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The World's First -- and Best -- Linear Motion Guides THK's original technology is behind the smooth and silent movement of the "Linear Motion System." The LM Guide is our major product that put the rolling of the linear motion part into practical use for the first time in the world. This improves the accuracy, rigidity, energy saving, velocity, productivity, and service life of the machine. THK offers a full support system from the beginning design phase throughout the maintenance, and follow-up service.
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In this issue of Designfax |
News |
Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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Researchers engineer 'thubber,' a stretchable rubber that packs a thermal conductive punch World's largest all-composite aircraft structure optimized with Collier's HyperSizer software |
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Flexibility in more ways than one! Edge welded metal bellows allow for flexibility in axial, angular and parallel offset motion and provide the most stroke in the smallest amount of space of any bellows technology on the market, by reaching 90% of its free length. BellowsTech can customize size, shape, material, weight, length, and mounting connections to customer specifications.
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| Featured Articles |
| Tiny antennas could bring big benefits to U.S. Air Force | |
Researchers at the AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate recently developed an ultra-compact antenna that uses a whole different approach in transmitting and receiving signals, providing a big step forward to miniaturizing many military and commercial communication systems.
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How to prevent step losses with stepper motors When a stepping motor does not operate correctly in a specific situation, the common conclusion is that either the motor or the drive electronics are faulty. The motor selection and the choice of the driver are critical. However, other factors contribute to step losses. Mini-motors expert MICROMO runs through important things to examine for the analysis of step losses or non-operation across a variety of applications.
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Sensor systems developed to defend aircraft against lasers A team of researchers at MIT is working on ground-based cameras that detect sources of laser beam attacks on aircraft and may lessen dangers for pilots. In one real-world test, laser beams were geolocated by the system from over 10 miles away -- with their precise positions shown on a Google Earth map -- in less than 30 seconds.
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High Performance Valve Springs Valve Springs from Atlantic Spring, an MW Industries company, offer the highest performance even in the most demanding environments and are available in a wide material selection. They are resistant to corrosion, offer lower torsion modulus, shorter free length, and greater strength. These attributes make valve springs ideal for various aircraft, space, military, and defense applications. Use Atlantic Spring's valve springs in check valves, ball valves, butterfly valves, safety relief, gauge valves and more. Atlantic Spring specializes in custom design services, and prototypes can be available within 3 to 5 days dependent upon design complexity and material availability. ISO9100C certified and ITAR registered.
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Engine Tech: Supercomputing turbocharges engine design Using their Mira supercomputing prowess, Argonne National Lab's Virtual Engine Research Institute and Fuels Initiative team simulated over 2,000 engine design combinations and reduced design time for a given fuel from months to weeks.
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Mike Likes: Alternative to traditional drive systems Nexen Group has introduced a stainless steel version of its patented precision roller pinion system (RPS). The Nexen RPS engages two teeth simultaneously to achieve superior accuracy with zero backlash at any length. The system is also extremely quiet and 99% efficient. Stainless steel makes the system corrosion resistant, with a long life of up to 36 million meters. Nexen's RPS provides a low-maintenance, durable alternative to rack and pinion, ball screw, and belt drive technology. The RPS is used for a wide range of applications including laser cutting, plasma cutting, and gantry applications.
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Wheels: GM shows off advanced fuel cell electric platform concept for military General Motors displayed its Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure (SURUS) this week at the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army, explaining how the commercially designed autonomous fuel cell electric platform -- which boasts more than 400 miles of range from its hydrogen storage system -- could be adapted easily for military use.
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Great Resources: Design guidelines for selecting/using stainless steels This extensive guide from the Nickel Institute helps designers better understand the large family of corrosion-resistant stainless steels. It describes typical corrosion modes and how to select materials to minimize or prevent corrosion. Forty-seven figures help illustrate important characteristics of, and end-use applications for, 57 different stainless steel types, including chemical compositions, physical and mechanical properties, properties at elevated temperatures, and heat-transfer characteristics. Get your guide (no registration required).
