| August 16, 2016 | Volume 12 Issue 31 |
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 | CNC Machining Material Selector!
Proto Labs' free Material Selector is a quick reference guide to help you identify the right thermoplastic and metal materials for your next machining project. It lists specific measurements like tensile strength, heat deflection and hardness to ensure you have the most suitable material for your part's application, and even includes a detailed chart of threading option.
Get a free Material Selector today! |
 | Machining Without Coolant
Replace messy mist systems and improve dry machining with clean, cold air! EXAIR's Cold Gun Aircoolant System improves tolerances, tool life and production rates by cooling with 20°F air. The Cold Gun is ideal for tool sharpening, drill and cutter grinding, milling, band sawing, more.
Website offers detailed information. |
| | Feature articles | Six surprising capabilities of modern hydraulics
 Bosch Rexroth's Dr. Steffen Haack lays out six capabilities for modern hydraulics as a strong drive technology that is well prepared for Industry 4.0 applications, which may come as a surprise for many. Don't underestimate the performance and intelligence of this highly precise and energy-efficient technology.
Read the full article. |
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 | Navy dive helmet display emerges as game-changer
The once-ribbing term "four-eyes" now secures a coolness factor, thanks to a team of Navy engineers who have developed a high-resolution, see-through, heads-up display embedded directly inside a KM-37 Navy dive helmet to keep its users safer, more efficient, and more effective underwater. The next-generation, futuristic, 3D-printed prototype might even evoke the envy of Ironman.
Read the full article. |
 | Vortex laser offers hope for Moore's Law
Like a whirlpool, a new light-based communication tool carries data in a swift, circular motion. Described in a study published recently in the journal Science, the optics advancement could become a central component of next-generation computers designed to handle society's growing demand for information sharing. It may also be a salve to those fretting over the predicted end of Moore's Law.
Read the full article. |
 | Robotics and Robot Drives:
Zippermast extension for UGVs and more
When the American armed forces needed a compact and robust system to be used on unmanned vehicles, the design of the Zippermast proved to be the unique solution. The Zippermast was inspired by a metal tape measure, and is comprised of three interlinked steel tapes which are wrapped around coils and arranged in relation to each other at angles of 120 degrees. Compact, high-torque DC motors extend the mast quickly, even when loaded.
Read the full article. |
 | Fasteners: The aliens have landed. Lock 'em up.
It looks "alien," but it's the ultimate in box-security fasteners. In fact, the Alien Lock from Micro Plastics is the first and only dedicated box fastener. It is a much less expensive solution than banding or taping your boxes, and it keeps them more secure, too. It's easy and fast to insert, and it's incredibly strong. It cannot be pulled out without it being obvious that the box was tampered with -- it must be cut off. This is a 1-step fastener: Push Alien Lock through the lock port, and the locking process is finished.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Fluid Power: Protect circuits with edge-welded bellows
Use edge-welded metal bellows to compensate for expanding fluids and to prevent leaks that could damage equipment in many fluid-power and fluid-handling applications. BellowsTech edge-welded bellows are superior to alternative methods because they are able to maintain proper flow during normal operation and expand and contract to compensate for volumetric changes of the liquid or gas that could otherwise result in blown seals, leaks, broken sensors, and premature wear and tear.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Fasteners: Self-clinching pilot pins come in several variations
PEM self-clinching pilot pins from PennEngineering are offered in a variety of designs to provide ideal hardware solutions for positioning, alignment, or pivot applications. All install in thin metal sheets and become permanent parts of an assembly, and all install easily into thin metal sheets by pressing them into a pre-punched mounting hole of the proper size. After installation they become permanent parts of an assembly. Type TPS pins install in steel or aluminum sheets, and Type TP4 pins are designed for stainless steel assemblies. Type TPXS pins are engineered with a 15-degree tapered point, while Type MPP micro pins are made for compact consumer electronic assemblies.
Click here to learn more. |
| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
NASA's new High Dynamic Range Camera records rocket test
While thousands turned out to watch NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) recently complete a full-scale test of its booster, few were aware of the other major test occurring simultaneously. NASA's High Dynamic Range Stereo X (HiDyRS-X) project featuring a revolutionary high-speed camera filmed the test, recording propulsion video data in never-before-seen detail. The HiDyRS-X project originated from a problem that exists when trying to film rocket motor tests. Rocket motor plumes, in addition to being extremely loud, are also extremely bright, making them difficult to record without drastically cutting down the exposure settings on the camera. Doing so, however, darkens the rest of the image, obscuring other important components on the motor. Traditionally, video cameras record using one exposure at a time, but HiDyRS-X records multiple, slow-motion video exposures at once, combining them into a high dynamic range video that perfectly exposes all areas of the video image.
View the video. |
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