Designfax articles from January 2003

Designfax archives from January 2003

Magnetic latching valves. (Advertisement).
January 1, 2003... New low-cost, magnetic latching valves for when your power is limited or you need to avoid coil heating. The latching components are external to the valve for adaptation to any Series 20, 30 or Series 80 valve with an internal spring change....

Submersible valves. (Advertisement).
January 1, 2003... These water-resistant solenoid valves have encapsulated coils for use in wet environments or even when complete submersion is necessary. The Series 15 or 50 valves are intended for outdoor uses including HVACR, irrigation systems, off-road...

Stainless steel bodies. (Advertisement).
January 1, 2003... Two new Series 58 valves with stainless steel bodies supplement the series of six plastic-body valves from Peter Paul. Offered in 2-Way and 3-Way versions, they retain the same coil options, voltages, wattages, orifice sizes, pressure ratings...

Pitfalls in the path to perpetual profitability: whither goest CAD software? (Layer One).
January 1, 2003... Mr. Grabowski, editor at upFront.eZine, posted the following observations at his weekly website on 26 November, 2002. He is the former senior editor of CADalyst, and has written a broad array of handbooks and guides for CAD and AutoCAD users....

Snap ring application: centrifugal clutch.
January 1, 2003... The single turn snap ring in this application retains the entire assembly. The snap ring is available in high temperature and high corrosive resistant materials, and is easy to install. There are No Ears To Interfere[TM], with the mating...

Spiral retaining ring application: needle bearing.
January 1, 2003... Designed especially for flexing in a shallow groove, this retaining ring holds the needle bearing cage assembly in the bearing housing. A previously unreliable operation of roll forming the housing was eliminated when this Smalley ring was...

Faith, hope and parity. (Up Front).
January 1, 2003... The bankruptcy in December of United Airlines produces a major ripple in manufacturing, with dominoes that include aircraft manufacturers, component subcontractors and material suppliers. UA suffered from an unfortunate convergence of...

The silicon power switch. (Five Star Product of the Month).
January 1, 2003... At some point in the last two years, you may have found yourself driving behind a new Cadillac equipped with neon brake lights, or a truck or bus using the newer LED lighting. Did you notice the difference when those lights come on, that they...

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. (Technology Spotlight).
January 1, 2003... Researchers in the Materials Sciences Division (MSD) of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, working with crystal-growing teams at Cornell University and Japan's Ritsumeikan University, have learned that a single system of...

Hammerfest Strom. (Technology Spotlight).
January 1, 2003... In a novel use of clean energy, the world's most northerly town will soon be the first to get electricity from a sub-sea power station run on tidal currents tugged by the moon. Gigantic forces in the oceans--waves, currents and tides--have...

New, Harmonic Planetary[R] high precision planetary gearhead. (Advertisement).
January 1, 2003... Exclusively from HD Systems, the Harmonic Planetary [R] HPG Series provides the motion control and design engineer with a planetary gearhead that reduces backlash to less than 1 arc-min. This level of backlash is maintained for the life of the...

New, hollow shaft actuators. (Advertisement).
January 1, 2003... The FHA Series of actuators features a through-bore up to 45mm in diameter and provides high torque and exceptional positioning accuracy. This performance is achieved in a compact design using a patented "S" tooth harmonic drive gear coupled to...

New, Harmonic Drive Gearhead, zero backlash. (Advertisement).
January 1, 2003... The CSF-2UH series high torque gearheads use HD Systems' patented "S" tooth that delivers more than twice the torque, twice the life, and twice the torsional stiffness when compared to conventional Harmonic Drive Gearing. Positional Accuracy is...

Dry MR fluid concentrate. (Top Product).
January 1, 2003... * "Kool-Aid" format * easier to ship, store This company has patented a dry concentrate form of Rheonetic magnetorheological fluid. The "Kool-Aid" format requires only the addition of water to mix it into usable form. Container size...

Corrosion protection. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... The Neptune chain lasts longer than nickel-plated chain because of its double barrier against corrosion. A specially developed topcoat protects the chain from physical impact and corrosive agents, while a zinc base coat extends the protection...

Film coating. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... This company produces coatings for applications with precise optical specifications and rapid turnaround requirements. Capabilities include anti-reflection, mirror applications, beam splitters, neutral density filters, plastic optics, large...

