Designfax articles from July 2001

Designfax archives from July 2001

A Merit Badge for Advanced Engineering.
July 1, 2001... Cub Scouts apply design software Few things reside in America that stir a more Norman Rockwell-hued feeling than scouting. Cub Scouts, Brownies, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts--all suggest an earlier time shared with tail-finned cars, hi-fi...

Cha, Cha, Cha Chanaes.
July 1, 2001... Terry Persun Last month Designfax focused on the design and manufacture of fiber optic equipment in combination with our scheduled semiconductor equipment coverage. In order to meet the needs--ever-changing needs--of our readers, we...

Feat of (Virtual) Clay.
July 1, 2001... Updating a design tradition Few people outside the milieu of engineering appreciate the importance using of good modeling clay in design work. Kids get Play-Doh, and art students use it in sculptural courses (the stuff potters use is a...

University researchers at Berkeley.
July 1, 2001... University researchers at Berkeley are working on creating an internal combustion micro-engine running on liquid hydrocarbon fuel (butane, propane, etc.) to continuously produce watt-level power. The design of the proposed 1mm square...

Pizza Hut.
July 1, 2001... The pizza delivery may have taken a little more than 30 minutes, but it was far from free... Jumping on the decades-old "space-race" bandwagon, Pizza Hut has succeeded in creating and delivering the first space-consumable fast-food pizza to...

Software Driving Hardware Changes.
July 1, 2001... ATV manufacturer transitions to 3D with added benefits Ontario Drive and Gear (ODG) Ltd., New Hamburg, Ontario, designs, manufactures and sells amphibious, all-terrain vehicles. ARGOs are all-season machines that offer seating for up to six...

Fly-Wheeling in the Night.
July 1, 2001... Flywheel Energy Storage Modules (FESM) will soon replace batteries on Earth-orbit satellites, while saving millions of dollars in launch-weight premiums and creating millions more in revenues. An alternate energy management and power...

STL Oxygen Generator System.
July 1, 2001... Scheduled to ride on the 2001 NASA Mars shot this new system produces oxygen from compressed Mars atmosphere. Reminds us that there is a lot of neat stuff that rides along with the mission modules that doesn't always make it onto the evening...

Russian Federation Air Force Museum.
July 1, 2001... Russia's premier aviation museum contains many photographs slides shows, and other links for the aerospace aficionado. 9 photo albums covering the gamut of Russian aircraft from the venerable MiG-17 to the lfyushin Db3-bomber:...

Screen Memories.
July 1, 2001... An exploration of the relationship between science fiction film and the UFO mythology. Includes info on how one man (Mark Pilkinton) has fit the pieces together to illustrate how films affect the way we think. Did you know that 48% of Americans...

Flightlines' R/C Watch.
July 1, 2001... Links to moderated forums for hobbyists and professional design and engineering people interested in radio-controlled modeling: http://www.OneRS.net/l07df-493

Engineering Links--Aerospace.
July 1, 2001... Another group of good links to aerospace resources. Includes organizations around the world, academic resources, and a nice list of newsgroups, etc.: http://www.OneRS.net/l07df-494 Link to the AERADE Aeronautics and Defense Portal at...

Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicles.
July 1, 2001... A short monograph on history and development with references and links: http://www.OneRS.net/107df-496 Links on design competitions, computing systems, etc.: http://www.OneRS.net/l07dt.497 For linear and non-linear simulation source...

Working with Explosive Bonded Parts.
July 1, 2001... Machining techniques are adapted for specialized manufacturing technology Design engineers must continually consider new materials and methods when designing today's high-tech equipment, whether for factory automation, medical devices--or...

Epoxy film adhesive.
July 1, 2001... PF4010 can bond materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion, as it is able to withstand the stresses generated when these materials are subject to heat. Adhesive allows tough, thermal management. National Starch & Chemical Co....

Crosslinked polyethylene film.
July 1, 2001... This low cost alternative for high temperature applications such as labels, tapes and cable wrap has a softening point of 350[degrees], which allows it to be used for higher temperature applications than conventional polyethylene film,...

Water reducible enamel.
July 1, 2001... KEM AQUA 400 is a high quality, air dry water reducible alkyd enamel ideal for the off road equipment and general metal markets. Its attributes include sharp high gloss, excellent corrosion resistance, adhesion and flexibility, as well as very...

