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Universal Robots reduce changeover times 50% Continental has pioneered the move towards industry 4.0 as the company acquired several collaborative UR robots to automate the manufacture and handling of PCB boards for instrument panels. Learn and watch how the robots brought down changeover times by 50%, from 40 to 20 minutes when compared to performing the task manually. Find out more about this super-productive automotive application. Get started with cobots, download the ebook.
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In this issue of Designfax |
News |
Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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Researchers upend conventional wisdom on thermal conductivity and crystals New way to make wet suits better: 'Artificial blubber' protects divers in frigid water With the help of 3D printing, crash-test dummies get older -- and better |
| Featured Articles |
| Innovations in the world of bearings | |
For design engineers, specifying the right bearing for the right application can elevate anticipated equipment performance to higher levels -- and avoid (sometimes crippling) performance issues. Brian Dahmer from SKF USA runs through important innovations, including specialty protective coatings, materials advances, 'intelligence' capabilities, and unconventional lubrication.
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Alloys: Nickels could get cheaper to produce thanks to new materials design modeling Sometimes making a U.S. five-cent coin costs as much as seven cents a pop. Working in conjunction with the U.S. Mint, a research team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has identified an alternative approach that would reduce the cost of materials for the nickel by as much as 40 percent.
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Carbon fiber artificial muscles can lift 12,600x their own weight Some researchers working on artificial muscles are seeing results even the fittest individuals would envy, designing muscles capable of lifting up to 12,600 times their own weight. The new muscles are made from carbon fiber-reinforced siloxane rubber and have a coiled geometry.
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Wheels: Future combat vehicles get super flexible -- Wow! Round "tires" that transform into triangular tracks, extreme travel suspensions, and virtual windows -- these are just some of the impressive new military-vehicle innovations in the works from DARPA. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is aiming to improve the mobility, survivability, safety, and effectiveness of future combat vehicles without piling on armor.
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Mike Likes: Stainless steel retaining rings from stock Smalley has over 5,000 Spirolox® Retaining Rings in 302 and 316 stainless steel from stock. Specials can be manufactured with their No-Tooling-Costs™. Smalley's manufacturing process allows for the economical production of stainless steel retaining rings. Spiral-type retaining rings are interchangeable with standard snap ring grooves and have No Ears To Interfere® with the assembly. Samples are available of stock parts at no charge to test in your application. Learn more. (Samples available on top right tab on site.)
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Toolbox: Airbus execs talk about finding the right metals and composites After nearly a century of dominance as the material of choice for aircraft, metals are seeing increased competition from composite materials in use on such aircraft as Airbus' widebody A350 XWB jetliner. Are the days of metal aircraft numbered? Two experts from Airbus' Material Procurement division explain that it's more complicated than that.
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Precision dispensing for micro-electronics The spread of miniaturization in automation has led to an ever-increasing demand for optimum dispensing of the tiniest volumes. Whether in electronics or micro-mechanical engineering, solder pastes, adhesives, lubricants, and 3D-printing filament must be applied or extruded precisely where needed, in exactly the right dosage and without spillage or dripping. Compact, high-torque DC motors deliver the precision and small size needed for such a challenge.
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Advancements in reed switch-based technology Madison Company has developed an advancement in proven reed switch-based technology that provides ultra-high resolution, very tight tolerances, and consistent repeatable measurements in liquid level sensor designs. Sensors can be also designed to withstand extreme shock or vibration as well as corrosive conditions and temperature variations. Applications include: power generators, commercial compressors, power transmission equipment, chemical processing, and hydraulic systems.
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Linear actuators for medical applications SKF Ecomag linear actuators from SKF Motion Technologies enable safe and precise power-driven movement and positioning of procedure tables and chairs in medical settings. Standard Ecomag actuators can be supplied in four versions: push models ECO 2/4 and ECO 6/8, and push/pull models ECO 3/5 and ECO 7/9. Depending on the model, the actuators can deliver push-load force up to 6,000 N or 1,348 lb and pull-load force up to 4,000 N or 899 lb, stroke ranges up to 300 mm or 12 in., and fast positioning speeds up to 13 mm/s or 0.5 in./s. All versions integrate built-in limit switches. As an option, encoder signals can be specified for added positioning functionality.
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Odorless thermal insulation material for automotive Interface Performance Materials introduces TI650 and TI1K innovative thermal insulation materials for automotive and heavy-duty vehicle heat shield applications. TI650 and TI1K are the first odorless and smokeless materials specifically formulated for three-layer heat shields in the automotive, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle applications. These non-toxic materials withstand temps up to 1,000 C (1,832 F), are malleable, and are resistant to cracking when molded into a layered heat shield. Their low-density makeup makes them the ideal substrates for lightweight initiatives by OEMs and fabricators. A highly inorganic material, TI1K is also unique in its ability to meet the ASTM E136 flammability test standard with no detectable smoke.
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Instant quoting for on-demand manufacturing Xometry, a popular on-demand manufacturing platform, has released a new version of its Xometry Instant Quoting Engine. Key features include a redesigned summary view to help users quickly review their quotes, a part-level modification page that captures all changes in real time, and an always-visible 3D viewer with instant design feedback displayed directly on the model. Xometry provides instant quotes on CNC Machining, Sheet Metal Fabrication, 3D Printing, and Urethane Casting. Check it out on the Xometry website.
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| Most Popular |
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Most Popular Stories/Products 1st Half 2017: Part 2 Chevy Silverado engine, Marines sniper rifle, Nissan 370Z snowmobile, Jaguar electrified E-type classic, how a NASA engineer created the modern airplane wing, choosing a stepper or servo motor, specialized coatings for mechanical parts, link between superconductivity and the periodic table, and much more.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| Introducing the smallest wave springs on the market | |
Smalley is involved in the development of medical technology and applications unique to the medical industry, and we are now ISO 13845 certified. We deliver high-quality alloys that are used for implants and medical instruments. Alloys including 316 Stainless Steel, Elgiloy, Inconel, and Titanium are readily available for fast production. With customs that can be designed with No-Tooling-Charges™ in sizes from .157" and 4 mm.
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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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