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Compressed Air: New website offers better ways to improve efficiency and safety EXAIR.com® is the new digital home of Intelligent Compressed Air® products for industry. EXAIR's new website has improved the product selection process by providing descriptions immediately from the homepage. An improved account management and ordering process streamlines access to historical orders, allows one-click repeat orders, and eases editing of your information. This website is fully responsive to provide a consistent experience whether using a PC, tablet, or smartphone. A comprehensive search functionality enables users to quickly locate model numbers and related information. Click here to check out EXAIR's new site.
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SOLIDWORKS 2018 is here! With SOLIDWORKS 2018, teams can collaborate concurrently to design a product or part more rapidly and cost efficiently, validate its function and manufacturability, manage its data and related processes, streamline and automate its manufacturing, and inspect it. Any changes in design or manufacturing are fast and easy to manage and automatically flow to all related models, programs, drawings, and documentation. A standout new feature is SOLIDWORKS CAM, which provides rules-based machining with knowledge capture for the automation of manufacturing programming. Plus, there are improvements to many of the SOLIDWORKS features you already use. Learn all about the SOLIDWORKS 2018 launch.
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Mobility Tech Ideas: Scissor lift for UTVs The UTX Scissor lift from Innovative Equipment is designed to be easily fitted and removed from almost any utility vehicle (UTV) in approximately 3 minutes without any heavy lifting. It provides the user with a working height of 18 to 19 ft on nearly any terrain. It can be leveled on slopes up to 12 deg. It has a lifting capacity of 500 to 600 lb and enables users to take a scissor lift "where no scissor lift has gone before." Stability has been tested to five times the ANSI requirements. It also has safety features that will not allow it to be used in unsafe conditions.
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Cool Tools: Wireless pocket oscilloscope Saelig has introduced the IkaScope WS200, a pen-shaped battery-powered wireless oscilloscope that streams captured signals to almost any Wi-Fi-connected screen. This tool offers a 30-MHz bandwidth with its 200-MSa/s sampling rate, and the maximum input is +/-40 Vpp. It provides galvanically isolated measurements even when a USB connection is charging the internal battery. The IkaScope WS200 will work on desktop computers (Windows, Mac, and Linux) as well as on mobile devices like tablets or smartphones (iOS and Android Q4 2017). Application software can be downloaded for whichever platform is needed.
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| Most Popular |
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Army develops water-based Li-ion batteries that don't explode Researchers at the U.S. Army Research Lab and Univ. of Maryland have developed a lithium-ion battery that uses a water-salt solution as its electrolyte and reaches the 4-V mark desired for household electronics, such as laptop computers, without the fire and explosive risks.
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Engineer's Toolbox: Apple iPhone 8 Plus teardown reveals what its higher cost buys The new Apple iPhone 8 Plus, equipped with 64 GB of NAND flash memory, carries a bill of materials (BOM) cost that comes out to U.S. $288.08 -- higher than any previous versions of the company's smartphones. IHS Markit tears down the unit to find out what's inside.
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Engineers 3D print high-strength aluminum, solve age-old welding problem using nanoparticles Researchers at HRL Laboratories have made a breakthrough in metallurgy by developing a technique for successfully 3D printing high-strength aluminum alloys -- including types Al7075 and Al6061. The feat opens the door to additive manufacturing of engineering-relevant alloys that are very desirable for aircraft and automobile parts.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| Honey, I shrunk the V-8 engine! | |
| Borrowing from the classic design of a V-8 engine to achieve high push/pull and holding forces, patented piezo actuator technology and linear stepping motion design principles come together to create the fastest and strongest non-magnetic drive of its class size. These piezoelectric motors are self-clamping, i.e. at rest or in steady state mode, they automatically hold the position without any need for power. Learn how this technology can be used in your application.
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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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