| December 22, 2015 | Volume 11 Issue 48 |
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 | A new way to tie one on
The 4ZERO Cuff is the most advanced flexible polymer handcuff on the market and is used by select police and law enforcement agencies that demand the strongest and most durable product available. Now, the same material used to manufacture the 4ZERO Cuff is available from Micro Plastics, Inc. in the line of extremely durable 4ZERO Cable Ties designed to perform and hold their strength in extremely dry environments and in temperature extremes from -30 deg F to 400 deg F -- conditions that can leave normal nylon cable ties brittle and broken. Available sizes include: 8 in. (50 lb), 14 1/2 in. (50 lb), 11 in. (120 lb), and 22 in. (200 lb).
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| | Feature articles |
 | Titanium powder processing gaining international customer base
Titanium powder created with Ames Laboratory-developed gas-atomization technology has hit the market. Praxair Surface Technologies now offers fine, spherical titanium powder for additive manufacturing and metal injection molding of aerospace, medical, and industrial parts. This marks the first time large-scale amounts of titanium powder are available to industry with a potential for low-cost, high-volume manufacturing.
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 | Motors for model train meet demanding requirements
Building an N-gauge (1:160) model train system involves working with very small units. The 1930s-inspired BR 70 locomotive from Fleischmann is only 2.25 in. long when measured buffer to buffer. As on large locomotives, traction (and on the model, power transmission) between the wheel and the track is a crucial factor. To give the unit appropriately scaled big-train power with low vibration and noise, the folks at Fleischmann turned to customized DC motors from the FAULHABER Group.
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 | Could metal particles be the clean fuel of the future?
Can you imagine a future where your car is fueled by iron powder instead of gasoline? Metal powders, produced using clean primary energy sources, could provide a more viable long-term replacement for fossil fuels than other widely discussed alternatives, such as hydrogen, biofuels, or batteries, according to a study in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Applied Energy.
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 | Mike Likes: 2016 Cool Parts Calendar
Keep track of your schedule in 2016 with the Proto Labs Cool Parts Calendar that showcases a year's worth of cool medical devices, aerospace components, automotive parts, lighting elements, and more. Each month highlights what's possible with 3D printing/additive manufacturing, CNC machining, and injection molding at Proto Labs.
Click here to get your 2016 calendar. |
 | Engineer's Toolbox:
New insights into iron's thermodynamic properties
As you heat up a piece of iron, the arrangement of the iron atoms changes several times before the material starts melting. This unusual behavior is one reason why steel, in which iron plays a starring role, is so sturdy and ubiquitous in everything from teapots to skyscrapers. But the details of just how and why iron takes on so many different forms have remained a mystery.
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 | Cabling: Celebrating 25 years of igus Chainflex motion cables
igus revolutionized the design of cable for moving applications 25 years ago with the introduction of Chainflex, and has since been offering ever-increasing numbers of power, control, servo, robot, and data cables. Now, with more than 1,040 cable types available from stock, all extensively tested in the massive 29,600-sq-ft igus test lab, igus is able to provide reliable cable performance for up to 10 million cycles or a guaranteed 36 months.
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 | White Paper: Comparing open-loop and StepSERVO closed-loop stepper systems
Wondering what the next evolution in step motor technology is all about? In this white paper, you'll learn how StepSERVO closed-loop stepper systems from Applied Motion Products increase acceleration and efficiency and decrease position error, motor heating, and noise. This white paper provides detailed analysis of the two systems and shows why StepSERVO closed-loop stepper systems are the best choice for your next automation project.
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 | Software: Optimize your designs with tools from NASA
HyperSizer, from Collier Research, was the first software package used by NASA made available on the commercial market. Employed for both aircraft and space-launch vehicles fabricated with composite or metallic materials, the software automatically performs design, stress analysis, and sizing optimization, typically reducing the weight of structures by 20% to 40%. HyperSizer is also applicable in the wind-energy, high-speed rail, automotive, and shipbuilding industries. Bell Helicopter/Spirit AeroSystems recently used this software to prove out the structural integrity of the Bell V-280 tiltrotor fuselage.
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| | Most popular last issue |
 | Mike Likes: No-cost NASA ebooks
Why not give yourself a little treat this holiday season? You deserve it, especially if it's gratis. "Unlimited Horizons: Design and Development of the U-2" is one of NASA's latest ebooks. This one chronicles the six decades-long development of the U-2, which was born of a Cold War necessity to maintain the balance of power between East and West. It now serves equally well as a high-altitude tool for tracking extremists in the Afghan mountains and the migration of destructive spruce bark beetles in Alaskan forests. Check out NASA's other no-cost offerings, including a comprehensive history of the F-16XL experimental prototype, a look at 25 years of stunning Hubble Space Telescope images, and more.
Click here to learn more. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Streamline your electromechanical design with SolidWorks Electrical 3D
With SolidWorks Electrical 3D, you can quickly integrate your electrical system design with your 3D product model. Real-time bidirectional updates between 3D and 2D synchronize changes to keep everything coordinated in your model and schematic. See how you can: access and adjust electrical data from 3D or 2D; automatically route electrical cable, harness, and wiring; accurately calculate wire and cable lengths during design; and standardize designs and unify BOMs to prevent costly mistakes and delays.
View the video. |
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Disney researchers track almost everything you touch
Most everyday electrical and electromechanical objects emit small amounts of electromagnetic (EM) noise during regular operation. When a user makes physical contact with such an object, this EM signal propagates through the user, owing to the conductivity of the human body. By modifying a small, low-cost, software-defined radio, Disney researchers have created a way to detect and classify these signals in real time, enabling trackable object detection and user informatics and interactions. EM-Sense technology can discriminate between dozens of objects. Cool or creepy? You decide.
View the video. |
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