Appliance Design articles from November 2006

Appliance Design archives from November 2006

Design shines for 20th year.(EDITORIAL)
November 1, 2006... In 1986, IBM introduced its first laptop computer, the IBM PC Convertible, which weighed 13 lbs. That same year, Maytag acquired Magic Chef, and Sweden's Electrolux picked up White Consolidated's brands, including Frigidaire. Compact discs were...

Shipments.(Statistical table)
November 1, 2006... SHIPMENTS Product August '06 August '05 % Chg. MAJORS--TOTAL 5,754,700 5,671,300 1.5% CLEANUP--TOTAL 1,133,900 1,162,000 -2.4% Compactors ...

Forecasts.(Statistical table)
November 1, 2006... FORECASTS AUTOMATIC WASHERS--Shipments (Thousands of Units) Qtr: 2005 2006 2007 1 2,236.0 2,486.7 2,337.1 2 2,309.8 2,260.8 2,250.5 3 ...

Oil stove to save forests.(cooking equipment)
November 1, 2006... A stove that burns plant oil could help provide cooking and heating fuel for more than 2.5 billion people around the world and help more than one 1 million people who may die or suffer eye and lung diseases as a result of indoor air pollution...

California to cut greenhouse gases.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... In September, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a sweeping law aimed at curbing the state's emissions of greenhouse gases. The law aims to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, slashing emissions by roughly 25 percent from current levels....

Vote stealing software.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Benedict Arnold the father of the country? Princeton computer scientists have created software that can be installed on voting machines within a minute and change vote counts without being detected. The scientists, led by Edward Felten, tested...

Whirlpool cuts and adds.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... In October, Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, Mich., revealed plans to cut about 700 positions from its Fort Smith, Ark., plant in the first half of 2008 and move the jobs to its refrigerator factory in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. The company said it...

Technology and the family.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... A new report finds that technology such as mobile phones and instant messaging are essential to helping run a busy household and staying in touch with family members. The study polled 4,500 online families in 16 countries with in-home...

Water and air system sales.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Demand for consumer water purification and air-cleaning systems is projected to increase 4.7 percent per year to $1.7 billion in 2010, according to a new market study by the Freedonia Group, based in Cleveland. After market sales of replacement...

Microwave in a drawer.(Installation of products)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The Millenia 20-in. Microwave-in-A-Drawer has been released by Dacor of Diamond Bar, Calif. The microwave, which can be installed at waist height or lower, is designed to coordinate with the Millenia vertical wall oven or housed alongside or...

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2006... On page 31 of the October issue, in the story "Coatings: Tiny Titans," the top paragraph in the first column incorrectly identified the parties in a licensing agreement. The sentence should have read as follows: "Nanophase Technologies...

Demand powers battery sales.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Worldwide primary and secondary battery demand is projected to rise at about a 7 percent pace through 2010 to $73.6 billion. China will record the largest gains and will outpace the U.S. to become the largest battery market in the world....

Space-saving wine cellars.(humidity temperature)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The Wine PC10, a product from France-based Fondis, can turn any pantry into a wine cellar. This airtight door unit can insulate and cool up to 350 cu. ft. and will keep the wine in total darkness at a constant temperature between 45 DegF and 55...

Emerson buys compressor maker.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Emerson Climate Technologies of St. Louis purchased Kirloskar Copeland Ltd., an India-based manufacturer of compressors. Emerson has partnered with Kirloskar Brother Ltd. (KBL) since 1993, and operated it as a joint venture. It is now the sole...

Amana unit sold.(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, Mich., has sold its Amana commercial microwave business to the British company, AGA Food Service Group, for $49.25 million. The unit makes microwaves for restaurant chains. Amana will continue to make microwaves...

Bids for Daewoo.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Reuter's news agency reported that the top bidder for Korean-based Daewoo Electronics is Videocon Industries Ltd. of India and the U.S.-based holding company, Ripplewood Holdings. The bid may reach as high as $700 million. If successful, the...

Displaying daylight images.(mobile display driver IC)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Samsung Electronics Co. has developed an intelligent mobile display driver IC (DDI) that it says enables displays on handheld devices to deliver clearer images in broad daylight. The device automatically measures the brightness of ambient light...

Cross the ion junction.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Cornell University researchers developed an organic semiconductor device that uses ionic junctions that shows electroluminescence and acts as a photovoltaic cell. The idea could lead to displays on cloth, paper and other materials. The device...

Screaming cell phones.(cell phones applications)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Stolen cell phones can holler for help with the introduction of a new service from Synchronica, the mobile device management company based in the UK. The Mobile Manager software can remotely lock and wipe data from mobile phones and can turn on...