Contract finishing. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... Designed to meet shot peening, mass finishing and abrasive blasting needs, this company offers a comprehensive range of contract services, from vibratory and high-energy mass finishing to air blast and wheel blast processing. Services benefit...

Plastics drying handbook. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... The Plastics Drying Application Handbook provides a quick field reference guide to assist plastic processing companies and molders increase production through more efficient drying techniques. Key areas outlined are dew point, thermal...

Precision machining services. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... The Redefining Excellence brochure outlines this company's ultra-critical tolerance machining capabilities, particularly large parts. Emphasis is given to the company's newest temperature-controlled building, built specifically to house what is...

Polyurethane interlayer. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... Viapure double interleaving is an easy-to-handle, optical-grade polyurethane interlayer material that ensures optimal protection and surface quality in laminated security glass applications Double interleaving sup e rim poses thin,...

Platinum clad wire, ribbon. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... Designed to replace expensive solid products at 1/10th the cost, this company produces custom platinum-clad wire and ribbon. Featuring a variety of core materials with cladding thickness from 2% up, the wire is offered in sizes from 0.05 to 10...

TPE overmolding. (Materials).
January 1, 2003... Facilitating products with stronger, more dimensionally stable overmolding grade material, Overflex compound provides high tensile strength with less material, suitable for applications that require holes for bristles--e.g. toothbrushes. This...

Backpacking kayak. (Application Xtra).
January 1, 2003... * lightweight * exceptional elongation Lightweight and portable is the name of the game in many product development circles these days, and a new brand of folding kayak is just the ticket for paddlers on-the-go. Weighing in at 15 to 22...

Designing to meet highway regs: simulation, analysis ensures roadworthiness and safety. (Feature).
January 1, 2003... If they weren't already acquainted with the concept, drivers will soon be learning the importance of having the correct tire pressure for highway driving. Accidents caused by incorrect tire pressure have made headlines and cost some automobile...

Micro-miniature medicine: reducing the size of electronics increases implantable possibilities.
January 1, 2003... Few markets have witnessed as significant an impact from the miniaturization of electronics as products for the medical profession. With consumer devices, the reduction in form factor enhances the portability of "fun" objects like CD players...

Reversing actuator. (Medical Products).
January 1, 2003... Reversing actuator, Booth 2988 The Ball Reverser actuator provides reciprocating motion for stroke lengths from 0.44- to 148.0-in, or more. Five standard sizes accommodate most load sizes. Designed to be more wear resistant and meet high...

Surgical component molding: process problem solving meets parts demand. (Application Ideas).
January 1, 2003... Trocars are complex tools that provide surgeons with a minimally invasive tunnel for insertion of instruments such as laparoscopes for visual examination, specimen removal and other procedures. The thin-walled trocar sleeve relies on a series...

Custom complex flow valve: new solenoid 3-way valve meets flexibility demands.
January 1, 2003... A manufacturer of precision dispensing syringe systems needed a special valve that could be assembled on top of multiple syringes, and mounted side-by-side while functioning in traditional aspirate and dispense modes, as well as a wash cycle....

Brake pad attachment. (Top Product).
January 1, 2003... * mechanical locking * quick, affordable manufacture Designed for attaching disc-brake pads quickly and economically, the FeinGrip fineblanked pad attachment system meets stringent specs for strength and dimensional tolerances. Its...

High-temp epoxy. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... EP-211 FRHTC flame-retardant, rigid-cure epoxy potting compound withstands temperatures up to 200[degrees]C when heat cured, and has a room temperature cured service temperature up to 130[degrees]C. Its viscosity provides excellent penetration...

Industrial bolts. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... Hex head and flanged hex head industrial bolts are available in sizes from 5/16-to 2-in. dia. The bolts can be ordered in the following materials: 300 and 400 stainless steel, A-286, K-500, Inconel 718 and 625, and Monel 400. Engineers and...

Pressure-sensitive tapes. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... A wide range of custom pressure-sensitive tape options includes lathe slitting that can cut widths as narrow as 1/16-in., and rewind slitting for tolerances as close as [+ or -]0.001-in. Materials include all substrates such as PVC, cloth,...

Adhesive dispensing. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... ES 10 III coating weight controls provide accurate hot melt adhesive dispensing in dynamic production environments. The ES 10 control automatically calculates pump speed for different application weights to support fast, correct production...

