| July 16, 2024 | Volume 20 Issue 27 |
|
 | What is the C-Flex Pivot Bearing?
It's a flexure-based bearing utilizing internal flat crossed springs, capsuled in a cylindrical housing, to provide precise rotation with low hysteresis and no frictional losses. The C-Flex bearing will offer infinite life when used within its rated load and rotation values. Applications include Medical, Industrial, Aerospace, Semiconductor, and Optical.
Advantages include: Frictionless, Backlash-free, Self-centering, Simple installation, Low hysteresis, Vacuum applications, Stock items, No lubrication, No maintenance, and Infinite life.
Learn more from C-Flex, The Leader in Flexing Metal Technology.
View the C-Flex Pivot Bearing training page. |
| | Feature articles |
 | NASCAR teams with ABB to produce EV prototype
Motorsport purists may get their feathers ruffled when they hear that NASCAR has teamed up with electrification and automation expert ABB to produce an all-electric prototype racecar. Fear not, says NASCAR, the famed stock-car race is not going all-electric any time soon -- if ever.
Read the full article. |
|
 | 55 Years Ago: Apollo 11 launch and Moon landing - Part 1
An estimated 1 million people gathered on the beaches of central Florida on July 16, 1969, to witness first-hand the launch of Apollo 11, while more than 500 million people around the world watched the event live on television. Officially named as a crew just six months earlier, Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins were prepared to undertake the historic mission: Perform the first crewed lunar landing and return to Earth. By John Uri, NASA Johnson Space Center
Read the full article. |
 | New ultra-strong aluminum alloys created for 3D printing
Most commercially available, high-strength aluminum alloys cannot be used in 3D printing because they are susceptible to hot cracking, which creates defects that could lead to the deterioration of a part. Researchers at Purdue University say they've overcome this, developing ultra-high-strength aluminum alloys that also demonstrate high plastic deformability.
Read the full article. |
 | Jeep's last V-8 Wrangler gets second life
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition, the quickest and most powerful Wrangler yet and the last of its V-8 offerings, has had its limited production extended. Originally intended as a 2024-only model, this king-of-the mountain special ride is filled with unique equipment, extra capabilities, and a too-cool appearance package -- and now fans have a second chance to get one for themselves.
Read the full article. |
 | Top Product: Springs for high forces in tight spaces
Are you looking for heavy-duty springs but need help finding something with a shorter axial height? Try Nested Wave Springs! They're constructed from flat wire with multiple turns and coiled parallel to produce higher forces. This innovative build saves space in your assembly and can even replace stacks of single-turn wave springs!
Learn more. |
 | Test equipment advancing to meet rapidly changing market needs
Although the rise of the IoT, 5G, and advanced automotive electronics markets is instigating rapid changes in technology, test equipment is keeping pace, and not just in extensions to bandwidth specifications or signal resolution. Maureen Lipps, Multicomp Pro Private Label Product Segment Leader, Test and Tools, Newark Electronics, runs through important advances in the industry and its tools.
Read the full article. |
 | E-Z LOK threaded inserts for hardwood
E-Z LOK, a leading manufacturer and master distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic, and wood, offers E-Z Knife™ brass and stainless steel threaded inserts suited for use in hardwoods like oak, cherry, and maple. These inserts are ideal wherever assembly or disassembly could cause thread erosion or stripping. E-Z Knife threaded inserts use a proprietary external "knife" thread to slice into the wood and provide superior holding power. They are easily installed with a bolt/jam nut or optional drive tool.
Learn more. |
 | EXAIR and BETE announce strategic merger
EXAIR, a leader in engineered compressed air solutions and static elimination, and BETE, a renowned engineered spray nozzle and spraying systems manufacturer, are excited to announce a definitive merger agreement under which EXAIR has acquired BETE. This landmark combination promises to do what both companies have been doing for decades -- create something that has never existed before -- and to do it with an unprecedented market appeal.
See their offerings. |
 | Power steering systems for warehouse and autonomous vehicles
Allied Motion has introduced the electric power steering (EPS) series for steer-by-wire warehouse vehicles, autonomous AGVs, and similar material transport vehicles. This compact system includes a fully integrated motor, gearbox, controller, and optional output pinion. It is available in three frame sizes and 16 models to cover virtually any electric steering requirement in applications from small pallet lifters to AGVs/AGCs to multi-ton reach trucks. An optional, patent-pending feature, Turning Wheel Absolute Position Control, allows the controller to know the turning wheel position without external sensors.
Learn more. |
 | DURApulse GS30 AC Drives from AutomationDirect
AutomationDirect has added new high-performance DURApulse GS30 drives that support several control modes including sensorless vector control, closed-loop flux vector control, and torque control in a compact package. The GS30 series expands the DURApulse family by adding internal tension control loop expanded parameter sets for greater versatility, as well as optional EtherCAT and single- or dual-port EtherNet/IP communication cards. GS30 drives support up to four independent induction motor parameter sets or control of a single AC permanent magnet motor. Sizes up to 3 hp for a 230-VAC single-phase input, 50 hp for a 230-VAC three-phase input, and 100 hp for a 460-VAC three-phase input. This series offers PID control, built-in PLC functionality, and STO capability typically found with more expensive high-performance AC drives.
Learn more. |
 | LEGO JAWS set: Summer chomping fun
Nothing says summer fun quite like the new LEGO Ideas JAWS set, a 1,497-piece brick-built diorama commemorating the infamous 1975 blockbuster movie. The 2-ft-long display features characters Martin Brody, Matt Hooper, and Sam Quint as minifigures aboard the Orca boat, plus everyone's favorite shark, Bruce. You're gonna need a bigger desk.
Learn more. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | Soldiers among first to test NextGen Army weapons
Soldiers with the West Virginia and North Carolina Army National Guard are among those first to test what may become the Army's new standard-issue rifle and machine gun. In April 2022, the Army awarded a contract to manufacturer SIG SAUER for two new NextGen handheld weapons: the XM7 rifle and the XM250 automatic rifle. It's the first time in 65 years the Army will field a new weapon system of this nature.
Read the full article. |
 | New energy source powers subsea robots indefinitely
Based on technology created at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and licensed from the California Institute of Technology, Seatrec Inc. now offers the first energy source for subsea robots that is powered entirely by its environment, allowing devices to work in the open ocean indefinitely, without any intervention -- no batteries that need to be recharged or traditional fuels.
Read the full article. |
|
| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | How ball spline coatings enhance performance and extend component life
According to Thomson, "Precision ball splines have gained popularity as an ideal choice for applications that require low-friction linear and rotary motion. These components, which utilize a single splined shaft, enable complex movements in multiple directions." But how do you keep these ball splines performing at their peak for longer? Coatings can do the trick, and Thomson has three of them: black oxide, hard chrome plating, and nickel plating. Learn more about these coatings and which one makes the most sense for your precision ball spline solution.
View the video. |
|
|
