| July 05, 2016 | Volume 12 Issue 25 |
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 | What are the Six Key Design Factors Critical to the Semiconductor Market?
Purity and reliability are paramount within the semiconductor and industries. While few product suppliers can meet the stringent requirements of this rapidly changing environment, Servometer® and its sister company BellowsTech, LLC have developed superior engineered electrodeposited and edge welded metal bellows to meet the demanding performance specifications for these applications. This paper describes in-depth, the six key bellows design factors critical to the semi and UHV market.
View the white paper. |
 | New Planetary Gearhead Achieves Record Levels
MICROMO launches the new FAULHABER 20/1R planetary gearhead, offering the most powerful transmission technology in its class. A 20-mm diameter allows the stainless steel gearhead to achieve continuous torque of 800 mNm, and up to 1,100 mNm in intermittent use. The input speed reaches 12,000 rpm. The 20/1R gearhead can be combined with small brush DC, brushless DC motors, and stepper motors with a diameter of 17 to 22 mm.
Click here to learn more. |
| | Feature articles | Can incandescent bulbs make a comeback?
 Incandescent bulbs have always suffered from one major problem: More than 95 percent of the energy that goes into them is wasted, most of it as heat. That's why country after country has banned or is phasing out the inefficient technology. Now, researchers at MIT and Purdue University may have found a way to change all that.
Read the full article. |
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 | Army experiments with providing 'unlimited magazine' to 2025 Soldiers
A swarm of experts from across the nation assembled for a two-week experiment recently at Fort Sill in Oklahoma trying out systems with the potential to provide service members with unlimited weapons capabilities. The event, called Maneuver Fires Integrated Experiment, demonstrated two types of weaponry: one using lasers and the other using electricity-propelled projectiles to acquire and destroy targets.
Read the full article. |
 | Supersize wind blades are 650 ft long
A new design for gigantic blades almost two football fields long could help bring offshore 50-megawatt (MW) wind turbines to the United States and the world. Sandia National Laboratories' research on the extreme-scale Segmented Ultralight Morphing Rotor (SUMR) aims to design a low-cost offshore 50-MW turbine requiring a rotor blade more than 650 ft (200 m) long, two and a half times longer than any existing wind blade.
Read the full article. |
 | Honing gives drag racers the winning finish
Winning finish has a double meaning for Elite Performance, where the honing expertise of co-owner Nick Ferri has put the "winning finish" into engines behind 57 national NHRA Pro Stock wins and five championships, including back-to-back titles for 2015 Pro Stock Champion Erica Enders-Stevens. Ferri says honing finish rates a "10" in importance for engine seal-up, which translates into higher vacuum, greater fuel pull, and ultimate track performance.
Read the full article. |
 | Cool Tools: High-res 3D scanner for reverse engineering
FARO Technologies has launched the FARO Design ScanArm, a portable 3D-scanning workhorse tailored for 3D modeling, reverse engineering, and CAD-based design applications across the PLM process. As a limited-time promotional offer, the Design ScanArm will be bundled with 3D Systems' Geomagic software at a significantly reduced price. This easy-to-use scanner features optically superior blue laser technology with fast scanning speed. It is ideal for any organization that needs to manufacture parts without existing CAD models, develop aftermarket products that need to fit tightly with existing products, reverse engineer legacy parts, and much more.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Top Mike Likes: ABCs of gears and more
KHK USA takes you on a journey through the history and applications of gears in two information-packed free 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. Another mid-level text called "Introduction to Gears" and an in-depth "Gear Technical Reference" are also available, chock full of materials information and calculation examples and tables. Best of all, there is no registration for any of these valuable no-cost PDF resources.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Toolbox: Chairless exoskeleton solves long-standing problem
The Chairless Chair is a new solution for relieving strain and fatigue from excessive standing during long work shifts. The entire construct is lightweight, easy to put on, and hardly noticeable when walking. By operating a switch on the strap, the flexible construct turns into a stable seat. Two small DC motors activate a stop valve in the hydraulic elements of the shock absorbers, locking the support into the seated position.