Bus-drive spacers. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... These nickel-plated brass (Part #8799) or nylon (Part #4799) standoffs may be used with more than 100 different PC/104 modules to overcome space limitations. A choice of other materials and finishes is also available. The company's PC/104 and...

Adhesive mixing, dispensing. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... Making 2-component adhesives as easy to use as single component counterparts, the Mixpac S system offers dispensing of 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, and 10:1 volumetric ratios within a single dispenser. A new cartridge design has separate cylinders and a...

Threadlocker. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... HH120 general-purpose threadlocker and sealant replaces lock-washers, sealing fasteners against water and chemicals in permanent assemblies. The high-viscosity (7000cP) material obtains fixture strength in 15 to 20 min. on active metals such as...

Self-locking fasteners. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... Permanentech self-locking, vibration proof nut and bolt fasteners may be unlocked for inspection and maintenance purposes. A proprietary nut removal tool facilitates removal of custom and standard size metal and injection-molded fastening...

Fastener lubricant. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... Designed to reduce installation torque on tri-lobular type and self-threading screws for automotive installations requiring controlled or lower drive torque Nytorq lubricant is an opaque, non-toxic liquid that helps reduce installation costs...

Male & female rivet. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... The two-piece male and female rivet is made of nylon 6/6 and is suited for flexible ID or security bracelets. Rivets simply snap into pre-punched holes in a plastic bracelet and then snap together. Once installed, the rivets are very difficult...

Pressure-sensitive gasketing. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... Quietshield EMI gaskets feature pressure sensitive adhesive for place-and-press mounting without clips or screws. The UL94V-O rated material has a fabric tensile strength of up to 80 lbs/in. Designs include D, R, L and P profiles, and 110...

Screw covers. (Mechanical: Fasteners & Adhesives).
January 1, 2003... The Decorative Screw Cover catalog provides detailed part drawings on the company's full line of products for concealing fastening and mounting hardware in a variety of applications and sizes. New items include hex hidders for hex socket button...

Bonding superabrasive surface. (Application Xtra).
January 1, 2003... * higher feed rates * improved thermal control The Muscle Wheel generation of superabrasive vitrified diamond and CBN grinding wheels is displaying improved performance with the aid of a new bonding material. The patented KP bonding...

Preprogrammed ASIC proximity sensors. (Top Product).
January 1, 2003... * small from factor * lower cost than traditional IC designs Reducing the size of the circuit boards in these inductive proximity sensors allows the reduction of the sensor body length to as short as 22 mm. To enhance durability, the...

Current sensor. (Electrical Electronics: Sensors & Transducers).
January 1, 2003... This fully integrated [+ or -]100A open loop current sensor incorporates programmable linear Hall-effect devices for improved accuracy and linearity, as well as providing very low thermal drift. The electro-mechanical package eliminates the...

Industrial accelerometer. (Electrical Electronics: Sensors & Transducers).
January 1, 2003... The Model 629M06 is packaged in a I 1/8-in, cube, convenient for triaxial vibration measurements in the monitoring of rotating machinery. The device features 100 mV/g sensitivity, 48 to 720k cpm frequency range, electrical case isolation, 560...

Strain sensor. (Electrical Electronics: Sensors & Transducers).
January 1, 2003... This self-temperature-compensating foil strain sensor can be bonded directly to critical airframe surfaces, to measure fatigue loads experienced under various conditions of speed, weight and mission configuration. Measuring 0.45-in. L x...

Velocity sensors. (Electrical Electronics: Sensors & Transducers).
January 1, 2003... The P-50Z and P-20Z systems, additions to the company's Laser Doppler Velocity (LDV) sensor line, are highly-compact devices that provide non-contact measurements of moving or rotating objects in in-line manufacturing processes such as cutting,...

Diffuse photoelectric sensor. (Electrical Electronics: Sensors & Transducers).
January 1, 2003... Offering both foreground and background suppression, the E3Z-LS reduces the number of sensors required to handle applications where false detections can be caused by shiny or irregular surfaces. A visible beam provides easy alignment, while the...

Temperature transducers. (Electrical Electronics: Sensors & Transducers).
January 1, 2003... A family of loop-powered MCR transducers converts signals from RTDs, thermocouples, potentiometers and sensors with linear mV characteristic curves, into 4-20mA analog signals. They are available with HART compatibility, and can be mounted in...

