Designfax articles from December 2002

Designfax archives from December 2002

Conversation--the world-wide business climate. (Layer One).
December 1, 2002... As we progress further into global manufacturing and business, the old maxim about how politics makes strange bedfellows tends to apply to corporate politics, as well. An example of this, that occurred in August of this year, was an...

Who's nauti and who's nice? (Up Front).
December 1, 2002... And so we arrive at December. For those of you with seasonal-affective disorders, we at Designfax are pleased to provide you this summery cover art to frame and hang in your workspace, to chase those blues away. There are plenty of reasons...

Power donuts: Rewinding at the core of these toroid transformers. (Five Star Product of the Month).
December 1, 2002... Two reasons have been cited to explain the efficiency of toroidal power transformers over conventional stacked lamination designs: 1. The windings are placed directly on the core, distributed over its entire circumference and minimizing the...

GTM Construction. (Technology Spotlight).
December 1, 2002... The French company GTM Construction is developing a complete guidance and control system for construction equipment such as graders and bulldozers by using satellites that can guarantee sub-centimeter altimetric accuracy. Superior to...

Johns Hopkins University. (Technology Spotlight).
December 1, 2002... Pinching pennies will produce less discernible results, if work from Johns Hopkins University should make its way into production. Engineers at the institution applied extreme cold and mechanical manipulation, followed by a carefully measured...

Insert molding design kit. (Top Product).
December 1, 2002... * reduces assembly and labor costs * improves electromechanical components One manufacturing method that has been growing in popularity groups discreet components into a custom-built mold and encapsulates them together with...

Glass & quartz tubing. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... This company fabricates micro-inch tolerance Precision Bore (PB) glass and quartz tubing using vacuum heat shrinking methods. Stainless steel and molybdenum mandrels provide ID tolerances to [+ or -]0.0002 in. Design assistance is available,...

Liquid Silicone Rubber. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... This company now offers off the shelf and custom formulated Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) and platinum-cured Room Temperature Vulcanization (RTV) products. Both LSR and RTV compounds are offered in a hardness range of 5 to 80 Shore A and a...

Weather-resistant steel. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... Hot-rolled Domex 100W (100 minimum yield) is manufactured with 0.118- to 0.236-in, thickness, while cold-reduced Docol 100W is between 0.0197- and 0.079-in, thick. A weather-resistant 2-year old oxide layer impedes corrosion-inducing moisture...

Mica cable tapes. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... This full line of asbestos-free high-temperature silicone bonded mica tape allows electrical cables to function while exposed to flames up to 2100[degrees]F. It is impervious to water, resistant to radiation, acid and alkaline, and is...

Plastics website. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... This updated website provides detailed information concerning 500 grades of the company's nylon, barrier and thermoplastic polyester resins. A live answer center provides interactive answers to technical questions for 3 hours each weekday. In...

Multi-component elastomer cure system. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... Designed for this company's Tufel II elastomers line, this cure system consists of the TN-7 inhibitor and CA-7 platinum catalyst masterbatches. The 2-part system allows operators to balance product cure speed and shelf life to accommodate...

Gasketing & sealing material. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... This company introduces a line of gasketing and sealing material for applications including NEMA 4, EMI/RFI and UL. Compression gasket materials include EPDM material with NEMA 4 sealing and UV resistance, UL 94 flame-retardant neoprene...

Low-friction micro-coating. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... The MicroBlue coating system provides a uniform 1-micron thick layer that reduces friction, even in non-contact environments. Treated surfaces can withstand load forces in excess of 300,000 psi and will not chip, flake or peel. Since heat is...

Hardsurfacing alloy. (Materials).
December 1, 2002... Specifically developed for high impact and abrasive applications, 80PTA hardsurfacing alloy contains 60% abrasion-resistant tungsten carbide particles (3500 DPG) in a soft (HRC30) impact-resistant nickel base matrix alloy. Particles are...

MIM makes the club. (Application Xtra).
December 1, 2002... * reduced manufacturing steps * properties similar to wrought metals Golf runs quite opposite to most other sports. The game is played in hushed tones on endless green fields, and the equipment manufacturers produce the greater noise....

Methacrylate adhesive joins the club: boat bonding advances from weakest to strongest point.
December 1, 2002... Vanguard Racing Sailboats of Portsmouth, RI, manufacture high-performance small boats for use in junior, collegiate, and Olympic sailing. The one-design racing format requires that all boats produced be uniform in design, shape, size and...

