Click this link if you cannot read the issue below: Designfax - Tech for OEM Design Engineers
October 01, 2024Volume 20 Issue 37

Image - Space-saving springs that will elevate your design		Space-saving springs that will elevate your design
Are you struggling to find a spring to work for your application? Wave Springs fit where traditional coil springs cannot. With up to 50% axial space savings, Smalley's Wave Springs are engineered to save space in your product assembly. Want to try the Smalley Advantage for yourself?
Shop Wave Springs on our brand-new online store!

In this issue of Designfax

  • Inverse Wankel engine tested for Army 10-kW generator
  • New tiny lasers fill long-standing color gap
  • Researchers beat Tesla valve for one-way fluid flow
  • 2025 GMC Yukon: King of the hill
  • Bonding dissimilar surfaces: Why PSA tapes are better
  • 8 top ways to wreck your coupling-driven system
  • E-Z LOK threaded inserts for soft wood
  • Get a 24-piece bearings sample box from igus
  • Optical rotary encoders: Close the stepper motor linear actuator feedback loop
  • Linear voice coil servo motor with built-in shaft and bearing
  • Ergoswiss table lifting systems from AutomationDirect
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Advanced tips for CNC designs and drawings
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Clay milling machines automotive design
    • SOLIDWORKS Tips: Ways to focus on your model
    • Engineers harvest clean energy from thin air
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: 2025 GMC Yukon AT4 Ultimate

News

Researchers make an edible toothpaste-based transistor

New sustainable metal-recycling method created for e-waste

Blended wing body aircraft: Alaska Airlines invests in innovative plane design

Powered by light, molecular jackhammers drill pathway to killing cancer cells

Feature articles

Image - LiquidPiston inverse Wankel engine tested for U.S. Army 10-kW generator prototype		LiquidPiston inverse Wankel engine tested for U.S. Army 10-kW generator prototype
LiquidPiston has begun testing its 10-kW heavy-fueled generator prototype that uses the company's 25-hp heavy-fueled XTS-210 rotary engine -- the size of a basketball -- with an inverse Wankel design. The system is up to 75% lighter and smaller than the currently fielded Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources used by the U.S. Army.
Read the full article.

Image - New tiny lasers fill long-standing color gap, promise new applications		New tiny lasers fill long-standing color gap, promise new applications
Scientists have made small red and blue lasers for years, but other colors have been a challenge. Now, a team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology has filled an important technology gap by creating orange, yellow, and green lasers tiny enough to fit on a chip.
Read the full article.

Image - Researchers beat Tesla valve results for creating one-way fluid flow device with no moving parts		Researchers beat Tesla valve results for creating one-way fluid flow device with no moving parts
To make fluid flow in one direction down a pipe, it helps to have shark anatomy, according to researchers from the University of Washington. They have discovered a new way to help liquid flow in only one direction without flaps.
Read the full article.

Image - 2025 GMC Yukon: King of the hill		2025 GMC Yukon: King of the hill
GMC has revealed the 2025 Yukon, the brand's flagship nameplate, with major technology upgrades, a bold exterior, thoughtfully refreshed interior design, and the first-ever AT4 Ultimate trim. Underpinned by an available 6.2L V8 engine, the 2025 Yukon offers 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. It has some remarkable trailering tech too, and even thermal night vision.
Read the full article.

Image - Bonding dissimilar surfaces: Why PSA tapes are better than metal fasteners		Bonding dissimilar surfaces: Why PSA tapes are better than metal fasteners
Bonding dissimilar surfaces can be challenging for many reasons, including thermal expansion differences, galvanic corrosion, or the roughness and porosity of the surfaces. According to Engineered Materials, there are many reasons why pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes perform better than other joining methods such as liquid adhesives and metal fasteners.
Read the full article.

Image - 8 top ways to wreck your coupling-driven system		8 top ways to wreck your coupling-driven system
Engineers at Ruland Manufacturing Co. have compiled the eight best ways to consistently sabotage or damage your coupling-driven system -- and how to avoid these pitfalls in the future. Misunderstanding performance criteria such as misalignment, torque, or rpm can be all it takes to cause a critical and costly failure.
Read the full article.

Image - E-Z LOK threaded inserts for soft wood		E-Z LOK threaded inserts for soft wood
E-Z Fin™ brass threaded inserts from E-Z LOK provide robust metal threads in soft wood materials. Also known as Finserts, they distribute stress over a greater surface area, which allows for permanent fastening that reduces splitting and splintering and minimizes the possibility of thread erosion. Simply press the inserts into place, and the OD fins grip the wall of the hole and lock in place. Available in single, double, or triple fin designs. Can be applied to composition board, MDF, and pine.
Learn more
or contact Kyle Lindsly-Roach for free samples at 310.323.5613 x221.

