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Primary content focuses on the latest exciting applications and products for Electrical/Electronic, Mechanical, Motion Control, Fluid Power, and Materials engineering, including articles on powerful software programs that serve as a primary engineering tool. Take a look at what Designfax offers and then subscribe.

December 31, 2024Volume 20 Issue 48


Image - Need Inserts? We make it E-Z.
Need Inserts? We make it E-Z.
E-Z LOK threaded inserts allow users to repair or reinforce threads without the need for special taps or installation tools. Our line of threaded inserts is used in metal, plastic, wood, composite and additive industries. Extensive inventories of standard products are available throughout the U.S., and we are also able to produce special threaded inserts to print or per application requirements. Our products are available through a variety of different channels depending on the volume needed.
FREE SAMPLES FOR STANDARD PRODUCTS.
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or contact Kyle Lindsly-Roach at 310.323.5613 x221.

In this issue of Designfax

  • First aircraft accident investigation on another world
  • Advanced aerospike rocket engine hot-fired
  • Robots get superhuman vision -- from radio signals
  • Updated 2025 Ford Bronco includes retro surfer style
  • What can you secure with a retaining ring? 20 examples
  • Inspiration: One-armin' the '52 Fetzenflieger with Porsche factory racing engine
  • Top webinars of 2024 from Xometry
  • 3-axis motion made simple using CLICK PLUS PLC
  • Position sensor real-world applications
  • Toughened epoxy systems for special applications
  • Collaborate North America: Largest cobot tradeshow
  • Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
    • Basketball robot makes world-record long shot
  • Most Popular Last Issue
    • Aston Martin Valhalla: 1,064-hp everyday hypercar
    • Air-cooled Wankel rotary engine fits in your hand
    • World-first carbon-14 diamond battery made
  • New Products
    • Electrical, Mechanical, Motion
    Cover Image: 2025 Ford Bronco Free Wheeling Special Edition

News

Researchers quantify the speed of human thought -- and it is pretty slow

A football field in a teaspoon: Carbon made with record surface area

Surprise: Existing EV batteries may last up to 40% longer than expected

Weird science: New theory claims dark energy 'doesn't exist' -- so can't be pushing 'lumpy' Universe apart



Image - Happy New Year from Designfax!
Happy New Year from Designfax!
We made it! Woohoo! Thanks to all our readers, sponsors, writers, and article contributors for supporting us in 2024. We wish all of you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2025. Hang in there!

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Feature articles

Image - NASA performs first aircraft accident investigation on another world
NASA performs first aircraft accident investigation on another world
Engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are completing a detailed assessment of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's final flight on Jan. 18, 2024. It operated for almost three years, performed 72 flights, and flew more than 30 times farther than planned before it crashed.
Read the full article.

Image - Advanced aerospike rocket engine hot-fired for first time -- designed by computational AI, 3D printed
Advanced aerospike rocket engine hot-fired for first time -- designed by computational AI, 3D printed
LEAP 71, a Dubai-based pioneer in computational engineering, says it has successfully hot-fired one of the most advanced and elusive rocket engines ever created -- an aerospike with 1,100 lb-ft of thrust. Aerospikes forego the conventional bell-shaped nozzle by placing a spike in the center of a toroidal combustion chamber.
Read the full article.

Image - Robots get superhuman vision -- from radio signals
Robots get superhuman vision -- from radio signals
Researchers from Penn Engineering have developed PanoRadar, a new tool to give robots superhuman vision by transforming simple radio waves into detailed, 3D views of the environment. PanoRadar can interpret reflective surfaces like glass and see through fog, two obstacles that LiDAR cannot overcome, and accurately detect people.
Read the full article.

Image - Updated 2025 Ford Bronco includes retro surfer and Baja style
Updated 2025 Ford Bronco includes retro surfer and Baja style
From tech upgrades and more standard equipment to cushy comfort improvements, the 2025 Ford Bronco pairs the capability customers crave with updated style, technology, and choices. Special trims include the Baja-inspired Stroppe Special Edition and the Free Wheeling package with a throwback surfer vibe. The new Black Appearance package gives a sinister and stealthy aesthetic for customers who prefer to fly under the radar.
Read the full article.

Image - What can you secure with a retaining ring? <br>20 examples
What can you secure with a retaining ring?
20 examples

From the watch dial on your wrist to a wind turbine, no application is too small or too big for a Smalley retaining ring to secure. Light to heavy-duty loads? Carbon steel to exotic materials? No problem. See how retaining rings are used in slip clutches, bike locks, hip replacements, and even the Louvre Pyramid.
See the Smalley design applications.