Motor design. (Innovations).
December 1, 2002... This company supplies a suite of SPEED programs developed by University of Glasgow, Scotland. Recently released, SPEEDGAD bundles four of these programs into one CAD package to cover the design of single-phase and poly-phase induction motors...

Flat harmonic drive gearing. (Innovations).
December 1, 2002... The Ultra Flat CSD series of gears has been developed with an "S" tooth profile and a new diaphragm shape to reduce the axial length significantly. High accuracy of 1 arc-mm and repeatability of [+ or -]5 arc-sec is maintained in a...

Digital inverters. (Innovations).
December 1, 2002... The KBV2 series (NEMA-1) drives are full featured units rated from 1 to 30 hp with 230 and 460 VAC line input. The sensorless flux-vector operation mode provides over 200% torque down to 1 Hz. Closed loop flex vector operation is also...

Helicoidal gearmotors. (Innovations).
December 1, 2002... Designed to offer high torque per dollar in a small package, Series B Conex helicoidal gearmotors deliver up to 20 hp and maximum output torque to 5000 lb-in, with a choice of 10 standard ratios from 5:1 to 60:1. Universal gear case sizes are...

DC servo drive. (Innovations).
December 1, 2002... The ViX DC-powered servo drive provides an alternative to AC drives, packing a flexible controller (with auto-configuration software) and 250/500 VA output stage into a compact case. Multiple-axis applications do not require individual power...

No-fault asphalt: CAN controller paves a road.
December 1, 2002... Every springtime in the state of Ohio, after snows have melted and the earth begins to warm, the "state flower" blooms, a ritual repeated and echoed at some time or another in the remaining 49 states of the Union. Along the highways sprouts...

Roller screws. (Top Product).
December 1, 2002... * long life * suited to high loads, speeds Converting rotary torque into linear motion, the PRS Series stand-alone roller screw component uses a planetary roller screw that provides more contact points than is possible on...

Linear guide. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... The Monorail BZ 35 connects high-accuracy toothed gear segments to the company's Monorail BM system, to create a unified linear guide and rack ready for fast installation with a pinion drive. Low friction and low stroke pulsation are achieved...

Anti-backlash nut. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... This nut eliminates the minimal backlash between the leadscrew and nut interface on the company's size 17 linear actuators. Available for non-captive and captive designs, the spring preload design assures precision over millions of cycles....

Piezo translation stage. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... Unveiled as the world's smallest high-speed translation stage with an integrated linear piezo motor drive, the M661 provides a 20 mm travel range with 0.1 [micro]m resolution. Package size is 25 x 20 x 8 mm, with the motor producing velocities...

Miniature ball screws. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... Built using internal ball-return technology, this series of miniature ball screws will be offered in 4 mm (with 1 mm lead), 6 mm and 8mm diameters. Nylon wipers will be standard to prevent the ingress of contamination. Both rolled and ground...

In-cylinder sensor. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... The TDP-100 position sensor provides an alternative to non-contact feedback devices for hydraulic and pneumatic actuators. Combining virtually infinite resolution, wear-resistant hybrid-track technology and low cost, the sensor uses...

Precision ball screws. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... According to this company, their proprietary PSF technology makes FineLine ball screws as accurate as ground ball screws but at a significant cost savings, even with custom machined ends. The manufacturing process also contributes to precise...

Linear motor actuator. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... The Type RDM actuator is coreless and features a thrust rod for enhanced performance. A coreless motor virtually eliminates attractive forces, reduces low-speed ripple and allows for a compact design. With the motor coils encased in the moving...

Capacitive prox sensors. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... These proximity sensors feature high electromagnetic compatibility, increased switching distances up to 25 mm, and a choice of designs for flush and non-flush installation. The CM 18 is packaged in an M18 cylinder, the CM 30 in an M30 round...

Ultrasonic prox sensors. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... The Model SM607 Series of proximity sensors has fixed sensing windows as small as 0.125 in. within sensing ranges up to 2.5 in., with a deadband as short as 1.25 in. The devices combine piezoelectric transducer and microprocessor technology,...