Permanent static dissipative coating.
July 1, 2001... Licron adheres well to metal, plastics, paints and most other surfaces. It operates from 0 to 100% humidity. Cured coating is durable and will not chip. The material can be used on any surface needing a translucent coating. Techspray, Amarillo....

Flame-retardant film.
July 1, 2001... This film is for use in fire safety engineering of flexible duct work in HVAC systems. Manufactured by computer controlled blending and extrusion of premium resins and real-time burn testing to meet UL 181 and FMVSS 302 specifications. FlameX,...

Single faced, optically clear film.
July 1, 2001... AR-clear now includes DEV-8796 and DEV-8893 in its line of optically clear adhesives and films for the display screen industry. The former is a 3.0-mil optical grade polyester film coated on one side with an optically clear adhesive; the latter...

Coatings selector guide.
July 1, 2001... This guide describes a line of solvent-free, light curing conformal coatings and encapsulants. The fast-curing materials incorporate a number of features never before available in Light curing coatings. Listed characteristics include viscosity,...

Rooftop Cable Coating.
July 1, 2001... A major Midwestern auto manufacturer estimates that it has saved $850,000 through the use of a silicone sealant to re-coat failing PVC-jacketed electrical cable, preventing the need to replace approximately 15,000 linear feet of the company's...

Moving forward the light.
July 1, 2001... Custom lighting assembly saves space in hard drive As electronic devices get smaller and more "look-alike," and as component crowding worsens, the problems of lighting design become tougher to solve. After some floundering on their own,...

Ball valve.
July 1, 2001... Rated for full vacuum service, this cross port ball valve's 3-way design permits multiple flow patterns because of the crossed flow corridors within the ball. It is available in sizes of 1/2- to 2-in., and is manufactured from PVC, CPVC, PP or...

Cylinder ends.
July 1, 2001... This company has added spherical rod ends to its line of accessories for stainless steel cylinders. They are designed to allow for misalignment in a connection and are treated to resist corrosion. Clippard Instrument Laboratory Inc, Cincinnati,...

Mini needle valve.
July 1, 2001... A series of compact polypropylene, in-line needle valves in straight or angle designs are just 1.75-in. in length. NBR packing gives positive shut-off. Push-in ends are available in 1/4 in., 3/8 in., 6mm and 10mm sizes. Industrial Specialties...

Stackable valve module.
July 1, 2001... This company's Pneumatic Division introduces the PVLC10 valvetronic valve. It is a system of stackable single- and double-solenoid valve modules with internal electronic interconnections that allow custom valve arrangements. Parker Hannifin...

Latching solenoid valve.
July 1, 2001... This sub-miniature valve is designed for applications that demand ultra-low power, low heat and small size. It is ideal for compact, battery-powered pneumatic instruments such as portable oxygen delivery systems, environmental gas samplers and...

Pinch valve.
July 1, 2001... These stainless steel pinch valves can close 1/4- to 3/4-in. OD softwall tubing with a maximum pressure rating of 50 psi. It incorporates a unique snap-action actuation, and features a 2-in-1 valve design (on/off with built in flow control)....

NFPA cylinder.
July 1, 2001... These interchangeable cylinders are designed specifically to offer a clean, smooth profile. The aluminum barrel of the DM2 series eliminates the need for tie-rods. They are highly suited for clean environments such as food, drug and processing...

Control valve.
July 1, 2001... This co-ax control valve for flow, pressure and bypass relief applications allows infinite step-less pressure regulation, with actuation speeds as fast as 30 milliseconds. As a result, it can meet the most demanding pressure flow requirements,...

Double-acting cylinder.
July 1, 2001... The DNA series pneumatic cylinder goes beyond NFPA standards, as pertains to pneumatic cylinder mounting, bore and rod sizes, accessory dimensions and compressed air fitting port sizes. It employs the latest in aluminum profile extrusion...

Proportional cartridge valve.
July 1, 2001... A family of direct action proportional servo cartridge valves are for use in packaged hydraulic circuits used in mobile equipment and industrial hydraulic applications. The first unit is a 4-way cartridge valve that is close-centered, flow...

Poly ball valve.
July 1, 2001... This full-port 4-in, bail valve is designed for industrial, commercial and agricultural applications. Pressure rated at 100 PSI at 70[degrees]F, it uses precision-molded glass-reinforced polypropylene, and features an 8-bolt assembly and a...

