Click this link if you cannot read the issue below: Designfax - Tech for OEM Design Engineers
August 27, 2024Volume 20 Issue 32


Image - Need inserts? We make it E-Z.
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.

In this issue of Designfax

  • Kenworth SuperTruck 2: The big rig future
  • NASA designing more sustainable jet engine core
  • What's a non-electric loop heat pipe?
  • Ford Bronco Sport gets Sasquatch capability
  • Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more
  • Why air bearings are used to test satellites
  • New laser welder automates plastic part assembly
  • Slip clutch real-world applications
  • 8 key advantages of torque motors
  • Precision profile rolled steel products
  • Gear motors with QR codes for product info
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • What can make a robot dog even better?
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • ZR1: Fastest Corvette ever, now a twin turbo
    • New super-black material created from wood
    • How NASA's sky crane changed Mars exploration
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Sasquatch package

News

Electric vehicles depreciate faster than gas cars -- but the trend is changing

National lab's updated software improves slicing for large-format 3D printing

U.S. Navy perfecting quantum inertial navigation to use when GPS is unavailable

First noninvasive method to continually measure true blood pressure developed



Feature articles

Image - Kenworth SuperTruck 2: The big rig future
Kenworth SuperTruck 2: The big rig future
Kenworth's new SuperTruck 2 demonstrator vehicle, which was developed over a six-year period as part of a collaboration with the Department of Energy, has attained a 136% freight efficiency improvement using a diesel engine as the main power source. The ultra-modern truck has a bullet-train look featuring a center-driver layout and a whole lot more.
Read the full article.

Image - NASA and industry partners designing more sustainable jet engine core
NASA and industry partners designing more sustainable jet engine core
NASA, alongside industry partners including GE, is designing a new jet engine concept for the next generation of ultra-efficient airliners. The group is developing a small core for a hybrid-electric turbofan jet engine that could reduce fuel burn by 10% compared to today's engines.
Read the full article.

Image - What's a non-electric loop heat pipe?
What's a non-electric loop heat pipe?
A team of researchers in Japan has developed a loop heat pipe that can transport up to 10 kW of heat without the need for electricity. This heat transport capability is the largest in the world. Applications include factory waste heat recovery, solar heat utilization, electric vehicle heat management, and data center cooling.
Read the full article.

Image - Ford Bronco Sport gets Sasquatch capability and new tech
Ford Bronco Sport gets Sasquatch capability and new tech
Ford Bronco Sport, the little bro of the Bronco full-size SUV, is getting some more grown-up all-terrain capabilities, including an available high-performance Sasquatch off-road package for 181-hp 1.5L Bronco Sport Outer Banks and 250-hp 2.0L Badlands models. Sasquatch capability starts with an ultra-rugged twin-clutch rear-drive unit and locking rear differential included.
Read the full article.

Image - Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more
Great Resources: ABCs of gears and more
KHK USA takes you on a journey through the history and applications of gears in two information-packed, no-cost volumes called "The ABCs of Gears." Part A is aimed at beginners, while part B moves on to intermediate fare, such as types of gears and tooth forms, heat treatment, surface treatment, production methods, etc. "Intro to Gears" and a "Gear Technical Reference" also available.
Learn more.

Image - Why air bearings are used to test satellites
Why air bearings are used to test satellites
The number of active satellites in space keeps growing, with more than 10,000 active satellites orbiting our planet. Commercial and academic institutions developing these satellites continuously work on improved test systems and methodologies to fully validate their hardware before launch. Learn why PI's 3-DOF spherical air bearing systems are an important part of this process.
Read the full article.

Image - New laser welder automates assembly of small plastic parts
New laser welder automates assembly of small plastic parts
Emerson's new Branson GLX-1 Laser Welder offers users flexibility to meet the growing demand for joining small, complex, or delicate plastic components and assemblies. Its compact footprint and modular design make it compatible for use in ISO-8 cleanroom environments, while an integral automation controller simplifies installation and interfaces with production robotics. The precise, servo-based actuation controls allow for greater freedom to design and join components with three-dimensional contours in small-part applications for the medical, electronics, automotive, and appliance industries.
Learn more.

Image - Slip clutch real-world applications
Slip clutch real-world applications
When design engineers think about slip clutches, they first think of using them for overload protection. While this is certainly a valuable application, there are a surprising number of other applications that solve many engineering problems. See real-world applications of Polyclutch slip clutches, from conveyors and military robots to vending machines, printers, and more. There's a good Selection Guide here too.
Learn more.

Image - 8 key advantages of torque motors for advanced applications
8 key advantages of torque motors for advanced applications
Electric torque motors drive loads at low speed without additional mechanical transmission systems like gearboxes or speed reducers. They are known for smooth operation with less vibration and backlash. Learn the key benefits that make them a solid choice for many applications.
View this informative Parker blog.

Image - Precision profile rolled steel products
Precision profile rolled steel products
Need steel products with a special edge? NIPPON KINZOKU CO. of Japan offers its Fine Profile cold-rolled technology that produces metal pieces with irregularly shaped cross-sections of different thicknesses. By rolling the uneven pattern on the roll surface, it is possible to process various designs and functions such as unique designs, oil grooves, gloss prevention, identification grooves, etc. Final products can be delivered in a variety of forms such as record rolls, oscillate rolls, fixed-length products, and secondary processing. An interesting alternative to machining processes such as cutting and grinding.
Learn more.

Image - Gear motors with QR codes for product info
Gear motors with QR codes for product info
NORD DRIVESYSTEMS gear motors now come with a QR code sticker on the unit enabling users to access information almost instantly such as product specs, documentation, and service requests via mobile device. The codes can be scanned using a photo app or QR code app and will bring the user to NORD's digital service webpage, which includes a Documentation Center, Spare Parts Shop, customer portal, and more. QR code stickers are now in use at NORD USA's four facilities in Waunakee, WI; Corona, CA; Charlotte, NC; and McKinney, TX.
Learn more.

Most popular last issue

Image - 2025 Corvette ZR1: Fastest Corvette ever, now redesigned with a twin turbo
2025 Corvette ZR1: Fastest Corvette ever, now redesigned with a twin turbo
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has been redesigned to up the ante as America's dominant supercar, sporting a 5.5L twin-turbocharged V8 engine that puts out 1,064 hp. With its carbon fiber aero package, it looks just as cool standing still as it does racing down the highway, and the return of the split rear window is icing on the cake.
Read the full article.

Image - New super-black material created from wood
New super-black material created from wood
Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers at the University of British Columbia have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells, and precision optical devices.
Read the full article.

Image - How Curiosity's sky crane changed the way NASA explores Mars
How Curiosity's sky crane changed the way NASA explores Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover mission is celebrating a dozen years on the Red Planet, where the six-wheeled scientist continues to make big discoveries. Just landing successfully on Mars is a feat, but the Curiosity mission went several steps further on Aug. 5, 2012, touching down with a bold new technique: the sky crane maneuver featuring "7 minutes of terror."
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
What can make a robot dog even better?
Wheels, of course. Watch as the improved Go2-W dog-like droid from Unitree Robotics tackles different terrains thanks to the addition of wheels instead of standard robo paws. Who knew that wheels could make such a difference in climbing ability and overall agility?
View the video.

New products

Electrical/Electronics
View Products…
Mechanical
View Products…
Motion
View Products…


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