| November 12, 2013 | Volume 09 Issue 42 |
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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.
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| | Feature articles |
 | Simulating the rocket science of spacecraft liftoff
Throughout the 30 years of Space Shuttle flight, no mission ever failed because of the Space Shuttle Main Engines (known as the SSMEs). After years of doing it right, NASA retired the Space Shuttle program in 2011 with the final flight of Atlantis. But the SSMEs, designed from the start to be reusable, now have a new life as part of NASA's ongoing Space Launch System (SLS) program to develop the heavy lifter rocket.
Read the full article. |
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 | Printed origami-shaped antenna tech unfolds at Georgia Tech
A Georgia Tech-led research team has been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a unique approach to making extremely compact and highly efficient antennas and electronics. The new technology will use principles derived from origami paper-folding techniques to create complex structures that can reconfigure themselves by unfolding, moving, and even twisting in response to incoming electromagnetic signals.
Read the full article. |
 | Mike Likes:
'Smart' bearings see danger coming -- and communicate condition monitoring continuously
New SKF Insight technology enables SKF bearings to communicate their operating conditions continuously, monitoring the conditions that can cause bearing damage from the first microscopic effect as it happens. With all the intelligence integrated inside the bearing, including self-power, sensors, cables, and data acquisition electronics, the SKF Insight provides greater control over the lifecycle of machinery, leading to lower total costs while increasing reliability and machinery uptime. In addition, by monitoring the load directly on the bearing, SKF Insight technology can measure the load actually experienced by the bearing to determine the direct effect of any changes in operating conditions, which could potentially have an adverse effect on the bearing.
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 | Product Spotlight:
Plastic hinges with five mounting options
J.W. Winco now offers EN 237.1 plastic hinges in metric sizes. These RoHS-compliant, low-profile plastic hinges are offered with five different mounting options: 2 x 2 bores for countersunk screws, 2 x 2 bores for socket head cap screws, 2 x 2 threaded bolts, 2x bore for countersunk screws / 2x threaded bolts, and 2x bore for socket head cap screws / 2x threaded bolts. The hinge body is made of matte black, glass fiber-reinforced plastic (Polyamide PA). Hinge pin is stainless steel. Threaded studs are made of nickel-plated steel. Various metric and inch size fasteners and kit packaging are available upon request.
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 | Product Spotlight:
Magnetic drive gear pumps feature brushless DC motor with integrated driver circuit
FG Series Magnetic Drive Gear Pumps from Clark Solutions incorporate a 24-V brushless DC drive motor in a rotor-less configuration and high-precision magnetic drive to provide precise transfer of aggressive fluids. FG gear pumps feature AISI 316L or PPS pump housings, PEEK/PTFE gears and bushings, and provide flow rates to 205 LPH and static pressure to 290 PSI. Output motor speed is 300-5,000 RPM. The extreme accuracy and pulsation-free flow of FG of these units make them ideally suited for medical devices, scientific and laboratory systems, as well as food processing, water purification, lubrication, cooling and other system applications. FG Series gear pumps have exceptional service lives compared to traditional pump motor assemblies.
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 | Product Spotlight:
Host your entire product catalog online
CADENAS PARTsolutions provides centralized 3D standard parts catalogs, making it easy for global design teams to find, reuse, and control standard and proprietary parts. For component manufacturers, CADENAS PARTsolutions provides 3D product catalogs with CAD download technology to increase sales lead generation and to ensure that components get "designed in" to OEM products. Eaton's B-Line business recently expanded its popular CoSPEC online computer-aided drafting (CAD) catalog and product configurator powered by PARTsolutions. The updated CoSPEC platform now provides on-demand content in Aveva Plant Design Management Software (PDMS), as well as AutoDesk Revit Building Information Modeling (BIM), for all of the B-Line division's cable tray products. Overall, the program's high-quality product data is available online in nearly 100 different CAD, BIM, PDMS and graphic formats and can be accessed and downloaded at the user's convenience. All content is available in both 2D and 3D non-proprietary formats.
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Fastest SCARA robot in action
The high-speed Adept Cobra SCARA robot is the fastest SCARA robot, reaching cycle rates unmatched by other table-top robots. In this video, the high-speed Adept Cobra SCARA robot is playing a game of Chinese Checkers, moving the steel balls at a rate of up to four balls a second. It is quite a showoff.
View the video. |
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NASA aims to do 3D printing in space in 2014
Just like on Earth, parts on the International Space Station break or get lost. But if the astronauts don't have multiple spares, their only option is to wait for replacements to be sent. But the ability to conduct 3D printing in space could change all of that. This video shows a cable tie being printed as an example. NASA says their 3D-printing tech for space is scheduled to launch in June 2014.
View the video. |
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