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New Full Line Catalog -- Full of New Fasteners Micro Plastics introduces its new catalog #39. With 290 pages of nylon fastener items, 12 new product lines, and over 500 new items added. Contents include: standard and metric machine screws, cap screws, nuts, washers, spacers, insulators, grommets, bushings, rivets, hole plugs, clamps, printed circuit board accessories, suspended ceiling hooks, and wire routing kits. FREE samples are available upon request.
Click here for more information.
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In this issue of Designfax |
News |
Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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Military-grade lithium-ion batteries being tested for commercial Class 8 trucks Glass as strong as steel? Researchers discover key to making glass brittle or ductile Volvo Cars says tests of its flywheel technology confirm up to 25 percent fuel savings |
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Tell us, "Why I love my car" What engineer doesn't like to talk about cars? Now it's your turn to tell us why you love yours -- and the engineering behind it. Email a paragraph or two and maybe even a pic to share your story, and we'll post a bunch of them in an upcoming issue of Designfax. Got a 250,000-miler? Love the way your ride handles that grueling trip to work each day? Maybe you're a do-it-yourselfer, and you just want to show off. Debbie, an engineering editor in the office next to mine, owns a Corvette she loves (pictured) that is raced in pro series events. Who knew? Email why you love your car to Mike at mfoley@nelsonpub.com, and we'll get the reader contributions rolling. Or submit your comments here using the reader feedback form.
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| Featured Articles |
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Wheels: World's smallest production V8 optimized with precision honing Gary Conley's 30-year quest to manufacture a true production V8 engine in quarter-scale almost went up in smoke twice: once in 2001 when a foundry fire claimed all his critical molds, and later when oil smoke proved a stubborn problem during run-offs of the engine. Conley overcame the first setback with years of sheer determination. The second issue required a Sunnen MB 1660 honing machine, abrasives, and some Sunnen know-how.
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Extreme miniaturization: 7 devices in one chip navigate without GPS The U.S. military relies on the space-based Global Positioning System (GPS) to aid air, land, and sea navigation. Like the GPS units in many automobiles today, a simple receiver and some processing power is all that is needed for accurate navigation. But what if the GPS satellites suddenly became unavailable due to malfunction, enemy action, or simple interference, such as driving into a tunnel?
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Stormtroopers beware: Army explores futuristic uniform for Special Ops Army researchers are responding to a request from the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) for technologies to help develop a revolutionary Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS). TALOS is an advanced infantry uniform that promises to provide superhuman strength with greater ballistic protection.
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Wheels: Side-mirror blind spots disappear thanks to progressive optics A new optical prescription for automobile side-view mirrors may eliminate the dreaded "blind spot" in traffic without distorting the perceived distance of cars approaching from behind.
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Engineer's Toolbox: Flow simulation and the $75 exhaust header question Is it worth the extra $75 for a long-tube vs. a short-tube exhaust header? Elite Application Support Engineer Robert Warren, 3DVision Technologies, uses SolidWorks and some in-depth modeling and calculations to find out.
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Rocket powered by nuclear fusion could send humans to Mars University of Washington researchers and scientists at a Redmond-based space-propulsion company called MSNW are building components of a fusion-powered rocket aimed to clear many of the hurdles that block deep space travel, including long times in transit, exorbitant costs, and health risks.
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Wheels: Cyclists take industrial 3D printing for a spin About four years ago, Russell Kappius -- mountain-bike enthusiast, winner of six Masters racing titles, and a research geophysicist/software developer -- became obsessed with bicycle hubs. After working out a design for a novel oversized hub and high-performance drive assembly that would transfer more power from pedal to chain to wheel, he looked to direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), an additive manufacturing (3D printing) technology, to produce complex parts quickly to exacting specifications.
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Wheels: Classical music -- designing the sound of the Porsche 911 Designing any exhaust system today is a challenge, considering the role the exhaust plays in emissions reduction and fuel efficiency. But designing a system for a legendary sports car, which not only satisfies noise regulations but also meets the emotional requirements of an iconic brand, is tougher still.
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Piezoelectric cooling jets let ultra-thin tablets and laptops take the heat Tired of your laptop or tablet getting too hot? Fear not. GE has a new fanless solution, adapted from technology originally developed for commercial jet engines, for future mobile computing designs.
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Engineer's Toolbox: All about lead screws and how to apply them Lead screws use the helix angle of the thread to convert rotary motion to linear motion. Learn all about their benefits, performance characteristics, design choices, lifecycles, and more in this in-depth article from Thomson Industries.
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Mike Likes: No-cost NASA e-books If you haven't taken a tour of the latest no-cost e-book offerings from NASA, now's the time to fill up on summer reading material. "Coming Home: Re-entry and Recovery from Space" is one of my new faves. It's 300+ pages of in-depth NASA history about re-entry aerodynamics, thermal protection, guidance and control, stability, propulsion, and landing systems. "Dressing for Altitude - U.S. Aviation Pressure Suits" is another good choice, chronicling an "indispensible part of a small fragment of the aviation world" and providing loads of historical perspective along the way. And after reading "Hubble Space Telescope: Discoveries," an interactive picture book made for all ages, you may never look at the July night sky the same way again. All titles are available in mobile and pdf formats. Check out the NASA e-books page.
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| Most Popular |
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ISSUE 25: Most Popular Stories And More | Part 1 If you missed Part 1 of our midyear most-popular stories roundup, check your inbox or you can view it here. Go to the Designfax midyear Most Popular Stories 2013 Part 1 issue.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| What do drones see? | |
| Wow. In this PBS NOVA video clip, an engineer describes the super-secret (up till now) 1.8-billion-pixel surveillance sensor called ARGUS used by some high-level UAVs. The sensor makes for the world's highest-resolution camera. UAVs equipped with the device can see objects as small as 6 in. on the ground from 17,500 ft up, stream all their video in real time, and also record everything spotted: up to 1 million TBs of video a day. Wait a sec for video to load after clicking.
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| For advertising opportunities contact: John Holmes jholmes@nelsonpub.com Dan Beck danbeck58@gmail.com (518) 852-9624 |
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