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How Universal Robots made CNC machine tending take flight Whippany Actuations Systems makes electro-mechanical actuation systems for the aerospace and defense industries. The company needed to increase production quickly, preferred to manufacture in-house, and looked for an alternative solution to sinking a large expenditure into a new CNC machine. Get started with cobots -- download our ebook: Ready for an on-site demo? Request one today:
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In this issue of Designfax |
News |
Cover Image: Nelson Publishing
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New scientific device creates electricity from snowfall and also can act as a weather station Breakthrough in new material to harness solar power could transform energy Gulfstream G650ER shatters speed record for farthest business jet flight in history |
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PEEK High-performance Engineering Thermoplastic for Industrial Applications Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is valued for its excellent performance in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, energy, and manufacturing industries. It has excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance across a broad temperature range, and exhibits extremely high resistance to steam sterilization, excellent radiation resistance, and low outgassing under vacuum. It is available as film, sheet, fiber, monofilament, powder, granule, tube, rod, mesh, and fasteners. For specifications and pricing, click here or email
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| Featured Articles |
| Cryogenic liquid hydrogen to fuel fully electric aircraft? NASA thinks so | |
Researchers at the University of Illinois are leading a newly funded project from NASA to develop a novel approach for all-electric aircraft.
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50 Years Ago: Apollo 10 aims to sort out the unknowns -- Part 1 As Commander Thomas P. Stafford stated during a preflight press conference in April 1969, Apollo 10 was planned to "sort out all the unknowns" to make the Moon landing possible. That press conference was held about a month before the critical mission, which was a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing mission -- a goal President John F. Kennedy set for the nation eight years earlier. [Countdown Series: 50th anniversary of Apollo 11]
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Alternative to Styrofoam is environmentally friendly -- and performs better Washington State University researchers have developed an environmentally friendly, plant-based material that, for the first time, works better than Styrofoam for insulation. The foam is mostly made from nanocrystals of cellulose, the most abundant plant material on earth.
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New Mercedes crossover concept gets sporty The crossover SUV market is so hot, that just about every major car manufacturer has one. Mercedes has a couple already in the coupe-like GLA and GLC, so making a GLB concept model that is a little more beefy fits right in. What differentiates this one is its sporty appearance, complete with designer touches. In 2018, SUVs were the strongest segment for Mercedes-Benz, so riding the trend gives Daimler a lot of design room to play.
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Mike Likes: Small diameter retaining rings and wave springs from Smalley From medical devices to electronics, the world around us is getting smaller. "How small can you go?" This is a question a Smalley engineer hears all the time ... but a better question is how small do you need? As The Engineer's Choice™ for Wave Springs and Spirolox® Retaining Rings, Smalley has the answer! Smalley's manufacturing capabilities now allow them to design and manufacture Wave Springs and Retaining Rings down to 0.165", 4 mm diameters!
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Designing with threaded metal inserts for plastics When deciding how best to attach plastic materials or components in an assembly, designers can choose several options, including adhesives or rivets. But what if disassembly and reassembly will be necessary for the unit down the road? The practical solution: threaded metal inserts. Bob Gallagher from PennEngineering runs through your insert fastening options, processes, materials, and sizes.
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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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Optimize mechanical misalignments, get hidden benefits C-Flex Couplings combine the best qualities of disc, beam, and bellows couplings in a unique and economical new design. Made to couple two rotating shafts together, these couplings can accommodate large misalignments while transmitting high-torque loads with zero backlash. Benefits include lower energy usage and less-frequent bearing failure, since less stress is placed upon bearings. Constructed using high-strength hardened stainless steel or glass impregnated polyamide flexures, these couplings require no maintenance and provide years of trouble-free life, even in contaminated environments. Flexible Pivot Bearings and Super Plastic Torsional Damping Couplings also available. Watch C-Flex Couplings in action handling misalignments.
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Learn the basics of overmolding Overmolding is a great injection molded feature you can utilize in your design to capture color contrasts, add flexibility, or eliminate assembly. Take advantage of this feature by learning how to design your part for overmolding. You will learn:
Get this informative guide from Xcentric Mold (no registration required).
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Why convert hydraulics to electric high-force linear actuators? Got a high-force linear motion application? If you do, chances are the first product solution to come to mind is hydraulic cylinders. They're relatively inexpensive (if you already have a hydraulic power unit in place), compact (if the HPU is somewhere else), and power-dense. But what about the disadvantages -- leaks, operation and maintenance costs, and more? It's possible to convert an application from hydraulic to electric linear motion easily, and Tolomatic even gives you step-by-step instructions. Read the Tolomatic blog. Really useful!
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Metal injection molding limits secondary operations Smith Metal Products specializes in metal injection molding (MIM) of soft metal alloys and an array of other metals for small electronic and electrical components. Ideal for the fast-changing needs of the telecom and electronic markets, MIM uses the latest tech built around an automated production process. Parts begin when metal powder is suspended in a binder or feed stock that is then injection molded into a tool. Then the part goes through a debinding and sintering process to form a full, dense metal part. The resulting parts are very precise, net-shaped, and can be produced faster than machining -- and usually with no secondary operations. Parts most suitable include those made from a full range of alloy materials, including soft metal, stainless steels, and Titanium.
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| Most Popular |
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One-armin' the '52 Fetzenflieger with Porsche factory racing engine There have been a lot of racing legends throughout the history of motor sport, but none can quite compare to Austrian driver (and mechanical engineer) Otto Mathé, who, despite having only one functional arm, not only drove to victory in each of the 20 races he entered in 1952, but also built his own cars exclusively featuring Porsche engines. In the mid-1950s, he became well known for building, driving, and winning in an unusual, sometimes fiery vehicle dubbed the "Fetzenflieger."
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Researchers build first laser radio transmitter Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) demonstrated a laser that can emit microwaves wirelessly, modulate them, and receive external radio frequency signals. The research opens the door to new types of hybrid electronic-photonic devices.
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Ford to develop EV based on Rivian's flexible skateboard platform Do you remember that super-cool Rivian all-electric pickup we featured in Designfax last December? Ford Motor Co. has made a $500 million equity investment in Rivian, and the two companies have agreed to work together to develop an all-new, next-generation battery electric vehicle for Ford's growing EV portfolio using Rivian's skateboard platform.
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| Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
| How you can automate high-precision assembly tasks with intelligent OnRobot tools | |
| With its ground-breaking sense of sight and touch, OnRobot's RG2-FT gripper is the first intelligent gripper on the market that can see and feel objects. The gripper's sophisticated built-in 6-axis F/T sensor allows for extremely accurate gripping and better production quality. Watch RG2-FT's built-in intelligence and sensing ability:
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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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