On-board electronics (OBE) control valve.
July 1, 2001... The EHR 5-OBE control valve for agricultural engineering integrates electromagnet solenoids into one assembly. Users incorporate the hydraulic valve easily with a simplified wiring harness. Bosch Automation Technology, Racine, WI.

Trumpet valves.
July 1, 2001... Manufactured by Vomed (Germany), this full line includes Standard, large, and high-pressure trumpets. All feature a female luer on one side and an M5 x 0,5,4mm long thread. The high-pressure trumpet withstands up to 250 psi. Popper & Sons, Inc,...

Shut-off valve.
July 1, 2001... Ideal for high backpressure and vacuum applications, this 1/2-in, air-operated shut-off valve contains no wetted metals or external fasteners. It is well-suited for high-purity cleanroom or other corrosive environment applications. The...

Relamping the Arch.
July 1, 2001... Shedding new light on outdoor design The town of Hillsboro, Oregon, has the Hilisboro Arch, built and installed to be an example of the town's civic pride. Until recently, hundreds of small incandescent lights located along the arch's...

Silver-filled silicone coating.
July 1, 2001... For use in a variety of shielding and gasket applications, ElectroCoat combines the low compression of fabric-over-foam with the environmental sealing of conductive elastomer gaskets to provide 90+ dB EMI shielding. Laird Technologies; Delaware...

Planetary epicyclic drives.
July 1, 2001... The Type SA drive is the latest generation of Rotomission technology. This compact differential consists of three elements which are mechanically connected by the sun and planet gears. Combining the motion of the three elements solves many...

V-belts.
July 1, 2001... Dynam series V-belts ensure belt tension by providing two clearly-printed marks that can be measured against a pre-specified distance. Risks of slippage are reduced to 1% with 95% power transmission efficiency guaranteed. Correctly tensioned...

Planetary gearboxes.
July 1, 2001... These swiss-made gearboxes are available in 22 to 120mm dia., with motor speeds up to 5000 rpm and typical 10,000 hr life. Low and extra-low backlash and heavy-duty torque versions are available. Designed to fit most common motors, mounting...

In-line gear reducers.
July 1, 2001... Available for motorized inputs from. 1/4 to 7-1/2 hp, the aluminum-housed Lee-CENTRIC series inline gear reducers are designed with modular mountings to match the footprint of other popular reducer brands. Leeson Electric, Grafton, WI.

Helical servo gear-head.
July 1, 2001... Ultra-TRUE continuous duty helical servo gearhead generates less heat than other gearheads. It can run up to 1.5 times faster than standard input speeds with 98.5% mesh efficiency. Thomson Industries Inc, Port Washington, NY.

Custom gear drives.
July 1, 2001... Right-angle Crown gear drives can be customized to provide directional motion change in all types of power transmission systems. Custom features include many shaft options, case modifications for unique mounting requirements and special...

Gearheads.
July 1, 2001... Available in metric and NEMA sizes, low-backlash high-speed gearheads arc inline and right-angle configured, in ratios from 3:1 to 1500:1. All standard gear head products can ship within 72 hours. Parker Hannifin--Zenith Division, Sanford, NC.

Interplanetary gearbox.
July 1, 2001... Designed for applications where diffusive power transmission is required, the Kopernican-IXB gearbox features a revolutionary sungear that drives 9.5 planet gears, along with interorbiting satellite gears, dissipating power evenly throughout...

Pancake motor.
July 1, 2001... The Platinum series pancake motor with integral ball screw has extremely high acceleration, zero cogging, flat profile and long life. Thrust loads are up to 300 lbs and speed is up to 16 in./sec, with 8-in, travel. PMI/Danaher, Amherst, NY.

Forged gear parts.
July 1, 2001... This company specializes in open die and rolled ring forging, offering production of gear blanks, hubs, rings and shafts to produce helical, spur, bevel, hypoid and other gear products out of gear-quality alloys. Scot Forge, Springrove, IL.

High-torque AC gearhead.
July 1, 2001... Designed for use on the company's AC motors, the KHA series of gearheads provide torque up to 1.5 times higher than standard gearheads. Eight gear ratios are available, ranging from 50:1 to 180:1. Oriental Motor USA Crop, Torrance, CA.

