Appliance Design articles from August 2005

Appliance Design archives from August 2005

Thou shalt not ... maybe.(Grokster Ltd.)(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.)(copyright and file sharing)(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... I don't know what the weather was like in Washington D.C. on June 27th, but it was definitely foggy inside the Supreme Court Building where the Court issued two nebulous rulings almost certain to fuel more lawsuits. On the final day of its...

Shipments.(appliance industry)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... SHIPMENTS Product May '05 May '04 % Chg. MAJORS--TOTAL 5,319,900 5,203,900 2.2% CLEANUP--TOTAL 1,124,200 1,054,200 6.6% Compactors 9,800...

Forecasts.(shipments data of the appliance industry)(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... FORECASTS AUTOMATIC WASHERS--Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 2004 2005 2006 1 2,271.7 2,278.2 2,310.1 2 2,197.3 2,236.1 2,275.6 3 2,162.2 2,205.5 2,284.1 4 2,200.4...

Fisher & Paykel plans moves.(NEWS WATCH)(Fisher and Paykel Appliances Ltd. to shift to North America)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Fisher & Paykel Appliances, based in New Zealand, has announced plans to relocate a Smart Drive clothes washer line that is currently located in Cleveland, Australia, and a motor manufacturing line, located in Auckland, New Zealand to North...

Disposable video cameras.(NEWS WATCH)(Pure Digital Technologies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Pure Digital Technologies Inc. has developed and designed a disposable video camera with just three buttons. The camera is affordable and easy-to-use for people who do not want to spend hundreds of dollars or fuss with too many controls. One...

Ready: digital.(NEWS WATCH)(digital television)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Federal Communications Commission recently voted 4-0 to require televisions with screens from 25 in. to 36 in. to be digital-ready by March 1. That is four months earlier than the commission decreed in 2002. The commission also proposed...

Powerful combination.(NEWS WATCH)(research on removal of bioaerosols using air filters and ultraviolet air filters)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A team of engineers from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Colorado at Boulder has removed bioaerosols--airborne biological particulate matter from the air using a combination of high-efficiency particulate air filters...

Best of both worlds.(NEWS WATCH)(British Telecommunications PLC)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Marking a milestone in the broadband revolution, British Telecommunications recently launched the world's first combined fixed-and-mobile phone service. BT Fusion works just like a mobile phone when one is on the go, and seamlessly switches to...

Jarden Corp.(NEWS WATCH)(acquisition of Holmes Group)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... JARDEN CORP, a leading global provider of niche branded consumer products has announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Hohnes Group, Inc. in a transaction valued on a debt free basis at approximately $625 million, consisting...

Arcelik aims for Russian share.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Turkey's leading home appliance maker Arcelik has laid the foundation for a factory in Russia in line with its strategy to become a global brand. The project is located 110 km from Moscow. Arcelik plans to produce refrigerators and washing...

China to be No. 1 in tools.(power tools)(World Power Tools survey)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... World demand for power tools is projected to rise 5 percent a year (including price increases) through 2009 to more than $29 billion, with developing nations expected to register the strongest gains. The anticipated gains reflect accelerating...

File traders held liable.(Internet file-trading networks)(to prevent copyright infringement)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Internet file-trading networks like Grokster and Morpheus can be held liable when their users copy music, movies and other protected works without permission. In a decision hailed by the recording...

Seer education.(Emerson Climate Technologies)(air conditioning system standards)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Emerson Climate Technologies recently announced that its 2005 Home Air Conditioning Test, a national survey of homeowners with central air conditioning, found that 90 percent of homeowners do not know the efficiency rating of their central air...

Averting grid failures.(Department of Energy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Department of Energy is developing technologies to avert electrical grid failures such as the blackout of August 2003, including household appliances that temporarily reduce their power consumption. The devices switch off when they detect a...

ARTI report.(Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute)(Active Magnetic Regenerator Refrigeration System)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute (ARTI) has released a final report, called "A Numerical Model of an Active Magnetic Regenerator Refrigeration System." The project, performed by University of Wisconsin-Madison,...

The smart kitchen: new equipment data protocol is designed to reduce foodborne illness.(FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT)
August 1, 2005... In the 48 years that I've been in the foodservice industry I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to using and misusing food equipment. Foodborne illness caused by mishandling or improper cooking and chilling of food can be...

Upcoming challenges for cooktop manufactures: the implications of the new EN-60335 and RohS.(Advertisement)
August 1, 2005... Since more than 10 years touch controlled vitro-ceramic cooktops are our kitchen companions. Touch controls with their innovative and ergonomic operating philosophy allow to take full benefit of the advantages of vitro-ceramic cooktops, e.g....

