuatara SSC North America, the only supercar manufacturer in the United States, is aiming to capture the world speed record for a production car with its new 1,350-hp (1,750-hp using E85) Tuatara model, which combines high-end engine tech with funky aerodynamics to rocket the driver forward. It sports multiple fins and quirky design features, just like its namesake "living fossil" New Zealand lizard, but that's what makes it intriguing.
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Ferrari Roma: A taste of the sweet life Ahh, the sweet life. Do you remember that, before things got so challenging? Ferrari still has that spirit and has channeled it into its new sleek and sultry Roma coupe. The 611-hp turbo V8 is simply stunning -- like someone in a 1960s spy movie got a glimpse of the future and related instantly. The Roma pays homage to a bygone era but also reminds us that "la dolce vida" is still here in modern times -- if we just take a moment to savor it.
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Top Product: Raspberry Pi computer now available with 8GB RAM A new version of the Raspberry Pi -- the credit-card-size computer that has been so popular among business developers, DIYers, and students alike -- now offers double the on-board memory of the current Pi 4 Model B device. It's a big increase in performance for 20 bucks more.
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Top Application Note: Why apple harvesters need angle sensors The SFM Samurai is a self-propelled apple harvester that can collect a whopping 100 tons of apples each day. The machine is designed for optimal navigation through the narrowest of orchard rows thanks to its SFM-developed four-wheel steering system that relies on Novotechnik RFC4800 series angle sensors to monitor each axle position.
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Top Motors: Chairless exoskeleton solves long-standing problem The Chairless Chair is a new innovation for relieving strain and fatigue from excessive standing during long work shifts. The entire construct is lightweight, easy to put on, and hardly noticeable when walking. Operating a switch on the strap turns the flexible construct into a stable seat. Two small FAULHABER DC motors activate a stop valve in the hydraulic elements of the shock absorbers, locking the support into the seated position.
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Top Fastening: Top 5 reasons for solder joint failure Solder joint reliability is often a pain point in the design of an electronic system. According to Tyler Ferris at ANSYS, a wide variety of factors affect solder joint reliability, and any one of them can drastically reduce joint lifetime. Properly identifying and mitigating potential causes of solder joint failure during the design and manufacturing process can prevent costly and difficult-to-solve problems later in a product lifecycle. Read this informative ANSYS blog.
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| Most Popular |
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Top Toolbox: Gear crowning -- a cheap fix for noise With the demands for smaller gearboxes transmitting more power at higher rpm and incumbent demands for greater efficiency, gear engineers are always searching for new ways to reduce vibration and limit noise -- without increasing costs.
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Top Motion Control: 50 ways to use a hexapod Hexapods, six-legged parallel-kinematic machines, can solve many complex positioning and alignment tasks in fields including Optics, Photonics, Precision Automation, Automotive, and Medical Engineering. Features include a programmable pivot point, sub-micron precision, and load capacities from 2 kg to 2,000 kg. From drone testing to the largest telescope project in the world, PI (Physik Instrumente) shares a full complement of applications to inform and inspire.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| See SpaceX rocket explode -- on purpose | |
| SpaceX conducted an exciting test Jan. 19 of the Crew Dragon spacecraft's emergency abort system. Launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A, the unmanned Crew Dragon capsule rose through the atmosphere for 84 sec before the abort was triggered, the rocket engines were shut down, and the Falcon 9 booster was deliberately exploded. The Crew Dragon capsule has eight SuperDraco engines embedded in its hull that activate to push the vehicle away from the rocket if there is an in-flight emergency. It all worked as planned, and the capsule successfully descended to a parachute-assisted splashdown about 9 min. after liftoff some 32 km off the Florida coast. If you just want to zoom to the explosion, fast forward to the launch about 18 minutes in. Crew Dragon is the spacecraft that eventually took astronauts to the International Space Station at the end of May this year.
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