Double nuts. (Motion Spotlight: Positioning Components).
December 1, 2002... Designed for this company's ground ball screw line, the UNILOCK double nut eliminates the need for spacers or connecting hardware required by conventional double nuts. UNILOCK uses two nuts directly preloaded against each other and then locked,...

PCI motion controller. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... The XMP-SynqNet-PCI provides 100 Mbps, real-time, synchronous networking for up to 32 axes. With SynqNet, servos can be updated as quickly as 20 kHz for four axes, or 10 kHz for eight axes. SynqNet also supports user defined I/O CAN-based...

Heavy duty brushless DC motor. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... Developed for applications requiring very high inertia and performance such as pumps, conveyors, blowers and compressors, this 240 VDC outer rotating motor provides 3.3 hp and 960 oz-in. of running torque at 3500 rpm. Options include a choice...

Thin-section bearings guide. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... An engineering specification guide is now available for designers with applications for Ultra-Slim bearings, which feature a cross section of 2.5 mm. The bearings are fabricated from stainless steel for corrosion resistance, and hybrid ceramic...

Gearheads. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... RGH harmonic drive gearheads offer the company's zero backlash technology in a compact package. An integral flange output supported by heavy duty bearings allow the units to provide high axial, radial and moment loads. The RGH is available in...

Soft starter. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... SSW-05 digital soft starters offer advanced motor control and simplified operation in a package 1/5 the size of conventional units. This line of products will accommodate motors from 3 to 60 hp (10 to 85A, 220 to 575 VAC). Front panel LEDs...

Online motion community. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... An interactive, expert system has been launched on the Internet, dedicated to providing services to participants in motion issues; particularly, motors and motion control. The virtual campus offers an Information Product Center, for reports,...

Motor/drive combo. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... Weighing just 5 oz, the Mdrivel4 package combines a NEMA size 14 high torque stepping motor with onboard half/full step drive. Features include optically isolated logic inputs that will accept 5 to 24 VDC signals, sourcing or sinking. Setup...

Nano PLCs. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... Available in modular (book) and compact (brick) formats, TWIDO controllers pack 40 I/Os into a body smaller than a business card vet are customizable with a range of expansion modules for over 200 analog and discrete I/O points. An all-in-one...

Ethernet motor controller. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... This card-level, DMC21x3 controller incorporates an inexpensive 96-pin DIN connector that eliminates the need for cable between the controller and interconnect boards. The device offers 1 to 8 axis control of step or servo motors, 10-BaseT...

Encoders. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... This line of absolute rotary encoders is encased in stainless steel to handle harsh environment ap plications in chemical, heavy industrial and food industries. Single-turn versions have a resolution up to 16-bits, while multi-turn encoders can...

High efficiency brush motor. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... The latest offering from this company is the TG3300 Series slotless brush PM motor, which eliminates conventional iron cores And their problems with cogging torque, iron anci nysteresis losses. Maximum continuous torque is 80 oz-in. at 10,000...

Five-phase stepper series. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... The PCE High Torque Motor Series achieves almost double the torque of its predecessors to move extremely heavy loads. A separator between the motor's coil, stator and phase supply raises the unit's dielectric strength to 3000V, plus there is...

Air handling pillow block. (Motion Products).
December 1, 2002... The ConCentra Air Handling Ball Bearing Unit is designed for fan and blower applications. This bearing uses a multi-step sleeve arrangement to form a near 360 degree interference fit. The resulting concentric fit reduces noise and vibration in...

Radar level gauge. (Top Product).
December 1, 2002... * accurate * non-contact Suitable for use in hazardous areas, the BM 702 level gauge is reputed to be the first 2-wire Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar level device. Radar provides reliable and accurate non-contact...

Pressure transducer. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Model 243/343 pressure transducer features low cost, small size, environmental sealing, and vibration- and shock-resistance. Its service life is cited at 1,000,000 cycles and it is constructed of welded stainless steel. Pressure ranges run from...

Sight flow indicators. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... The LIF series sight flow indicator is available in pipe sizes ranging from 1/2- to 6-in. dia., and with flanged ends faced and drilled to mate with ANSI Class 150 connections. Series LIS is furnished with NPTF threaded ends or with custom...

Hydrostatic level transducer. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Now available with a Modbus-RTU framing format, the submersible Series 510 smart KPSI level transducer is suited for remote environmental and process monitoring applications where battery-powered operation is required. The series operates at...