Highspeed ball screws.
July 1, 2001... Featuring rapid feeding capabilities, the HMC line of ball screws has maximum speed capabilities of 100 m/min. The double-start screw and optimized ball groove profile increases rigidity by 80% and load capacity by 60%, compared to standard...

Rotary stage.
July 1, 2001... Replacing worm gear driven stages, the Direct Drive rotary stage offers reduced wear with zero backlash while exhibiting near-frictioness motion. Resolutions are up to 0.5 arc-sec and [+ or -]2 count repeatability. Bayside Motion Group, Port...

Pancake motor.
July 1, 2001... Measuring 3.15-in dia. and 0.5-in. thick, this planetary gear train pancake motor delivers over 100 oz-in. of torque. A single stage planetary gear train is housed within the rotor. Haydon Switch & Instrument Inc, Waterbury, CT.

Dynamic braking resistors.
July 1, 2001... Occupying 1/4 the space of conventional wire-wound resistors, these dynamic braking resistors consist of a thick-film resistive element screened onto a ceramic dielectric glaze and bound directly onto a steel substrate. The...

Guide wheels.
July 1, 2001... The company has expanded its range of DualVee guide wheels to six different sizes. Pairs of nitrile rubber seals protect bearing-grade steel balls and raceways from ingress of dirt and debris. Bishop-Wise-carver Corp, Pittsburg, CA.

Ceramic planetary gearhead.
July 1, 2001... Achieving higher performance and longer lifetime than conventional all-metal gearheads, this ceramic version is offered in 55 different gear ratios and up to 2Nm maximum continuous torque. Maxon Precision Motors, Burlingame, CA.

Harmonic planetary gearhead.
July 1, 2001... The HPG series is available in NEMA sizes 14 and 20. A key feature of these designs is that the backlash is maintained below 3 or 1 arc-min., respectively, for the life of the products. The design is made possible by the ring gear that can flex...

Timing belt.
July 1, 2001... TrueMetric 3mm and 5mm pitch timing belt drives feature a deep curvilinear profile for more positive non-slip operation than conventional trapezoidal tooth profiles. Greater contact areas allow use of narrower belts and pulleys. SDP/SI, New...

Pneumatic spring brake.
July 1, 2001... PFS200 series pneumatic spring-applied caliper disc brakes are designed for emergency stopping or holding capability where shop pressure is available. Models fit various disc thicknesses. WC Branham Inc, River Falls, WI.

Couplings.
July 1, 2001... Designed for dynamic digital servo drives, spindles, and tools operating at speeds up to 10,000 rpm, AK/SB zero-backlash bellows couplings and torque-limiting DMK/SB safety couplings have a self-aligning outside taper lock which enables the...

Floating Sun Gears.
July 1, 2001... While floating sun gears have been around a long time, some engineers may not be aware of the benefits this unusual gear design can offer. Traditionally, planetary reducers have used a fixed sun gear, where thc center gear is attached to or...

Electronics packaging.
July 1, 2001... A hybrid of EMbassy Works, FloWorks and CircuitWorks on a SolidWorks platform, ElectronixWorks provides a suite for designing and analyzing the outer shells and internal component fittings for electronic products. Solid Works, Concord, MA.

Meshing tool for CFD.
July 1, 2001... Tgrid 3.4 provides for the construction of unstructured computational mesh along non-planar boundaries. Commands have been added for defining resolution to lend more control over mesh quality. Fluent Inc, Lebanon, NH.

Vision software.
July 1, 2001... Windows-based Sherlock 6.0 includes two suites of adaptive, pattern matching algorithms designed for optical character recognition and 1D and 2D bar code reading, for machine vision environments. Coreco Imaging Inc, Bedford, MA.

Hybrid modeling package.
July 1, 2001... CADDS 5 Release 12 offers improved isometric drawing creation, new surface lofting capabilities, and industry-specific drawing enhancements. It can be combined with the company's Optegra 6 PDM software, which has been given a 4-fold increase in...

CATIA upgrades.
July 1, 2001... Adding 17 products to its platform, CATIA Version 5 Release 6 has expanded its process coverage. The software now includes human modeling capabilities for ergonomic analyses, and a Component Application Architecture tool set that allows the...

StudioTools upgrade.
July 1, 2001... Chief among new features in StudioTools 9.7 is a filleting tool that speeds the process of connecting surfaces and rounding edges. Previously constructed fillets can be edited and updated automatically. Alias/Wavefront, Toronto, ONT.

