Turning off explosions
When the Missile Defense Agency funded Digital Solid State Propulsion to develop alternative rocket propellants, DSSP came up with the first energetic material that can be turned on and off electrically, giving the user the ability to “turn off” an explosion.
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Embedded CFD helps reduce thermal prototypes from 12 to 1
Azonix, a division of Crane Co. and a leading provider of highly engineered computers and displays designed for extremely harsh environments, used FloEFD software from the Mentor Graphics Corporation Mechanical Analysis Division (formerly Flomerics) to reduce the number of thermal prototypes required from up to 12 to 1 on its new Terra embedded computer.
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Smart turbine blades set to improve wind power
Researchers have developed a technique that uses sensors and computational software to constantly monitor forces exerted on wind turbine blades, a step toward improving efficiency by adjusting for rapidly changing wind conditions. Such sensors could be instrumental in future turbine blades that have "control surfaces" and simple flaps like those on an airplane's wings to change their aerodynamic characteristics.
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Wheels: Maintenance-free for life
Thrust washers made of DuPont Vespel polyimide provide axial support to metal transmission components running at different speeds and help compensate for their relative rotary movements. If lubricated properly, they show almost no abrasion — a benefit that led Magna Powertrain to use them in the production of maintenance-free transfer cases for 4-wheel-drive, premium SUVs from Landrover and Daimler.
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5-Star Product: Flame-sprayed high-performance PEEK is a first
Victrex, a leading manufacturer of high-performance materials, has developed a new, cost-effective flame spray process for applying its VICOTE Coatings to various metal and ceramic substrates.
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Engineer's Toolbox: Popular MT2A aero/auto test string pot improved
One of the world's most popular string pots used by test and instrumentation engineers now offers new features designed for extreme shock and temperatures. The MT2A from Celesco Transducer Products is designed specifically to meet the high-accuracy, high-cycle, and high-acceleration demands of aerospace and automotive testing.
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Can Parker revolutionize cooling for high-power devices?
You can ditch the standard liquid cold plate. Parker Hannifin is changing the whole game in liquid cooling technology with a new two-phase system that exploits the heat of vaporization, allowing platforms to have twice the power density in half the space.
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