| October 08, 2013 | Volume 09 Issue 38 |
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 | New Full Line Catalog -- Full of New Fasteners
Micro Plastics introduces its new catalog #39. With 290 pages of nylon fastener items, 12 new product lines, and over 500 new items added. Contents include: standard and metric machine screws, cap screws, nuts, washers, spacers, insulators, grommets, bushings, rivets, hole plugs, clamps, printed circuit board accessories, suspended ceiling hooks, and wire routing kits. FREE samples are available upon request.
Click here for more information. |
 | World's first expanded TPU: As stretchy as rubber but also light and springy
BASF has created the world's first expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (E-TPU), which it is marketing under the name Infinergy. The first product making use of this entirely new, closed-cell particle foam went on the market recently in the "Energy Boost" running shoe from adidas, which the sportswear manufacturer has developed in close partnership with BASF. But this material can be used for a lot more than just running shoes.
Read the full article. |
 | Mike Likes:
World's first wireless 3D mouse
The new 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse Wireless provides precise 3D navigation in a sleek, wireless design. This new tool combines 3Dconnexion's 6-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) sensor with 2.4-GHz wireless technology to deliver the reliability of a wired device without the clutter of cords. Gently manipulate the SpaceMouse Wireless' controller cap to simultaneously pan, zoom, and rotate digital models or viewports. You should get about a month's use out of the unit's lithium-ion battery before recharging.
Click here to learn more. |
 | TI 20-W stereo speaker amplifiers reduce BOM cost for mid-power audio applications
Texas Instruments has introduced a new family of four digital-input, closed-loop I2S amplifiers for mid-power stereo audio applications including TVs, soundbars, portable docking stations, Bluetooth speakers, and aftermarket automotive audio products. The TAS5760xx devices feature high switching frequency, allowing designers to use smaller output filter components to reduce overall solution size and bill of materials (BOM) cost. They stream 20-W continuous power per channel without a heatsink and deliver the industry's best performance specifications, including THD+N of 0.03 percent at 1 W, crosstalk of -92 dB, and 66-uV idle channel noise.
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 | Fit every linear motion application with just the right part
Stock Drive Products now carries all former Techno, Inc. stock of Acme lead screws and nuts. The lead screw selection is vast, with many different diameters, lengths, and number of starts available, as well as left-hand threads for certain sizes. The nuts come in several different materials and styles, including anti-backlash, ensuring that every linear motion application can be fitted with just right part. All SDP Acme lead screws are made of high-quality 300 series stainless steel and offer excellent corrosion resistance. At the SDP eStore, look for Ball & Lead Screws->Lead Screws->Acme Lead Screws.
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 | Mini rotary actuator has highest torque and power output
New Scale Technologies has demonstrated a miniature rotary actuator module (M3-R) with torque of 0.17 Nm and speeds of more than 400 degrees per second in a compact, 60-mm-diameter by 8-mm-thick design. Resulting from the successful completion of a Phase 1 SBIR project for the U.S. Navy, the non-inductive rotary actuator module delivers higher power output in a smaller footprint than electromagnetic pancake motors or other piezoelectric actuators. Applications include guided munitions and missile systems, MRI-compatible medical devices, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) controls, gimbal systems, and computer equipment.
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 | MapleSim expands connectivity add-ons to enhance toolchain integration
Improvements to the MapleSim 6.2 interface give engineers the ability to create models faster than ever before. With new ways to connect components, enhanced line routing that combines improved automatic layout with finer manual control, and more easily managed parameter lists, high-frequency tasks are done more quickly and easily. New and improved add-ons include advanced hydraulics and enhanced toolchain connectivity. The connectors for Simulink, JMAG-RT, VI-CarRealTime, B&R Automation Studio, and FMI were all enhanced with this release.
Click here to learn more. |
| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Behind the scenes:
See how Hyundai uses Artec scanners for quality control
Artec scanners are used by Hyundai Motor Europe engineers to measure and compare prototype seats to meet comfort, ergonomic, shape, and contour quality. The Artec L scanner is used to create the "big-picture" 3D model of the car seat. The smaller, intricate details of a seat are scanned with the Artec MHT scanner. Then all the data is combined to make a complete, highly precise 3D model of the car seat that is ready for further refinement.
View the video. |
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Microfactory is 3D printer and CNC milling machine all in one
What's a Mebotics Microfactory? Well if you are the four guys who have dreamed up and built the device, it's a 3D printer and CNC milling machine all in one. Made "by makers for makers," the Microfactory is described as a networked, easy-to-operate, affordable, mess-free, quiet, and safe desktop machine capable of printing functional parts in four colors or multiple materials and computerized etching and computer-controlled milling. It's a Kickstarter project, and if it has any real legs, well, you be the judge.
View the video. |
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