| July 23, 2024 | Volume 20 Issue 28 |
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 | Need inserts? We make it E-Z.
Founded in 1956, E-Z LOK allows users to repair damaged or worn-out threads without the need for special taps or installation tools. Our line of threaded locking inserts is used in metal, plastic, wood, composite and additive industries. Extensive inventories are maintained in four warehouses across the US, and all products are sold through industrial distributors. One source for all your needs!
Learn more
or contact Kyle Lindsly-Roach for free samples at 310.323.5613 x221. |
 | 55 Years Ago: Apollo 11 Moon landing - Part 2
MEN LAND ON THE MOON!! Words such as these were emblazoned in dozens of languages on the front page of newspapers around the world, echoing the first part of President John F. Kennedy's bold challenge to the nation, made more than eight years earlier: to land a man on the Moon. That part was successfully accomplished on July 20, 1969. A Moon expedition and the safe return of three astronauts to Earth were now the main objectives. By John Uri, NASA Johnson Space Center
Read the full article. |
 | Will it fade? Important 3D-printing materials tests
Greg Paulsen, Xometry's Director of Applications Engineering, has undertaken a comprehensive test program for 3D-printed plastics to find out the extent of fading when exposed to intense UV light over time. Samples include pieces manufactured using seven different additive processes -- including FDM, SLS, SLA, and PolyJet. Materials include polycarbonate, ULTEM 9085 and 1010, ASA, PLA, ABS-M30, Nylon 12, PolyJet multi-material and VeroClear, and more. Find out which plastics are the most UV resistant. You may be surprised by the results.
View the video. |
 | Application Note: Quadcopter propeller torque/thrust testing
The quadcopter's four propellers are designed to work in conjunction with each other to ensure there are no torque imbalances that could send the vehicle spinning out of control. But just how would a professional developer or hobbyist perform accurate propeller torque and thrust testing? Advanced sensor expert FUTEK has the answer.
Read the full article. |
 | Dowel pins, drill bushings, and knurled screws with hex
The JW Winco product range now includes dowel pins, drill bushings in numerous dimensions, and knurled screws with and without internal hex. Dowel pins DIN 7979 with internal thread are used primarily in connection with blind bores, where they cannot drive out from the opposite side. Drill bushings DIN 172 or 179, also known as guide bushings, are indispensable parts used wherever bore holes require wear-proof linings. Knurled screws GN 464.1 with internal hex are made of zinc-plated heat-treatable steel and expand the range of applications for these versatile fasteners.
Learn more. |
 | Tech Tip: Have you considered a frameless motor?
With no housing, bearings, or other components beyond the stator and rotor, a frameless motor delivers the most compact, torque-dense motion possible. Instead of its own housing, the motor can be embedded directly within the mechanical design of the machine. Instead of its own bearings, it can use the machine's existing shaft and bearings. Learn from Kollmorgen why a frameless servo motor can be an ideal choice for compact, higher-level assemblies and how to integrate one into your design.
Read this informative Kollmorgen blog. |
 | New enclosure heat exchanger options
AutomationDirect has added new Saginaw Enviro-Therm® air-to-air heat exchangers that use an enclosure's ambient air and either heat pipes or aluminum plate to transfer heat from inside the enclosure to the external environment. Since the ambient air is the cooling medium, the need for refrigerant is eliminated. Features include corrosion-resistant internal components, a filterless design for maximum cooling and reduced clogging, simple installation, and a programmable digital controller.
Learn more. |
 | World's smallest-width floating connector simplifies automotive installation
Hirose has developed a space-saving, board-to-board connector that combines floating functionality and miniature size to meet automotive specifications. The BM54 Series boasts the world's smallest-width class for its category, a 0.4-mm pitch, and a stacking height of 3.0 to 4.5 mm. This connector is ideal for PCBs with multiple connector sets and offers a wide floating range of +/- 0.4 mm in the XY direction. By absorbing board misalignment errors, floating simplifies assembly and improves assembly work efficiency. Applications include cameras, displays, millimeter wave radar, and LiDAR systems.
Learn more. |
 | Good reads: AI uses 10x energy of typical Google query
Boston University Professor Ayse Coskun has published an article in The Conversation highlighting the energy strain that artificial intelligence (AI) has placed on the power grid. The article emphasizes the magnitude of data center growth that has occurred in the advent of this era of large language models. In Virginia, for example, where Data Center Alley is located, data centers consumer 25% of the state's electricity.
Read the full article. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | 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. 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. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | World first for AI in aerospace: F-16 dogfight training
DARPA's Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program has achieved the first-ever in-air tests of AI algorithms autonomously flying an F-16 against a human-piloted F-16 in within-visual-range combat scenarios (sometimes referred to as dogfighting). In this video, team members discuss what makes the ACE program unlike other aerospace autonomy projects and how it represents a transformational moment in aerospace history, establishing a foundation for ethical, trusted, human-machine teaming for complex military and civilian applications.
View the video. |
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