Vacuum pumps. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Air-Miser series multi-stage, multi-ejector venturi vacuum pumps achieve 27-in. Hg vaccum levels using 45 psi inlet pressure (rather than the conventional 80 to 100 psi). A range of pump sizes is equivalent to electric pumps ranging from 1/16...

Hydraulic system accessories. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... This catalog features the company's line of hydraulic system accessories, available in metric and inch configurations. Products include polymeric plugs, magnetic plugs, oil-fill plugs and caps with dipsticks, push-fit breathers, valve-filler...

Pump head. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Series M800 compact diaphragm pump head reaches pressures up to 11,600 psi using a PTFE sandwich diaphragm that is freely oscillating with position control that can handle granular suspensions, salt solutions and viscous fluids to 100,000 cps....

Miniature flow controls. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Banjo-style miniature flow controls can be mounted directly on small-bore cylinders used in micro-pneumatic applications. The flow controls are unidirectional valves; intake air flows in freely and exhaust air is metered out through a...

High-purity manifold. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... The VHP 2100 high purity switchover manifold maintains constant downstream pressure and high gas purity. Designed with a 500 series barstock regulator, the manifold has metal-to-metal seals to prevent helium leakage. Maximum inlet pressure is...

Nitrogen booster system. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Designed for use in aircraft ground support applications, these lightweight, portable nitrogen booster systems are available in single- and two-stage models and include an automatic stop feature when supply pressure drops below minimum inlet...

Level measurement. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... The PDCR/PTX 1830 series is suitable for industrial level measurements in liquid control applications. Full scale operating ranges are available from 1 to 900 psi with a choice of electrical format. The 3-wire transducer variant PDCR offers...

Turbine flowmeters. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... The HHP series of turbine flowmeters is designed for high-pressure liquid and gas applications, providing accuracy of [+ or -]0.5% of reading for liquids and [+ or -]1% of reading for gases. Operating over a wide range of temperatures, the 316L...

Valve interlocks. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... These simple trapped-key valve interlocks ensure a safe sequence of steps is followed when operating hazardous equipment. They are designed to fit easily onto valves and associated equipment to eliminate operator error from the process. A key...

Liquid flow sensor. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... Designed as an electronic alternative to ball-and-tube rotameters, Model 106F Liquid Flo-Sensors precisely measure flow rates of fluids as low as 15 mL/min with (+ or -)1% linearity and (+ or -)0.2% repeatability (full scale). Teflon, Kal-Rez...

Ultrasonic level transmitter. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... The general-purpose 2-wire LU12-14 MiniMe ultrasonic transmitter provides non-contact level measurement up to 10 ft in a standard 1-in, mount. Optional 2-in. mount versions are available with a measurement span up to 25 or 40 ft. Accuracy is...

Gear and piston pumps. (Fluid Power: Hydraulic & Pneumatic Components).
December 1, 2002... This company introduces a complete line of gear and piston pumps for the mobile and construction industry. Gear pumps range from 2800 to 4600 psi, while piston pumps produce up to 5000 psi. These pumps are hi-rotational in design and are...

Pneumatic systems in turf toughening treatment. (Application Xtra).
December 1, 2002... * durable parts * available worldwide The Invesco field at Mile High football stadium in Denver is equipped with a new turf treatment that improves the quality and resistance of playing surfaces involving natural grass. The DD...

Spinning speedier spindles: "motorized bearing" facilitates faster feeds, cuts harder materials. (Tech Upgrades).
December 1, 2002... The art and science of material cutting relies on not only the quality of the cutting tool, but the mechanism that holds the tool, as well. In an industrial environment, machines spin tools into materials for milling, drilling, dicing and other...

Oil-shear motor brakes. (Top Product).
December 1, 2002... * reduced "brake-downs" * increased efficiency Designed for high-stress start/stop drives, the low-inertia design and oil-shear cushioning of the Magna shear motor brakes provide fast response with smoother stops, less wear and stress...

Pancake reducers. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... The PBR series of compact, zero-backlash pancake reducers offers very low profiles with input mounting to accept either NEMA or metric motors. The series incorporates a compression coupling motor shaft interface available with continuous output...

Polygonally-shaped shafts. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... Designed for greater load carrying capacities than splines, keys, flats or other common drive connections, Polygon shafts and bores provide smoother movement on sliding drive connections with reduced sliding clearance and backlash. They can...