New battery technology.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Hybrio, a new battery from France-based Uniross, is ready-to-use right out of the package, as with a disposable battery, retains its charge for months and is rechargeable up to 500 times, the company says. The product will be marketed as Hybrio...

Electrolux closes plants.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Electrolux AB will close two factories in Australia as a part of a plan to transfer production to countries where expenses are lower. Electrolux is trying to save as much as 3.5 billion kronor annually by shifting half of its output to...

Robot cleans workshops.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The iRobot Dirt Dog Workshop Robot from iRobot Corp., Burlington, Mass., can pick up small nails, dirt, sawdust and other debris. The same size and shape as the company's vacuuming robot, the Dirt Dog features an oversized bagless debris bin...

Gas-turbine battery.(battery for gas-turbine engine )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... MIT researchers have put a gas-turbine engine inside a silicon chip about the size of a quarter that could power a battery 10 times longer than a battery of the same weight. The chip, or micro engine, is made of six, etched silicon wafers. Each...

Speakers that breathe.(information about loudspeakers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Japan-based JVC has introduced the Pulsating Sphere Speaker that the company says has properties that are close to the ideal sound source. JVC has applied for 17 related patents. The technology uses linked diaphragms to use the entire surface...

Hybrid silicon laser.(University of california serice)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Researchers from Intel and the University of California, Santa Barbara, have built the world's first electrically powered Hybrid Silicon Laser using standard silicon processes. The researchers were able to combine the light-emitting properties...

Ceramic microreactors.(NEWS WATCH)
November 1, 2006... Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have built a ceramic microreactor for on-site reforming of hydrocarbon fuels, such as propane, into hydrogen for use in fuel cells and other portable power sources. Reforming the...

Front-loading laundry.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Whirlpool Corp has introduced the Maytag Epic Front Load washer and dryer. The line features a Smooth Balance Suspension system that works like shock absorbers to reduce noise and vibrations. The washer features the IntelliFill Automatic Water...

Small kitchen appliance sales.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Rice cookers were the number one revenue contributor in 2005 within the worldwide small kitchen appliance market, followed by kettles, coffee makers and blenders, according to "The Worldwide Market for Small Household Appliances" by IMS...

FCC concludes wireless auction.(Frequency allocation (Telecommunications))(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The FCC's first auction of Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) spectrum licenses has ended with 104 bidders winning 1,087 licenses with a purchase value of $13.9 billion. The licenses can be used to provide wireless services and technologies to...

Ultra-wideband radio.(wireless radio developed)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... A working prototype of an ultra-wideband digital wireless radio has been built at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The system, developed by four undergraduates at the school, circumvents the problem of crowded RF spectrums, by...

MRI to go.(Magnetic resonance imaging)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have successfully tested a laser-based MRI technique that would make the technology compact and portable, relatively cheap and quiet. The new laser-based...

Colors of the rainbow.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, unveiled a technology that uses microscopic "artificial muscles" to reproduce a fuller range of colors than is possible on current displays. The invention is not expected to be...

Closing the green gap.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Researchers from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., received $1.8 million in federal funding to improve the energy efficiency of green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The team is working to double or triple the power output of...

Get gecko adhesion.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Inspired by hairs that allow geckos to hang single-toed from sheer walls and scamper across ceilings, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have created an array of microfibers that use friction to support loads. The array of...

Cooling device cools chips.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, have built a cooling device tiny enough to fit on a computer chip that could work reliably and efficiently with microelectronic components. The device uses an electrical charge to create a...

Mobile phone vending machine.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Illinois-based Motorola Inc. offers its products to consumers through robotic retail stores in a pilot program providing automated, on-demand vending options. Working with small-format robotic stores from Zoom Systems of San Francisco, the...

Riding the range.(Mercury Appliances)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... In an effort to create a minimalist design, a new gas range developed by Mercury Appliances, Lincoln, U.K., uses motorcycle-style twist-grip controls to adjust the burners on the cooking surface. Mercury's Thermastone range was designed by the...

Meetings.(NEWS WATCH)(Calendar)
November 1, 2006... NOVEMBER SMMA Fall Technical Conference, Nov. 1-3, St. Louis, Mo. Contact: 508/979-5935, Email: info@smma.org, Website: www.smma.org ARI Annual Meeting, Nov. 11-14, La Quinta, Calif. Contact: 703/524-8800, Email: ddurr@ari.org,...