Image - Get a 24-piece bearings sample box from igus		Get a 24-piece bearings sample box from igus
igus has a new and improved 24-piece iglide® sample box that engineers can request and receive gratis. All iglide components are self-lubricating, resistant to dirt and dust, and offer low rates of wear. The sample box contains bearings, gears, piston rings, and more, and includes many of the most widely used iglide materials. Nothing like having the materials in hand to really check them out.
Learn more.

Image - Optical rotary encoders: Close the stepper motor linear actuator feedback loop		Optical rotary encoders: Close the stepper motor linear actuator feedback loop
With the help of a motion controller and a stepper driver, all stepper motor linear actuators can be programmed to position a load to a precise location. However, standard configurations do not provide a feedback mechanism that tells the operator whether the move is completed or not. Adding an encoder can be an effective and simple solution to get real-time motion feedback about your application.
Read this informative Thomson article.

Image - Compact linear voice coil servo motor with built-in shaft and bearing		Compact linear voice coil servo motor with built-in shaft and bearing
The GVCM-032-025-02M Linear Voice Coil Servo Motor is the first of a new series of non-commutated, brushless linear servo motors from Moticont. This clean and quiet unit has a 12.7-mm stroke with built-in shaft and bearing, a continuous high-force-to-size ratio of 9.3 N (2.1 lb), and 29.3 N (6.6 lb) of peak force at a 10% duty cycle. Features include: high reliability, high speed, zero cogging, high acceleration/deceleration, and, when used in a servo loop, very high accuracy and repeatability. An ideal choice for: haptic feedback, medical devices, laser machining and drilling, work holding and clamping, scanners, optical focusing, testing, sorting, and assembly.
Learn more.

Image - Ergoswiss table lifting systems from AutomationDirect		Ergoswiss table lifting systems from AutomationDirect
AutomationDirect has added the new SQ series table lifting systems from Ergoswiss. These lifting systems use electrically driven columns that allow the operator to reposition the height of a worktable, conveyor, etc. to meet specific requirements. In doing so, the operator can perform their tasks in a more comfortable working posture, helping to reduce work-related injuries. These systems are all electric (no hydraulic mess or manual hand cranks), and each lifting column features a housed motor and screw drive to perform the needed height adjustments.
Learn more.
Most popular last issue

Image - Sculpting the future: Clay milling machines for automotive design		Sculpting the future: Clay milling machines for automotive design
Invention and innovation are the lifeblood of family-owned and family-run TARUS, the only U.S.-based manufacturer of clay milling machines for vehicle design. In 1984, the Sterling Heights, MI-based company completely changed the automotive industry when it introduced the world to its invention, the Claymill™. Now they've upped the CNC milling machine's performance and its digital transformation with SINUMERIK ONE machine control from Siemens.
Read the full article.

Image - SOLIDWORKS Tips: 3 easy ways to focus on your model		SOLIDWORKS Tips: 3 easy ways to focus on your model
SOLIDWORKS Elite Applications Engineer Alin Vargatu demonstrates his top tips for focusing on your model: finding planes the easy way inside your assembly with the Q key, breadcrumbs, and a better way to use the component preview window. Very helpful. Lots more tips on the SOLIDWORKS YouTube channel.
View the video.

Image - Engineers harvest clean energy from thin air		Engineers harvest clean energy from thin air
Engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have shown that nearly any material can be turned into a device that continuously harvests electricity from humidity in the air -- as long as it has one certain property.
Read the full article.
Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Advanced tips for CNC designs and drawings: On-demand webinar
Greg Paulsen and Steve Zimmerman from Xometry present a comprehensive understanding of CNC design principles, what features are considered common, and what can drive costs. The experts also go through guidance to make great technical drawings to communicate design intent to manufacturers. Lots of good info here. Flip through now and take it all in later when you have the time.
View the video. No registration required.
New products

Electrical/Electronics
View Products…		Mechanical
View Products…		Motion
View Products…
Subscribe to DesignFax
For advertising opportunities contact:

John Holmes
jholmes@nelsonpub.com

Dan Beck
danbeck58@gmail.com
 (518) 852-9624

Questions or comments about the eMagazine or articles? Contact us at: Designfax

www.designfax.net
PO Box 424, Alto, MI 49302

webteam@designfax.net
Privacy Statement