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2015 COOL PARTS CALENDAR Designed by designers and engineered for engineers, our annual Cool Parts Calendar features the visions of product developers across the nation and around the world. It features monthly contests, industry tradeshow dates, and (of course) those elusive days of the week.
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In this issue of Designfax |
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Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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Electrically conductive plastics show promise for batteries, solar cells Oshkosh Defense shows off high-performance, production-ready Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Featuring ceramic components and 3D-printed parts, CFM's LEAP engine takes to the skies New technique to make foams could lead to lightweight, sustainable materials |
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Convert Rotary Motion Into Linear Motion Lead screws are a common technology used to convert rotary motion into linear motion, and are often used to provide actuation to a set of linear bearings. Plastic lead screws are an excellent alternative to ball screws in many applications where extreme precision (micron level) is not required. They require no external lubricant, which makes them suitable in applications ranging from sensitive lab instruments to packaging machines.
Learn more about Tribo-polymer Lead Screw Nuts and get this white paper from igus®.
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| Featured Articles |
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Researchers developing shrink-wrapping spacesuits Instead of climbing into a bulky, gas-pressurized suit, a future astronaut may don a lightweight, stretchy garment lined with tiny, muscle-like coils that, with power from a power pack, would contract and shrink-wrap the garment around the body. That, at least, is the vision of some MIT researchers.
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Basics of motion control: How feedback encoder devices operate Feedback is used in closed-loop systems in applications all over the world to control speed and/or position, and it has an important role in keeping equipment operating smoothly and accurately. Feedback is available in a variety of devices as well as models. There are a variety of devices available in the marketplaces that are employed to derive information about the application's speed and/or position, thus controlling and guaranteeing that the process occurs correctly. These include: tachometer, Hall sensors, encoder, and resolver.
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Way better than LEDs? Using 1/100 the power, these brighter, flat-panel lights are based on carbon nanotubes Even as the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics has enshrined light emitting diodes (LEDs) as the single most significant and disruptive energy-efficient lighting solution of today, scientists around the world continue unabated to search for the even-better bulbs of tomorrow. Enter carbon electronics.
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Wings: Structural health monitoring takes a step forward with in-flight sensor tests Nine commercial aircraft flying regular routes are on the frontier of aviation safety, carrying sensors that monitor their structural health along with their routine maintenance. These flight tests are part of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process that will make the sensors widely available to U.S. airlines.
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Mike Likes: Seal It, Protect It! A Smalley Laminar Seal is a metallic labyrinth seal consisting of multiple rings in a groove. Sealing an assembly from contamination while withstanding high temperatures and corrosive environments, Laminar rings are produced from metal. The arrangement and orientation of the rings are dictated by the application/severity of the environment.
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Engineer's Toolbox: Cell phone microscope 3D printed for pennies Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed a sleek, simple, and inexpensive way to turn a cell phone into a high-powered, high-quality microscope (up to 1,000x magnification!).
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Motion control components: Flexible bellows couplings Precision motion control applications require mechanically tight systems, especially between motors, driven loads, and feedback devices, to ensure accurate positioning. FC Series bellows couplings are the standard bellows coupling configuration offered by Servometer with 16 standard sizes ranging in diameter from 0.250 to 1.00 in. FC couplings employ Servometer's patented electrodeposited bellows to offer maximum flexibility, side thrust capability, and angular misalignment, and are an ideal fit for most motion control instruments including encoders, potentiometers, servomotors, and more. Samples are available.
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Products: Next-gen display mounting Southco has expanded its AV Display Mount line with three new models that provide enhanced functionality and design flexibility for a variety of applications. New extensions include: a Tilt and Swivel Mount (K Series); a Tilt, Swivel, and Single Swing Arm (A Series); and a Tilt, Swivel, and Dual Swing Arm (A Series). These arms are ideal for a variety of applications including medical instruments and dispensing, trucks, off-highway equipment, marine vessels, and self-service kiosks.
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Products: High-performance 16-mm ECH brushless slotless motor Portescap's newest addition to its Ultra EC mini motor platform is the 16 ECH brushless motor, designed to provide an economic motor solution for high-performance applications. The 16ECH has been specifically optimized for high continuous torque at low to medium speeds, maximizing power between 40 K and 55 K rpm, and rated speed at approximately 60 K rpm. The 16ECH is available in 36- and 52-mm length versions, with Hall sensors and three different coils to match your speed and voltage requirements.
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Products: Softer TPEs come in handy Elastocon TPE Technologies, a leading compounder and supplier of numerous lines of soft thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), has expanded its clear (CLR Series) to include several new, softer grades (Shore 15 - 40 A). These new grades have been formulated for consumer goods and applications requiring clarity, a soft touch, and UV stability. This plasticizer-free TPE series has non-blooming, high-strength properties and a tactile surface finish. It is an excellent alternative to silicone and PVC. Applications include countertop electronics, appliances, protective covers for consumer electronic products, and more.
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Wheels: Volvo unveils triple-boosted 450-hp 4-cylinder engine They are keeping a lot the details still under wraps, but Volvo unveiled a triple-boost 2-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with no less than 450 hp on October 9. The new engine is the next-gen version of Volvo's 320-hp Drive-E Powertrain range that debuted in 2013 -- an engine that solidified the carmaker's commitment to developing powerful and fuel-efficient 4-cylinders for its passenger-car and SUV lines.
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World's first 'solar battery' is a cell that stores its own power Is it a solar cell? Or a rechargeable battery? Actually, the patent-pending device invented at The Ohio State University is both: the world's first solar battery.
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Army designing next-generation protective mask Engineers at Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD) are working on the latest chemical-biological helmet and mask protection gear for Soldiers in combat, which include mini fans, sensors, and communication systems.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| Boeing formation flight: Saving energy like birds do | |
| In a bid to reduce fuel burn, engineers at Boeing have developed software that can provide 5 to 10 percent energy savings for "surfing" aircraft by coordinating formation flight between two or more planes.
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| New products |
| Electrical/Electronics | Mechanical | Motion |
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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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