Troubling tin tendrils: curious phenomenon can short-circuit equipment.(METALS & METAL PARTS)
November 1, 2006... They're back. The mysterious and troublesome tin whiskers, once banished, have returned. That's because lead, the guardian that kept them at bay, has been forced into retirement. The whiskers that sprout from tin are small, typically no...

Meritable magnesium: new casting alloy provides both strength and beauty.(METALS & METAL PARTS)
November 1, 2006... While plastic still dominates as the material of choice for electronic housings, more designers are looking at metal die castings as an alternative that derivers higher strength and inherent electromagnetic shielding. Where weight is a concern,...

Powder performances: a sampling of outstanding powder metallurgy parts recognized in the 2006 Powder Metallurgy Design Awards competition sponsored by the Metal Powder Industries Federation.(METALS & METAL PARTS)
November 1, 2006... Lawn Mower Pulley and Drum PM steel parts, a drum and two pulleys, operating in a premium, power lawn-mower blade-override system won the grand prize in the competition's lawn & garden/off-highway market category. Made by Burgess-Norton...

Natural light: idea from nature leads to novel display technology.(DISPLAYS & INDICATORS)
November 1, 2006... What can a butterfly teach about technology? Quite a lot, actually. The physics behind the iridescence seen in butterfly wings, peacock feathers, and the inside of a sea shell, has inspired an innovative display technology based on the same...

OLEDs on the move: longer life leads to greater use.(DISPLAYS & INDICATORS)
November 1, 2006... Recent developments in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology are enabling greater deployment of OLED displays in a number of applications, including home appliances, consumer electronics, and even medical equipment. One factor behind...

A burning issue: LNG may affect combustion in gas appliances.(GAS TECHNOLOGY)
November 1, 2006... An invisible gremlin is poised to invade homes and business across America and tinker with their gas appliances The gremlin is liquefied natural gas (LNG), and its tool for tinkering is the unpredictable stew of hydrocarbons it contains. ...

Sunless solar power: TPV technology turns gas appliances into power generators.(GAS TECHNOLOGY)
November 1, 2006... Recent advances in thermophotovoltaic generator design make this technology increasingly attractive for generating electricity inside gas appliances, either to free the appliance from dependence on wall-plug power or to co-generate power for...

Compliant components: testing can play key role in ensuring RoHS compliance.(QUALITY & STANDARDS)
November 1, 2006... European Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance has been in force since July 1. Many manufacturers who fall within the scope of the regulation have done what they believe is due diligence by collecting Certificates of Compliance...

Weathering forecasting: yellowing of unprotected polycarbonate in xenon arc regression model and observed data: Lab tests can yield predictions of durability in outdoor environments.(QUALITY & STANDARDS)
November 1, 2006... Manufacturers can build service life prediction (SLP) models for weathering studies by using xenon are Weather-Ometers and proper design of experiment (DOE). By inputting environmental data from the outdoor exposure location, manufacturers can...

A waffler that wows: laser scanning enables design of complex appliance features.(QUALITY & STANDARDS)
November 1, 2006... Wafflers that imprint interesting designs have become very popular, and Jarden's Tilia subsidiary makes a variety of them sold under the Villa Ware brand, including one that makes heart-shaped waffles and others that imprint the image of...

Caplugs.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2006... Caplugs' Catalog Released. Caplugs' product catalog features over 150 new parts along with the existing product lines of caps, plugs, edge liners, grommets, wraps, nettings and Clearview[TM] tubing. The 172-page, full-color catalog highlights...

YFC-BonEagle Electric Co. Ltd.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2006... YFC--Your First Choice for High Voltage/Specialty Power Cords, Power Cords & Cord Sets, Plugs & Adapters, *RoHS Compliant * ISO 9001 * Product listed by UL/CUL and meet international standard Enter 584 YFC-BonEagle Electric...

Lumex, Inc./ITW.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2006... The LED and LGD Solutions Guido by Lumex/ITW is a complete library of proven design solutions to meet all your appliance specific visible opto-component needs LED illumination and indication light sources, LED numeric, dot matrix and...

Tesa tape, Inc.(DESIGN MART)
November 1, 2006... Tesa manufactures a variety of products perfect for the appliance market. From residue free removal TPP and filament tapes, to double sided tapes for temporary and permanent holding, tesa has the solution for you. The clean removal properties...

The U.S. needs a gas quality standard.(ASSOCIATION REPORT: AHAM)
November 1, 2006... It's not very often that AHAM becomes involved in proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), let alone individual gas utility tariff matters. But a decision by FERC in June 2006 could require appliance manufacturers to...