Image - Inspiration: One-armin' the '52 Fetzenflieger with Porsche factory racing engine
Inspiration: One-armin' the '52 Fetzenflieger with Porsche factory racing engine
There have been a lot of racing legends throughout the history of motor sport, but none can quite compare to Austrian driver (and mechanical engineer) Otto Mathé, who, despite having only one functional arm, not only drove to victory in each of the 20 races he entered in 1952, but also built his own cars exclusively featuring Porsche engines. In the mid-1950s, he became well known for building, driving, and winning in an unusual vehicle dubbed the "Fetzenflieger."
Read the full article.

Image - Top webinars of 2024 from Xometry
Top webinars of 2024 from Xometry
Manufacturing-on-demand expert Xometry has posted its list of top webinars for 2024. Included are informative presentations on tips for CNC drawings and designs, 3D printing vs. injection molding, and tips on how to get the most from Xometry's quoting engine. A lot to learn here. Watch:
* Advanced Tips for CNC Designs and Drawings.
* Plastic 3D Printing vs. Injection Molding: Making the Best Choice.
* 7 Pro Tips for Mastering Xometry's Instant Quoting Engine.

Image - 3-axis motion made simple using CLICK PLUS PLC
3-axis motion made simple using CLICK PLUS PLC
AutomationDirect CLICK PLUS PLCs, when combined with stepper motors, make advanced motion control and edge integration simple for smaller systems. Learn motion control basics, motor options, motion with micro-PLCs and steppers, and more in this informative whitepaper. No registration required.
Read the AutomationDirect whitepaper.

Image - Position sensor real-world applications: Automotive and mobile equipment
Position sensor real-world applications: Automotive and mobile equipment
From firetruck nozzle positioning and race car steering to accelerator control and wheel vector sensing, learn how position sensors from Novotechnik are used in real-world applications. Sensor types include non-contacting rotary sensors, angle sensors, and magnetic encoders. We love when manufacturers provide examples of their products in action.
Learn more.

Image - Toughened epoxy systems for special application requirements
Toughened epoxy systems for special application requirements
Master Bond offers an extensive range of "flexibilized" and toughened epoxies, silicones, and UV-curable compounds tailored to meet special application needs. These compounds are designed for high performance -- even in hostile environmental conditions -- and are serviceable at low to high temperatures. Applications range from design and production to repair, maintenance, and field service.
Learn about Master Bond's most popular toughened epoxies.

Image - Collaborate North America: Largest collaborative robot conference and tradeshow
Collaborate North America: Largest collaborative robot conference and tradeshow
On January 28, 2025, Universal Robots is introducing the nation's largest cobot conference and tradeshow: Collaborate North America. This one-day event will take place in Novi, MI, and include more than 30 hands-on exhibits -- everything from robotic welding to palletizing and painting, including several never-seen-before cobot applications -- and a stellar lineup of speakers from MIT, Siemens, and many others. There is no cost to attend.
Learn more about Collaborate North America.

Most popular last issue

Image - Aston Martin Valhalla: 1,064-hp hybrid hypercar for everyday driving
Aston Martin Valhalla: 1,064-hp hybrid hypercar for everyday driving
It's been a long time in the works, but Aston Martin's mid-engine hybrid Valhalla hypercar will finally go into production in 2025. Boasting a flat-plane crank 4.0-L twin-turbo V8 engine with three electric motors, the race car for the road will zoom you around town or to work going 0 to 62 mph in 2.5 sec.
Read the full article.

Image - Air-cooled Wankel rotary engine fits in your hand
Air-cooled Wankel rotary engine fits in your hand
UK-based Advanced Innovative Engineering has launched an air-cooled Wankel rotary engine called the 40ACS that is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand yet powerful enough to crank out over 5 hp. It has been designed for UAV (drone) propulsion systems, robotics, and more.
Read the full article.

Image - World-first carbon-14 diamond battery made: Power for thousands of years
World-first carbon-14 diamond battery made: Power for thousands of years
Scientists and engineers in the UK have created the world's first carbon-14 diamond battery. The current iteration is in coin-cell form and has the potential to provide low power to devices for thousands of years.
Read the full article.

Videos+: Technologies and inspiration in action
Basketball robot makes world-record long shot
Guinness World Records™ has officially recognized Toyota's AI basketball robot called CUE as the record holder for the title of "farthest basketball shot by a humanoid robot." CUE made the incredible swish on only its second attempt this past September from 80.5 ft. Learn about CUE's development and see it sink this impressive basket. The official world record for the farthest human basketball shot is 113.5 ft. We bet CUE will get there.
Watch the video.

New products

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