| February 07, 2017 | Volume 13 Issue 05 |
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 | Noisy Bearings?
Smalley wave springs are ideal for bearing preload. The wave spring preloads the bearing through its outer race, taking up play in the bearing. Preloading will reduce bearing damage, wear, noise and vibration. The wave spring prevents sliding between the rolling elements. Bearing springs comes in metric sizes to match popular bearing sizes. Smalley has over 150 standard springs available, from 9 mm to 580 mm. Customs are available for unique bearing sizes with No-Tooling-Charges®.
Click here to learn more. |
 | New Standards for Precision in Micro Motion
MICROMO now offers the new high precision IER3 optical encoders from FAULHABER. The new encoders deliver 2 channel quadrature signals plus an additional index signal, and can be combined with CXR and CR small DC motors, and BX4 and BP4 brushless DC servo motors from FAULHABER. The optical measuring principle gives the IER3 a strong edge in terms of accuracy and signal quality compared to encoders with other measuring principles.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Design Tips:
Build strength into parts with insert molding
Plastic injection-molded parts are tough and strong, able to withstand heavy loads, moderately high temperatures, and the corrosive effects of acids and alkalis. In some cases, plastic even competes with metal, and is lighter and usually less expensive to boot. But once in a while plastic needs a little help, like when the bore in an all-plastic pulley quickly wears out or tapped holes in molded handles and knobs get prone to stripping. In these cases, say hello to insert molding.
Read the full article. |
 | Graphene + Silly Putty = Super-sensitive sensor
Researchers working in Trinity College Dublin in Ireland have used the wonder material graphene to make the novelty children's material Silly Putty (polysilicone) conduct electricity, creating extremely sensitive sensors. This world-first research offers exciting possibilities for real-world applications in new, inexpensive devices, including diagnostics in medicine and other sectors.
Read the full article. |
 | Mike Likes:
Can you Handle the latest 'nightmare' robot from Boston Dynamics?
An insider named "jurvetson" at a recent Boston Dynamics investor event posted a Youtube video of the company's founder, Marc Raibert, showing footage of the new Handle robot, a two-wheeled, two-legged balancing giant described (sarcastically) as a "nightmare." It takes the company's famous BigDog pack-animal creation from years back to a whole new level. Also featured was a live demo of a sprightly four-legged droid called SpotMini that impressed with its maneuverability and extra "hand" that could retrieve a beer.
Watch the impressive video of the demo. |
 | Engineer's Toolbox:
New patent for packaging design leads to safer ammunition storage
Five Picatinny Arsenal (NJ) employees received a U.S. patent last year for an improved U.S. Army packaging design for the 30-mm x 173-mm family of ammunition. Often, 30-mm ammunition is used as an anti-materiel or armor-piercing round, which can be effective against armored vehicles as well as fortified bunkers. But, due to the inadequate packaging, links and tips of the projectiles were being damaged during a 7-ft containerized drop, which resulted in failed safety-confirmation testing.
Read the full article. |
 | Totally New: Smallest wave springs on the market
Smalley has expanded the Crest-to-Crest® Wave Spring Series. Smalley's popular C (imperial) and CM (metric) Series have been expanded; standard sizes are now available from stock down to .188 in. and 5 mm in diameter. Smalley Wave Springs can replace conventional coil springs while occupying only half the space and providing the same force and deflection. Request complimentary samples today!
Click here to learn more. |
 | Fasteners: Self-clinching locknuts sport unique feature
PEM Type SL self-clinching steel locknuts from PennEngineering integrate a unique TRI-DENT locking feature to hold mating screws tight over time by providing sufficient torsional resistance to withstand vibration, thermal cycling, and other disruptive forces that could loosen the screws in service. These prevailing torque locknuts allow for the screws to be removed and re-attached repeatedly as needed without compromising the locking threads. The locknuts install permanently in host metal sheets to become integral parts of an assembly, will not loosen or fall out, never have to be restrained from rotation with a tool, and never have to be handled again.
Click here to learn more. |
 | Thin ring bearings for confined spaces
For control systems on automobiles and other applications where space and weight restrictions can be problematic, new thin xiros ball bearings from igus are available in accordance with DIN 625 for rotary controls. The new xiros 67 and 68 thin ring bearings are suitable for temperatures ranging from -40 F to 176 F and are available in two materials (xirodur B180 and S180) with inner diameters ranging from 4 mm to 30 mm, with custom dimensions and integrated solutions available upon request. Customers can select from glass, 316 stainless steel, or high-strength plastic balls depending on application requirements.
Click here to learn more. |
 | High-torque-density frameless motors for robotics
BEI Kimco recently met demanding brushless DC (BLDC) motor needs for use in a multi-axis assembly robot for semiconductor and other light manufacturing applications. Key to the robot's design specifications was a motor that would support peak torque loads ranging from 85 oz-in. to 531 oz-in. within the highly compact frame sizes of 2.6 in., 3.0 in., and 3.8 in. in O.D. The compact motor size was necessary to fit within the articulating robot wrist, elbow, and shoulder axis. BEI Kimco developed the DIP26-08, DIP30-11, and DIP38-13 frameless motors that incorporate new rotor magnet material configurations that have only recently become available for volume applications.
Click here to learn more. |
| | Most popular last issue |
 | Long-range sniper system is the BOSS
What does it take for an Army sniper to accurately hit a person-size target at extreme ranges? The Army thinks it may have the answer to this challenge in a new integrated fire control sighting system for military sniper weapons called the Ballistically Optimized Sniper Scope (BOSS).
Read the full article. |
 | Chevrolet debuts its first 9-speed auto with 2017 Malibu
Chevrolet's first nine-speed automatic transmission is making its debut in the 2017 Malibu and will be available in the 2017 Cruze Diesel and 2018 Equinox, moving forward the company's legacy of multispeed transmissions designed to optimize efficiency, performance, and refinement. The General Motors-developed Hydra-Matic 9T50 nine-speed is paired with an available 2.0L Turbo engine in the Malibu, contributing to an EPA-estimated 33 mpg highway -- a 3 percent increase over the 2016 model with the eight-speed automatic.
Read the full article. |
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| | Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action |
Tour a world-class nanopositioning engineering facility
The worldwide PI Group catalog of motion and control positioning solutions covers advanced ceramic hybrid drives, multi-axis piezo nanopositioning systems, stacked (linear+rotary) positioners, 6-axis Hexapod parallel, and award-winning photonics alignment engines. In the US, PI designs stages tailored specifically for the North American OEM market, in addition to air bearings.
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