Design techniques for custom sensors and transducers. (Tech Upgrade).
January 1, 2003... Many manufacturers are going to custom or semi-custom component designs for their applications for two reasons: to provide tighter specs based on the latest technologies and to control after market sales for maintenance purposes. Here, a single...

Pneumatic valve island. (Top Product).
January 1, 2003... * compact * high-flow Designed for versatility coupled with user-friendly features, the compact VM10 pneumatic valve island boasts a flow rate of 0.5 Cv, purportedly the highest rate available for any 10 mm wide valves. This...

High-pressure stopcocks. (Fluid Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... These all-metal, reusable 3-way and 1-way high-pressure stopcocks can withstand up to 280 psi and are made from chrome-plated brass. They feature luers conforming to ISO 594 standards and a Micro-Mate female luer thread designed to greatly...

Gas generation system. (Fluid Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... Designed to eliminate dangerous high-pressure oxygen cylinders, the compact Balston TOC gas generation system Model 78-40 produces safe, low-pressure carrier/combustion gas from any available compressed air supply. The generator produces a...

Miniature manifold design. (Fluid Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... This company has designed a unitized-body, miniature manifold construction technique for gas handling systems. Integrating all the valves into a single valve body minimizes sizes and eliminates connection points for reduced leakage. All the...

Air cylinder. (Fluid Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... The HP.S non-rotating metric air cylinder has a square rod to prevent rotation, suiting it for panel lifting applications. It is available in a 50mm bore size and a variety of stroke lengths. The oversized rod provides increased strength and...

In-cylinder position sensor. (Fluid Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... The TDP140 linear position sensor provides OEM cylinder manufacturers with low-cost "smart" capability for their small-bore pneumatic cylinders. Designed with high-resistivity conductive plastic printed on a precision anodized aluminum element,...

Ball valves. (Fluid Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... Suited for food, pharmaceutical and biotech process applications where contamination is a concern, the Lab-Crest compact 1/4 turn, full port glass ball valve can be used as a sight glass, operating in temperatures up to 490[degrees]C and...

Check valves. (Fluid & Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... Designed to seal and maintain vacuum levels in venturi vacuum pumps and switches, these vacuum check valves allow unidirectional airflow. Once the pump reaches desired vacuum level, the switch shuts off the pump, minimizing compressed air...

Hydraulic cylinders. (Fluid & Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... An expanded line of hydraulic swing cylinders is available for various workholding applications. Capacities range from 300 to 7600 lbs of force, with strokes from 1/2- to 1 7/8-in. They are available in standard Buna-N and polyurethane as well...

Flow sensor with load valve. (Fluid & Power: Valves & Cylinders).
January 1, 2003... The SIM sensor array with F6100 series load valve simultaneously measures flow, pressure and temperature of mobile or stationary hydraulic systems and components. The compact design offers 4 flow ranges with turbine flow measurement, suiting it...

Extrusion valve. (Application Xtra).
January 1, 2003... * increases productivity of multi-layer designs * suited for various wall thicknesses Intended for complex designs in automotive, medical, wire, cable and pipe applications, the Multiflow valve from Guill Tool allows companies to...

CAD/CAM data exchange. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... CADverter Version 6.1 offers a wider range of conversion options for CATIA V5 users, particularly those in the automotive and aerospace sectors. Through the use of the translator, information can be exchanged between the CATIA package and such...

PCB design. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Simplifying the need for short-run circuit boards, this company provides downloadable so ft ware for 2and 4layer board designers. The company will then generate boards based on the resulting design. Board price is displayed during the design...

Mixed system modeler. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... SIMPLORER 6.0 has added features to help enable collaboration between electronic suppliers and OEMs. The package now includes VHDL-AMS modeling language for analog mixed-signal design, which mixes with other modeling languages in the software,...

Mousepad, plus. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... This two-part mousepad offers a variety of useful tools for designers. The translucent 1-cm gridded overlay, usable with mechanical, optical and wireless mice, can be flipped up for notes or photos. The styrene back piece has scales and gauges...

Product modeling. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Features added to IX SPeeD software include new tools for modeling surfaces, managing assemblies, creating reusable user-defined objects, and effective communication of design data. A functional surfacing suite governs how surfaces react as a...

