Appliance Design articles from November 2005

Appliance Design archives from November 2005

Seeking solutions.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... An old cartoon showed a character preparing for a visit from a tax appraiser by pivoting all of his furnishings behind a wall, making them neatly disappear like a Murphy bed, converting his comfortable home into a barren habitat. While few...

Shipments.(household appliances)
November 1, 2005... SHIPMENTS Product August '05 August '04 % Chg. MAJORS--TOTAL 5,650,200 5,569,600 1.4% CLEANUP--TOTAL 1,160,500 1,151,500 0.8% ...

Forecasts.(home appliances)
November 1, 2005... FORECASTS AUTOMATIC WASHERS--Shipment (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 2004 2005 2006 1 2,271.7 2,278.2 2,330.1 2 2,197.0 2,352.1 2,295.6 3 2,162.6 2,257.5 ...

Design contest seeks entries.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2005... Appliance Design is now accepting submissions for its 19th Annual Excellence in Design Competition, open to OEMs and industrial design firms. Product categories include: Major Appliances; HVAC Equipment: Portable Appliances; Commercial...

Air cleaners knocked.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The October issue of Consumer Reports contained a report that described air cleaners as a "questionable investment." The magazine said that relatively few air cleaners excelled in its tests, and that many room air cleaners scored fair or poor...

La lavadora en Espanol.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2005... The GE Profile Harmony Clothes Care System has added a feature called CleanSpeak that allows the user to choose English or Spanish options for displaying information on the LCD touch screens used to control the washer and dryer.

Whirlpool buy under review.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The U.S. Justice Department will conduct the antitrust review of Whirlpool Corp.'s proposed takeover of rival appliance maker Maytag Corp. The decision settles a dispute with the Federal Trade Commission over which agency will investigate the...

Haier spending.(NEWS WATCH)(Qingdao Haier Refrigerator Co)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Qingdao Haier Refrigerator Co., the Shanghai-listed arm of China's top home appliance maker, recently indicated it will spend more than 810 million yuan ($100 million) on various product initiatives. The company, based in the northeastern city...

Electrolux.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... ELECTROLUX is expanding its range of dishwasher products for North America with the addition of a new premium line featuring a new, high quality, stainless steel interior. Addition of this product to the company's Kinston, N.C. dishwasher...

India to conserve.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... A star rating system for home appliances and equipment will be launched in India on December 14, the National Energy Conservation Day. Initially, the rating system, an indication of energy efficiency, will be for refrigerators, tubelights and...

Appliance Design goes digital.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2005... Every issue of Appliance Design will be now be available in both print and in digital editions. Design engineering professionals in the global appliance market will now have more information at their fingertips than ever before. The Digital...

Link to simplicity: technology offers improved modulation of gas furnaces.(IGNITERS, BURNERS & VALVES)
November 1, 2005... The design of warm-air gas furnaces stands poised for another evolutionary step with the deployment of gas-air technology, a new approach to burner control that links combustion air and gas flow. This method simplifies furnace design and...

Faultless fire: improved igniters and controls deliver greater dependability.(IGNITERS, BURNERS & VALVES)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2005... Advancements in igniters and ignition control systems allow OEMs to develop gas-fired appliances that deliver greater reliability, longevity, and simpler designs, particularly in the area of residential gas-fired furnaces. In addition, new...

Point & play: actuator targets interface challenges in portable devices.(SWITCHES & RELAYS)
November 1, 2005... As portable electronic devices such as mobile handsets and smart phones continue to add more PC-like applications, human interface control technology is under increasing performance pressures. In addition to continual size constraints as mobile...

High reliability at low loads: relays switching at minimal loads require clean contacts.(SWITCHES & RELAYS)
November 1, 2005... Electromechanical relays are known for their reliability and cost effectiveness. Recent trends include the miniaturization of electromechanical relays, increased quality standards, better reliability and lower cost. Not only have relay...

Value engineering: less expensive materials, processes satisfy design, aesthetic requirements.(METALS & METAL PARTS)
November 1, 2005... Appliance manufacturers are always looking for less expensive materials to incorporate in their designs. The buzz phrase for the trend is "value engineering" Value-engineered solutions, according to CFM Companies, Chicago, Ill., are "technical...

Casting collaboration: joint engineering reduces costs and improves production efficiency.(METALS & METAL PARTS)
November 1, 2005... Manufacturers in many industries are increasingly using the knowledge of their die casters to help design parts that have a lower overall cost, while improving quality and production efficiency. The terms used to describe the process may vary...

Design for compliance: tracking solution helps design engineers meet regulations.(TESTING, QUALITY & STANDARDS)
November 1, 2005... New environmental regulations are forcing companies in the electrical and electronic equipment industry to change the way products are designed. With the risks of non-compliance ranging from potential fines to being completely shut out of key...

Virtual testing: 3D CAD programs provide rapid, comprehensive testing features.(TESTING, QUALITY & STANDARDS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2005... Creating a physical prototype can be cost-prohibitive and in some cases ineffective, for example, for fatigue and durability tests, due to the length of time required to do the physical tests, and the damage that is done to the prototype. With...

Conductive.(DESIGN MART)
November 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...

Buhrke Industries.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... Stamping, Automated Assembly And More As part of the IMS group, Buhrke offers short-run to high-volume metal stamping and automated assembly services to appliance, telcom, electronic. industrial machinery, automotive and other OEM's worldwide....

FasTest Inc.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... NEW PRODUCTS FOB HVACR TESTING Eliminate process tubes and the leaks associated with Schrader style valves with the CoreMax[R] System. By adopting this revolutionary system, you will reduce processing cost and increase throughput. FasTest also...

Quest Electronics Pte Ltd.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... Garware Polyester film can be used as a layer of insulator for electric fan motors, compressors, motors, transformers, electrical and electronics appliances. The PET films are UL approved and comply with RoHs regulations. Enter 401 Quest...

Protomold Co., Inc.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... Pretomold[R] ships custom injection molded parts in 5 days from receipt of a 36 CAD model. Rapid Injection Molding is typically 1/3 the cost and 1/3 the lead time of conventional injection molding. Our interactive ProtoQuote[R] system provides...

KB Electronics, Inc.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... Low Cost AC grives Chassis / IP-20 and Nema 4X / IP65 models thru 5HP 115. 230 and 460 VAC--50/60 Hz input These low cost drives save time and labor by providing drop-in installation. No more pushing buttons or downloading. The "2G" is factory...

Amulet Technologies.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... Beyond Your Basic LCD Controller. Graphical User Interface (GUI) solutions by Amulet empower designers to utilize their LCDs full design potential. Chips and software are optimized for 24/7 reliability and are compatible with most...

Carling Technologies Inc.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2005... Switches & Controls Catalog Carling Technologies Switches and Controls catalog includes a comprehensive line of switches including rocker, toggle, pushbutton, rotary, and sealed switches. Electronic controls include the Dimmer, Mirror Rotate...

Extending our reach.(ASSOCIATION REPORT: GAMA)
November 1, 2005... I only recently took the hell of GAMA, but already I am struck by the seemingly countless challenges from all directions our industries face. It seems obvious that if we are to create an environment that helps keep our members in business,...