| January 12, 2021 | Volume 17 Issue 02 |
| | Feature articles | Wow. Researchers claim new material can't be cut
Engineers in England at Durham University and their research partners have created what they say is the first manufactured "non-cuttable" material. Their unlikely design inspirations? Grapefruit and abalone shell. In tests, the metallic foam material could not be cut by angle grinders, drills, or high-pressure water jets.
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 | Aero History: WWII Superfortress bomber engine struggles
In July 1944, a B-29 Superfortress aircraft conducted a series of flight tests at the NACA Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland, OH. The tests were part of a national effort to get the new bomber into combat as the Allies sought to turn the tide in the Pacific theater of World War II.
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 | All-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX: King of the mountain
Watch out Ford F-150 Raptor. There's a new big, bad, and brawny top truck in town. The all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is the fastest and most powerful mass-produced truck in the world. It features a 702-hp 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8, a 0- to 60-mph time of 4.5 sec, an armored body, and tons of new tech that makes it not only king of the mountain but a comfy and capable all-round workhorse too.
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 | Chevy converts 1977 K5 Blazer to electric
To demonstrate the possibilities of bringing electric vehicle (EV) technology to aftermarket cars, Chevrolet Performance has used its eCrate conversion package to give a 1977 K5 Blazer a fully electric propulsion makeover. With an increase to 200 hp, the classic two-door SUV retains as much of the stock Blazer as possible, with about 90 percent of the new parts installed being factory components from the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
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 | Tricked out: Ford shows off Bronco Adventure Concepts
When the reborn Ford Bronco made its debut last July, it left fans both excited and faced with a mountain of choices. Should you get two doors or four, and which special Bronco series -- like Big Bend, Wildtrak, or Badlands -- should you choose? Base setup or advanced 4x4? Seven-speed manual or 10-speed automatic? Now Ford has thrown five pulled-together aftermarket adventure packages into the mix, so you can take your customization options to the max.
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 | 9 unseen Porsche concept cars
Not every car design makes it to production, but there are some exciting ideas along the way. In that spirit, Porsche has released design studies of some of its coolest concepts that did not make the cut from 2005 to 2019. "It is not about bringing every car onto the road," said Michael Mauer, Vice President Style at Porsche. "It is more a question of establishing creative space and a relationship with the future."
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 | Top Product: Allite Super Magnesium
Weighing 33% less than aluminum and stiffer and stronger pound for pound, the Allite Super Magnesium alloy has shown its mettle in classified defense and aerospace applications. Now it's available for wider use. This material is less expensive than carbon fiber and has the lowest carbon footprint of any structural material throughout the value chain. Industry applications include home improvement, sporting goods, aerospace, automotive, biking, and beyond. Three alloy variants are available to suit welding, forming/forging, or casting. These alloys feature excellent shock-absorption properties, good electromagnetic shielding performance, good heat dissipation, and recyclability. Allite is based in Dayton, OH.
Learn more. |
 | Top Application Note: Why harvesters need angle sensors
The SFM Samurai is a self-propelled apple harvester that can collect a whopping 100 tons of apples each day. The machine is designed for optimal navigation through the narrowest of orchard rows thanks to its SFM-developed four-wheel steering system that relies on Novotechnik RFC4800 series angle sensors to monitor each axle position.
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 | Top Education: Become a robot programmer in only 87 minutes!
Learning how to set up and program a collaborative robot -- or cobot -- no longer depends on real-life access to a robot or a training class. Now everybody with a desire to learn the concepts of cobots can log in to the Universal Robots Academy and get the introduction necessary to master basic programming skills. Become a master of the cobots! (That's a pretty sweet title.)
Click here to learn more. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | New U.S. Army Infantry Squad Vehicle based on Chevy Colorado ZR2 truck
GM Defense, a subsidiary of General Motors, has been awarded the production contract to build, field, and sustain the Army's new Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). The agile and light all-terrain troop carrier is based on the award-winning 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize truck architecture. GM says the new vehicle design leverages 90% commercial off-the-shelf parts.
Read the full article. |
 | New PLC handbook chock full of must-know information
AutomationDirect's Practical Guide to Programmable Logic Controllers Handbook has been improved with tons of new need-to-know info, making it a more comprehensive guide to the world of PLCs. Besides covering the basics of PLC history, PLC hardware, and PLC software, this guide takes you deeper into the ever-changing world of PLC communication, the importance of feedback loops, cyber security, and many other areas that are a must-know for any PLC novice or seasoned automation professional.
Get this great resource today. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | See SpaceX rocket explode -- on purpose
SpaceX conducted an exciting test Jan. 19, 2020, of the Crew Dragon spacecraft's emergency abort system. The spacecraft was preparing to take astronauts to the International Space Station later in the year. Launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A, the unmanned Crew Dragon capsule rose through the atmosphere for 84 sec before the abort was triggered, the rocket engines were shut down, and the Falcon 9 booster was deliberately exploded. The Crew Dragon capsule has eight SuperDraco engines embedded in its hull that activate to push the vehicle away from the rocket if there is an in-flight emergency. It all worked as planned, and the capsule successfully descended to a parachute-assisted splashdown about 9 min. after liftoff some 32 km off the Florida coast. If you just want to zoom to the explosion, fast forward to the launch about 18 minutes in.
View the video. |
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Ice Blast cleans and deburs parts
When you mix an IceStorm machine from Coulson Ice Blast with a KUKA articulated robot, you get a neat and efficient system that carries out cleaning, deburring, and deflashing of metal parts automatically -- using real ice (the same type of ice cubes you can put in your drink). The combination of pressurized air and wet ice in the blast stream allows for a non-toxic and non-abrasive process. There is a dry ice option too. Many more applications.
View the video.
Learn all the things this system can do. |
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New Boeing Advanced Trainer jet does first roll
This past July, Boeing's new T-7A Red Hawk Advanced Trainer jet aircraft, which was developed for the U.S. Air Force, was really put through its paces -- including a roll to an inverted position and a push to -1 g. Watch as Boeing Test & Evaluation pilots Matt Giese and William Berryman put the jet through a rugged series of maneuvers to test its fuel system at all angles. The T-7A Red Hawk aircraft and trainers will replace the Air Force's aging T-38 training fleet.
View the video. |
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