Compact brake. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... Based on using mechanical leverage to amplify the force of the friction linings against the respective opposing friction surface, the backlash-free, spring-applied SEMO-Brake thus displays high torque for its size. This brake can be released...

Conveyor part holder. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... The FlexLoc convertible holder system provides part-holder accuracy of [+ or -]0.01-in in four axes, ensuring precision delivery of small parts for tight-tolerance timing-or flat-belt applications. It can be a high-accuracy alternative to...

Drive rollers. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... Extended-shaft drive rollers accommodate shaft sizes of 3/8- to 1 1/4-in. dia., and come assembled with hub and set-screws to lock onto the shaft. Outside diameters range from 1 1/2- to 4-in., while widths are 1-, 1 1/4- and 2-in. Materials...

Servo insert couplings. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... Manufactured with backlash-free, vibration-dampening elastomer inserts, the Servomax EZ2 series of line shaft couplings has high-strength precision aluminum tubes exhibiting very high torsional rigidity. The couplings can span distances from 4...

Modular conveyor. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... The ST-PLN WhisperTrax straight closed-top conveyor features acetal plastic chain for long life and quiet operation, generating 1/20 the noise of conventional plastic conveyors. Twelve belt widths from 7.31 - to 46.28-in. are available in...

Drive chain. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... The IWIS MEGAlife maintenance-free chains and CR corrosion-resistant chains can operate with no lubrications for difficult-to-lubricate applications. The chains exhibit elevated wear- and corrosion-resistance and high fatigue strength. CR...

Magnetic Conveyor. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... These Standard Frame Magnetic Conveyors are modular in design for quick assembly. Horizontal, incline and vertical conveyors can be used to transport, feed, accumulate, elevate, orient and sequence ferrous and partially ferrous items. Inclines...

Inverted conveyors. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... Designed for contamination-free movement and easy accessibility to transported loads, the Unibilt inverted conveyors feature WebbAlloy II steel track, which is up to 43% harder than other conveyor systems. Ranging from simple delivery systems...

Hydraulic mechanical locking coupling. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... Designed for marine and other heavy-duty applications, the ETP-Hycon hydraulic mechanical locking coupling is suited for high torque and high-rigidity requirements. The compact, lightweight quick-mounting coupling will not damage contact...

Static-free belt. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... This Static Dissipative Belt is made from Cyclothane-SD, a thermoplastic urethane that minimizes harmful static electric buildup on conveyors and other machinery. The O-ring power transmission belt offers a volume resistivity of 2 E9 [omega]-cm...

Friction clutch. (Mechanical: Power Transmission).
December 1, 2002... The CS-08 series friction clutch features a snapon gear for easy, tool-less assembly. The modular clutch has a static friction torque of 0.25 Nm and response time of 20 msec. It has zero backlash and low 2.4W power consumption. Applications...

High-Slip Braking software eliminates braking resistors. (Application Xtra).
December 1, 2002... High-Slip Braking (HSB) software is specifically designed for AC drive applications that benefit from fast stops, including emergency stops. It is ideal for high-inertia rotating loads, such as centrifuges, mixers, blowers, presses and laundry...

Simplifying cyclotron safety: Programmable safety systems eliminate excessive wiring of hard-wired relays. (RevisionX).
December 1, 2002... Michigan State University's National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), located on its East Lansing, MI, campus, currently operates two cyclotrons: the K500--the first superconducting cyclotron--and the K1200--presently the world's...

EL lamp drivers. (Top Product).
December 1, 2002... * higher luminance driver * audible noise reduction Seen at this year's Electronica trade show in Munich was this company's two high-power electroluminescent (EL) lamp drivers. With the D305A driver as part of a high-brightness lamp...

Low noise photodiodes. (Electrical/Electronics: Lights, Lamps & LEDs).
December 1, 2002... The S8745 and S8746 Silicon photodiodes feature low noise and excellent noise equivalent power characteristics. They are well suited for UV to near-JR precision photometry designs such as spectrophotometry and general-purpose optical...

Bright LEDs. (Electrical/Electronics: Lights, Lamps & LEDs).
December 1, 2002... The transparent substrate material used in the Ultra-Bright AlInGaP TS series produces 30% more illumination over conventional LEDs, making them suited for instruments and outdoor displays that must function in ambient lighting situations....