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2018 Cool Parts Calendar Request a free Proto Labs 2018 Cool Parts Calendar and keep all your projects on track next year. Every month you'll see a custom part made possible through 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding, and the innovative companies behind the design of those parts. Request your free calendar today!
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In this issue of Designfax |
News |
Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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Air Force working on mini crypto chip that scrambles communications between UAV and robot systems Drones relay RFID signals for inventory control How many soft robots does it take to screw in a light bulb? Just one Change your sports car to match your mood? [br]Porsche rolls out monthly subscription program |
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The Smart Guide to Designing for Manufacturability Not all mold makers were created equal. Follow the guide of the most advanced: Xcentric Mold & Engineering. Download our Smart Guide to Designing for Manufacturability. Learn how to incorporate things like draft, threads, hinges and overmolding by taking advantage of the most advanced injection molding process engine and mold making system in the industry.
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| Featured Articles |
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NASA-inspired fastener tech improves golf clubs When Cobra Puma Golf wanted a "spaceport door" to screw into the bottom of its KING LTD Driver for more precise weighting, it researched NASA's techniques for dealing with intense, repeated vibration in rocket launches.
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Developing Story: Kobe Steel admits falsifying product data, 500 companies affected Japanese metals company Kobe Steel Ltd. has admitted to "improper conduct" where "data in inspection certificates had been improperly rewritten." Some materials the company produced over the past 10 years may not have been up to snuff in terms of strength and/or durability. Some inspection reports were falsified. The problem affects a ballooning number of international companies.
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Ceramic pump moves 1,400-deg C molten metal! A ceramic-based mechanical pump able to operate at record temperatures of more than 1,400-deg C (1,673 Kelvin) can transfer high-temperature liquids such as molten tin, enabling a new generation of energy conversion and storage systems. Use of ceramic components, normally considered too brittle for mechanical systems, was made possible by precision machining -- and seals made from another high-temperature material: graphite.
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Wheels: Toshiba ups the game with 6-min. rechargeable electric vehicle battery A new, next-gen lithium-ion battery design from Toshiba for compact electric cars provides a driving range just shy of 200 miles on a 6-min., ultra-rapid recharge -- triple that possible with current lithium-ion battery technology.
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Mike Likes: Smalley's New Medical Capacity Medical devices are shrinking, and the need for smaller medical rings and medical springs has grown. Smalley continues to push the boundaries of coiling technology, producing the smallest wave springs and retaining rings on the market. As the preferred supplier to the medical industry, Smalley's Spirolox® Retaining Rings and Wave Springs are found in medical devices from surgical instruments to implantables, imaging equipment to dental tools, and more. From prototypes to production volumes, Smalley is able to scale production to meet your manufacturing schedule. Medical-grade alloys including surgical 316 Stainless Steel, Elgiloy, and implantable Titanium are readily available. Smalley strives to provide the best engineered products, quality, service, and deliverability. Their dedication to the medical industry is evident by their certification to ISO 13485:2016.
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Engineer's Toolbox: Multi-switch detection interface for automotive Automotive body control modules (BCMs) are electronic control units that manage numerous vehicle comfort, convenience, and lighting functions, including door locks, windows, chimes, closure sensors, interior and exterior lighting, wipers, and turn signals. John Griffith, Automotive Systems Engineer, Texas Instruments, runs through the benefits -- including significant overall power savings -- of incorporating these devices into automotive designs.
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Motor Tech: UAV camera stabilization with brushless motors Today, recon is dominated by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones due largely to concerns for pilots' safety and costs. However, photos and videos obtained from UAVs are only useful if they are crisp and clear, which requires both precise focusing and extreme stabilization of the camera system. Compact and powerful FAULHABER brushless DC motors from MICROMO were selected to get the job done.
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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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Simplify thermal management, handle high surges Littelfuse has introduced two new series of High Temperature Alternistor Triacs. With a maximum junction temperature of 150-deg C, the 16A QJxx16xHx Series and 25A QJxx25xHx Series are designed for use as AC switches, helping circuit designers address overheating challenges in AC power control applications with limited or no heat sinking. Applications include: heater control in coffeemakers; tankless water heaters and infrared heaters; AC solid-state relays; dimmers for incandescent and LED lighting; motor speed control in kitchen appliances and power tools; and compressor motor control in light industrial applications.
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Completely updated new full-line catalog of fasteners Micro Plastics introduces its new 300-page catalog #41 containing thousands of fastening solutions for engineers and product designers. Find hundreds of new problem-solving products, including Spacers, Washers, Clips, Clamps, Ties, Bushings, Screws, Nuts, Rivets, and Plugs. Micro Plastics specializes in Nylon threaded fasteners, but the company also offers extensive product lines for wire management and circuit board hardware. FREE samples are available upon request. Check out the new online catalog.
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Cool Tools: Babysitter for equipment now includes thermal monitoring Fluke has expanded the capabilities of its Condition Monitoring system to include thermal monitoring with the addition of the new Fluke 3550 FC Thermal Imaging Sensor. Maintenance managers can now collect a more comprehensive variety of key-indicator data -- thermal imaging, voltage, current, temperature, and power -- on critical equipment to build a real-time picture of an asset's condition. Alarms can be set to notify technicians via their mobile phones when specific measurement thresholds have been hit. Machine builders might suggest this system when they sell applicable units.
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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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Sci-fi spinner: UAV concept spins and glides Within the next few decades, armed forces could be using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with adaptable aircraft technologies that alternate between fixed- and rotary-wing flight. Engineers from BAE Systems show off their concept.
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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 communications systems.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| What is Electroforming? How does it actually work? | |
| Electroplating may have been around for centuries but only Servometer® excels at manufacturing dynamic, convoluted bellows electroforms. Watch Servometer's five-step electroforming manufacturing process and learn how they are able to deliver electroformed components that feature extreme tolerances, complex geometries, lightweight construction, structural strength, and how they can be applied to a variety of applications.
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