Read the full article. |
 | Top Product: This nanocoating waterproofs electronics
Ever wonder how top name brands like Sony, Nokia, Agfa, and Skullcandy can crank out more and more products with better and better waterproofing characteristics? They turn to a Belgian company called Europlasma and its time-tested Nanofics line of plasma coating solutions. The company's Nanofics 120 family of coatings can be applied at the component level, PCB, or even the whole device, and is typically used to reach water ingress protection levels up to IPX4 (splash of water for 5 min.), and salt mist corrosion protection for at least 48 hours. A new ultra-thin version allows electronics to survive full water submersion while powered on, reaching IPX7 (immersion in water up to 1 m for up to 30 min.) or higher.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Top Product: Linear motor basics
What is a linear motor? Experts from H2W Technologies can tell you all about it. They say to think of a rotary electric motor that has been cut along a radial plane and unrolled. Rotary motors produce torque, whereas linear motors produce linear force -- and that's just the beginning.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Top Product: Convert hydraulics to electric
Thomson Industries has developed an entirely new platform of electric linear actuators with integrated control systems that enable design engineers to convert a wider range of hydraulic applications to electric -- and substantially improve application control. The Electrak HD electric linear actuator boosts power to 10 kN (2,250 lb) with stroke lengths up to 1,000 mm (39 in.). It has been tested successfully to meet the toughest OEM environmental and electronic component acceptance tests. Perfect for heavy-duty applications such as mobile off-highway vehicles, utility vehicles, railroad equipment, roadwork and construction-site equipment, and more.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Top Product: Drop-in wireless modules for Internet of Things applications
Based on the industry-leading BCM43438 IC from Broadcom, the WB4343 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth Mini Modules from California Eastern Laboratories (CEL) eliminate design risk and significantly reduce time to market for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Classic, and Bluetooth Smart wireless solutions. These new devices allow designers to easily transition between multiple wireless networking standards via drop-in-compatible module hardware, so users can quickly adapt to volatile market trends in the IoT space. Regardless of which technology gains favor (ZigBee, Thread, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth), CEL's customers will be able to future-proof their hardware. Customers can also maximize their market reach by simply swapping in different technology modules, creating market-specific SKUs from a single common design.
Click here to learn more. |
| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action | Two-seater electric helicopter takes first flight
Germany-based e-volo's emissions-free Volocopter VC200 took its first official manned flight this month. The all-electric flyer is made of a lightweight, fiber-composite material and features 18 rotors with motors driven by nine batteries. With a 450-kg take-off weight, the VC200 requires about 45 kW to hover, depending on the air pressure/temp. Its built-in multiple redundancies help ensure stability, even if parts of the system fail, and make the unit easy to fly using only a joystick. Unlike a helicopter, the blade angle on the VC200 cannot be adjusted. The amount of thrust produced depends solely on the rotation speed of the rotors. The copter received its permit to fly as an ultralight aircraft from German aviation authorities in February, and NASA invited e-volo to present the technology at its On-Demand Mobility workshop in Washington, DC, this past March. And did we mention it folds up too?
View the main video.
View folding mechanism video. |
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Yamaha shows motorcycle-riding humanoid robot
Japan's Yamaha Motor Co. showcases a motorcycle-riding humanoid robot, with developers saying the technology could one day present an alternative to driverless cars by being a personal driver for all your vehicles. But does it enjoy a Sunday drive and feeling the wind in its hair? Matthew Stock from Reuters reports.
View the video. |
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LEGO makes $300 Porsche 911 set
LEGO Technic's new Porsche 911 GT3 RS model features more than 2,700 pieces that all come together to make builders feel like they're running their own little sports car factory. Although the 1:8-scale model doesn't come with 500 hp and a top track speed of 193 mph like the real thing, it does feature detailed orange bodywork, red suspension springs, detailed headlights, taillights, brake calipers, and rims with low-profile tires. The accessible cockpit features a detailed dashboard, working gearbox, steering wheel with gearshift paddles, racing seats, and a glove compartment containing a unique serial number. Functions include opening doors and hood with storage compartment and suitcase, and an opening rear lid that houses a detailed flat 6 engine with moving pistons.
Watch the LEGO video. |
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