Upgraded RPM. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Resolution on the FDM Titan rapid prototyping machine has increased to 0.005 in, allowing designers to build models with smoother surface finish and finer feature detail. The system has also received the company's automated, water-soluble...

Quantitative analysis. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... AutoQuant Pro is an automated, multi-component FTIR software package that incorporates a refined implementation of the multivariate CLS algorithm developed at NASA for faster computational speed. By accommodating multiple calibration points and...

Simulation and optimization. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... The 3G application suite makes it possible for engineers to take advantage of existing CAD tools to run fast structural, thermal, dynamics and behavioral modeling simulations directly on CAD parts and assemblies. Fully adaptive solver...

Color comparisons. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Designed to measure in red, green and blue percentage format, the handheld ColorQA provides go/no-go color matching while eliminating effects caused by ambient lighting. The device requires direct contact with the object being tested. An LCD...

Fluid dynamics. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Version 2.12 of CFX-TASCflow offers an improved cavitation model, solving problems four times as large as the prior release. This version's model, based on the volume-of-fluids approach, provides solutions for many common application areas such...

Computer-aided sketchpad. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Pro/CONCEPT is a standalone product that allows designers to capture, explore and develop product designs, creating hyper-realistic digital products quickly and inexpensively. The software features tools for free-form sketching, image...

Printer, copier & scanner. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... The DiALTA D1551 provides dual laser beam imaging with 55 ppm output and tandem copying capability for 110 ppm. Controller-based features allow users print, finish, scan, store and share documents with point-and-click speed and simplicity. A...

Electromagnetic simulation. (Engineer's Toolbox).
January 1, 2003... Electro, Magneto and Oersted are 2D, rotationally symmetric field solvers that simulate electric, magnetic and time-harmonic fields in such devices as high voltage insulators, MEMS, electric motors, solenoids, transformers and sensors. The...

Magnetic distance measurement. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... The Model MLA magnetic distance measuring system provides absolute position feedback for a variety of industrial applications. Unaffected by dirt and debris, the precision system communicates to all types of control systems. Resolution is...

Cooling fans. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... Specifically designed for chip cooling and fan sink applications, the 2806KL (38 cfm) and 2810KL (31 cfm) 70 mm fans are suitable also for PC chassis cooling and set-top box applications. Both fan designs offer maximum cooling performance in a...

Intelligent camera. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... Combining electronic eyes with electronic brains, the ThinkEye TE- 100 has a resolution of 659 x 494 pixels using a monochrome progressive scan CCD sensor housed in an IP65/NEMA 4X anodized aluminum case. Digital I/O and RS-232 (RS-385) ports...

Automotive electronics. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... Highlighting the company's automotive electronics offerings, this brochure covers powertrain, body electronics, telematics and safety/security applications. Design, engineering and manufacturing services are available. Electronic controls,...

Wireless communications. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... Used in conjunction with each another, the XE900 Smart Transceiver (ST) and XE924 Base Access Point (BAP) can network 8 remote microcontroller-based systems to a central data collection unit, which in turn is connected to a telephone land-line...

Power controllers. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... The DIN-A-MITE family of controllers now provides SCR control, heatsink, wiring and a touch-safe exterior in a single simplified package. The A, B and C models have switching capabilities from 16 to 100A and voltages from 24 to 600V A tighter...

Burner. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... The IP010 ImmersoPak burner is available for firing into 10-in dia. immersion tubes. The burner has a 3MM Btu/hr input. The nozzle-mixing burners with packaged combustion air blower are multi-fuel capable and are designed to operate with a...

Clamp lever. (Product News).
January 1, 2003... The AXL clamp lever features Pure Touch thermoplastic elastomer inlays for a soft-touch surface. The ergonomic handle makes loosening, positioning and tightening quicker, convenient and easy on the hand. The lever can be adjusted to 20 to 45...

Ni-Hard castings. (OEM Marketplace).
January 1, 2003... We are a jobbing foundry specializing in Ni-Hard, which is a white iron with excellent wearing properties. Our parts are used in the mining, agricultural, dredging, construction and maintenance fields, among others. Quality parts can be...

Trim Seals. (OEM Marketplace).
January 1, 2003... StanPro Push-On Trim Seals offer a fast, easy way to weatherstrip and trim just about anything that needs a tight seal. Install by simply pushing over rough edges and flanges for a solid, raffle free professional trim. A wide selection of sizes...