CAD/CAM.
July 1, 2001... Formerly Varimetrix Corp. this company's Overdrive architecture bridges between solid and free-form modeling. Manufacturing planning and CNC machine routines are an integral part of the modeling engine. VX Corp, Palm Bay, FL.

Computational fluid dynamics.
July 1, 2001... PAM-FLOW 2000 offers aero-acoustics simulation for identifying and quantifying flow-induced wind noise sources. The feature reads surface meshes in NASTRAN. STL and DXF. ESI North America, Shelby Township, Mt.

Acoustic modeling.
July 1, 2001... A partnership has produced a module that can accelerate the acoustic modeling process. The software does this by creating an acoustic mesh for boundary elements analysis, which reduces the complexity of the structural model to features that...

Heat tracing.
July 1, 2001... CompuTrace allows users to perform heat tracing designs and concurrently develop a bill of materials. The software also assists heat-up and cool-down calculations for non-flowing products. Thermon Manufacturing Co, San Marcos, TX.

Standalone behavior modeler.
July 1, 2001... GrafiCalc 2.0 assists users to resolve optimization problems against shape, fit and position. Once the user selects sketch geometry and design objectives (such as area, moment of inertia, volume, cost, position, weight, clearance, distance,...

Wiring harness design.
July 1, 2001... Harnware is a 3D software package to simplify and speed up evaluation and preparation of electrical harness configuration. The software will soon provide actual size nail board drawings. Tyco Electronics-Raychem, Menlo Park, CA.

Statistical software.
July 1, 2001... Design-Ease 6.0 helps beginning experimenters to improve products or processes through the use of experimental design tools. Features include multilevel, two-level and fractional factorials. Stat-Ease Inc, Minneapolis, MN.

AutoCAD-compatible CAD.
July 1, 2001... IntelliCAD 2001 provides 100% .DWG file compatibility, as well as support for AutoCAD commands; menu, script and shape files; text styles; hatch patterns; linetypes; LISP programs; VBA and ADS/C++ programs. Complex linetypes with embedded shape...

High-strength modeling.
July 1, 2001... The FDM Titan can produce RP models from polycarbonate material in build sizes up to 14- x 16x 16-in. Future materials under development for Titan are PPSF and ABS plastic. Stratasys Inc, Eden Prairie, MN.

Aerospace.
July 1, 2001... Man's fascination with aerospace and flight probably is as old as mankind itself. Whether it be the observation and naming of the stars, the flight up to heaven of Etana in Assyro-Babylonian mythology, or the adventures of Pegasus the flying...

Cool DVDs.
July 1, 2001... Thermal management software helps car DVD players to survive roof-mounting Installed just 25mm below the roof of a car, this DVD player would be particularly vulnerable to solar heating in a parked vehicle. This rear-seat system consists...

T-filter networks.
July 1, 2001... Suppressing EMI/RFI at low and high frequencies, TFA and TFB series filter networks can replace 24 discrete components and feature a symmetrical design that allows filtering of bi-directional signals. KOA Speer Electronics Inc, Bradford, PA.

Durable foam grips.
July 1, 2001... A blend of CPE and EPDM, Durablend foam grips resist sunlight, water, oil and gas. They combine the ergonomic qualities of foam grips with the resistance to harsh environments of solid rubber grips. Grip Works, St Louis, MO.

High-temperature wire.
July 1, 2001... Designed for use in furnaces, temperature rated electronics and other applications with long-term thermal requirements, nickel-clad copper wire combines the conductivity of copper with the corrosion resistance of pure nickel. Wire and rod is...

Resistive touch panels.
July 1, 2001... Combining low power and long operating life with improved optical materials, the FID-550 series uses a single resistive layer detection to enhance writing life to one million words minimum. Fujitsu Takamisawa America Inc, Sunnyvale, CA.

Touch screen driver.
July 1, 2001... The latest version of TSHARC driver software define individual and arrays of touch zones anywhere within or around the active LCD or CRT display area of a 4-, 5-, 7- or 8-wire analog resistive touch screen. Hampshire Co Inc, Milwaukee, WI.

Inclinometer.
July 1, 2001... Designed for all-weather applications, LSO inclinometers have [+ or -]1- to 90-degree input range, full range output of [+ or -]5VDC, an operating temperature range of -18[degree]C to 70[degree]C, and are shock-rated to 1500g. Jewell...