Designing with RFID: technology streamlines service and data compliance.(FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT)
August 1, 2005... Radio Frequency Identification is nothing new. Born out of necessity during World War II, RFID was used by the Germans, Japanese, Americans and British to determine friend from foe. Following the war, the technology evolved throughout the 50s...

Embedded USB: USB provides path to expanding appliance capabilities.(MICROCONTROLLERS & ICs)
August 1, 2005... The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a technology that is poised to change appliances, much like it has changed personal-computer peripherals. In 2001, USB was recommended by Intel and Microsoft as the replacement for a number of interfaces that...

Power supply design: how to determine power supply isolation strategy.(microcontrollers and integrated circuits)
August 1, 2005... Among the factors that influence the design of an appliance power supply, the need for isolation is one of the most important. Isolation (or the lack thereof) affects the operational safety of the product and regulatory approvals required in...

Controlling motors and cost: digital signal controller provides cost-effective 3-phase control.(microcontrollers and integrated circuits)
August 1, 2005... Electric motors are present in many appliance products that consumers and businesses use every day, including washing machines, air conditioners, refrigerators, garage door openers, pool pumps, tools, and many other products. While there are...

Designing out noise: pre-production analysis saves time and money.(testing, quality and standards)(SenSound introduced nearfield acoustic holography)
August 1, 2005... Anywhere a human comes in contact with machinery--automobiles, planes, trucks, construction equipment, home appliances, tools--noise is an issue. It's an issue for designers, engineers and regulators who are charged with producing appliances...

Minding the materials: how to take a materials engineering approach to product design.(testing, quality and standards)
August 1, 2005... Materials are used in all the products around us. Unfortunately, the material considerations that go into designing and manufacturing a product are too often minimal. Product designers need to understand the value of proper materials...

TV tuner battle: where things are headed with over-the-air digital television.(TESTING, QUALITY & STANDARDS)
August 1, 2005... Television viewers love a battle. Whether it's two football teams pounding each other into the turf, or a manipulative crew of castaways on a remote island, conflict drives ratings. However, for television manufacturers and component engineers,...

Getting a handle on gas-assist: process improves aesthetics for long flow parts.(plastics and plastic parts)
August 1, 2005... Most design engineers think of gas-assisted injection molding in terms of handles and other thick and chunky parts. In the appliance industry, the thermoset versus thermoplastic gas-assist "battle for the handles" has been going on for a long...

Conductive.(design mart)
August 1, 2005... Conductive, a Tier 1 supplier of Appliance and Medical Grade Power cords, specializes in power cord lines aimed at resolving power cord issues in tough, high flex applications. As a value driven, vertically integrated manufacture, Conductive...

Orbitform.(DESIGN MART)
August 1, 2005... New Orbital Forming Head. Until now an orbital heads life expectancy was measured in months With Orbitform's new Gold Series the components can last for years (based on bearing life calculations for standard orbital heads) The Gold Series...

Chiaphua Components.(design mart)
August 1, 2005... Chiaphua Components Limited is one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality AG and DD motors for various applications Our motors are exported to global markets We keep our customers' original ideas confidential and customize on designs, so...

Simonds Inc.(DESIGN MART)
August 1, 2005... Simonds uses advanced engineering and ergonomic designs to provide the best pneumatic hand tools available. For solutions for your cutting, crimping and degating problems contact us below. Enter 401 Simonds Inc. Phone: 886 784 3235 ...

NEOPERL, Inc.(DESIGN MART)
August 1, 2005... Flow Regulators, NEOPERL offers a line of compact flow regulators(OD 5/16" to 15/16") that are easy to insert (press fit) and available in flow rates from 0.1 to 25 gpm They maintain a constant flow rate regardless of variations in pressure...

KB Electronics Inc.(DESIGN MART)
August 1, 2005... Low Cost Variable Speed Controls from KB Electronics. KB offers a comprehensive line of motor speed controls for air-moving applications, such as Fans, Air Conditioners Fireplace insert Blowers, Attic Fans, Humidifiers, Kitchen Ventilators,...

Globalization of product safety.( American National Standards Institute)(standards of apparel safety )
August 1, 2005... When it comes to product safety, globalization is an important factor. In the U.S., the primary compliance aspect for appliance product safety is with the voluntary based product safety standards developed by UL and CSA and ultimately adopted...