Designfax articles from November 2002

Designfax archives from November 2002

Patrician perks. (Up Front).
November 1, 2002... There's something rather...freeing...about throwing a $75,000 luxury car around a closed 1/4 mile road course. Particularly when ownership of said car isn't, and likely never will be, bearing my signature. Recently I was invited to test...

Ultra-powered ultraviolet. (Five Star Product of the Month).
November 1, 2002... Reports of advances in LED technology cross our desks with the regularity of announcements regarding faster, higher-capacity computer chips (although, unfortunately for many readers, we couldn't actually produce the flame-emitting diode we...

Naval Research. (Technology Spotlight).
November 1, 2002... Supported by a contract with the Office of Naval Research, Penn State engineers have optimized an energy harvesting circuit that can generate 50 miliwatts of electrical power out of vibration--the ordinary shakes and rattles generated by human...

Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI). (Technology Spotlight).
November 1, 2002... Mechanics may have less work inspecting aircraft for corrosion if they implement technology being developed by a Northrop Grumman Corporation-led team. Wide-area Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) imaging technology will allow inspectors to image...

Hard metal services. (Top Product).
November 1, 2002... * increased cooling surfaces * micron tolerances Multiple slots as small as 0.010-in. can be ground in small diameter hardened tool steel, tungsten carbide and pure tungsten to provide up to quadruple the cooling surface area of...

Elastomer. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... Designed for high-performance products and continuous cure extrusion applications, Blended 565 EPDM grade polymer alternative is manufactured with tightly controlled, repeatable ethylene and ENB proportions. The easily colored grade is intended...

Precolored TPV. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... Designed to ease installation and resist dirt, NexPrene series 1500A low coefficient of friction TPV is intended for seals and gaskets. The fully vulcanized EPDM/ polpropylene-based compounds offer tight seals with long-term resistance to...

Conductive silicones. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... Bisco EC-2000 series conductive silicones offer an electrically conductive EMI/RFI shielding material in wide, continuous rolls. The thin, soft materials feature compression-set resistance, high shielding effectiveness, and easy processing to...

Stainless alloy. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... Project 70+ stainless machining alloys provide parts-makers with lot-to-lot consistency, fast machining speeds, high part output and low tool wear. The series includes 303, 304/304L, 316/316L, 416, Custom 630 and 15Cr-5Ni stainless grades. The...

Polymer & rubber CD. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... Available on free CD, this company's Rubber Com pound Selection Guide describes the most popular base polymers along with durometer range, useful temperature range, useful properties, typical applications and cost. The selection chart includes...

Solder paste. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... SynTECH no-clean synthetic solder paste is made with poly adducts, yielding high throughput with low scrap and rework, lot-to-lot consistency, wide process windows (12- to 18-hour stencil life, 18- to 24-hour tack time). No refrigeration is...

Anti-static polymer. (Materials).
November 1, 2002... Zylar 535 formulation offers a balance of clarity, toughness, and anti-static properties to reduce dust accumulation. Applications include consumer electronics, business machines and floor care appliances. This family of resins offers good...

Photopolymer prototyped parts. (Application Xtra).
November 1, 2002... * halved prototype cost * trebled prototype speed General Pattern, which provides rapid product development services, was assigned to provide a register assembly prototype application. They used the opportunity to test Somos Raven 7620...

Multi-tasking software passes the bar: machines successfully refurbished to flow-wrap chocolate treats.
November 1, 2002... Those enticing colors. Those smooth lines. Suggestions of what delights lie within that come-hither package. That's the goal of product wrapping designers, particularly in the case of chocolate bars bound for the impulse rack next to a grocer's...

Magnetic particle brakes for packaging machines. (An Overview).
November 1, 2002... Precision tension control is needed for many types of packaging machinery. Stretch-wrap machines wrap thin plastic around boxes stacked tall on a pallet, to keep the boxes secure and prevent pilfering during shipping. To control tension of the...

Mobile medical monitoring: thermally conductive polymer improves armband sensor device. (Application Ideas).
November 1, 2002... The SenseWear Armband monitoring device, made by BodyMedia Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, uses a combination of sensors that continually gather data about movement, heat flow, skin temperature, ambient temperature and galvanic response, transmitting it...

Conjoined twins' separation a model surgery: operation takes one-quarter the time, using rapid prototyping.
November 1, 2002... In July of this year, surgeons and medical professions at the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital were faced with a unique and complex problem--the separation of craniopagus twins. Born July 24, 2001, Guatemalan twins Maria Teresa and Maria de...

Boning up: junior surgeons practice on model bones made of rigid polyurethane foam.
November 1, 2002... Practice makes perfect--a saying that naturally also applies to doctors. But how can an orthopedic surgeon practice a new technique, if not on a living specimen? The only alternative in the past was to use cadavers or the plentiful supply of...

Flexible fabric heaters: lightweight but tear-resistant fabric provides quick, uniform heating. (Editor's Choice).
November 1, 2002... Currently being used in the aerospace industry for in-flight wing and rotor de-icing, Thermion fabric has found uses in the medical industry. The flexible fabric consists of random, nickel-coated carbon fibers (laminated in a variety of...

Female luers. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... This company has expanded its line of luer components to include a female smoothbore configuration. These luers have a smooth inner transition that facilitates insertion of guide wires, instruments and other devices. Molded in lot-traceable...

Transformers. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Suited for medical and dental equipment, the 4-49 and 4-44 series of transformers feature high isolation. Split bobbin and non-concentric winding provide good insulation, eliminating the need for electrostatic shielding. These series are UL-...

Resin. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... K-Resin styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBC) is suited for clear, airtight medical applications. Grade KRO1 can be ultrasonically welded. KR03 non-wax grade reduces surface tension, thereby optimizing medication output by reducing dead volume. The...

Dusting. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... The Carbitron 300 diamond dusting system uses a simple process to apply tungsten-carbide to tools and wear surfaces to extend life up to tenfold. Consisting of an adjustable power supply and vibrating hand-tool, the heavy-duty system creates...

X-ray inspection. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Designed for thorough inspection of samples varying in size and material, this Multifocus X-ray tube switches between three inspection modes with a mouse click. High-power is suited for dense materials requiring higher radiation levels,...

Balloon films. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Thermoformed polyurethane film suited for low-pressure balloons offers previously unattainable body-to-neck ratios. Offered in 1-10, 1-15 and 1-20 (and variations in between), these balloons can be produced in any size and configuration as...

Heat shrink tubing. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Medical grade polyolefin heat shrink tubing is USP Class VI compliant and can be custom extruded with shrink ratios of 2:1 up to 4:1. The tubing shrink-fits between 230[degrees] and 284[degrees]F. This flexible material has dielectric...

Wire termination. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Smart Block connector interface units include the mechanical Smart Spike method for capture and insertion of 32 to 48 AWG fine wire and a high-speed solder station which eliminates the need for soldering irons. They are designed to reduce...

Medical display. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Suited for radiological applications in clinical settings, the Dome C2 flat-panel display features high 2-megapixel resolution in greyscale format. CXtra software allows users to view luminance levels, hours of backlight operation, panel...

Custom DC motors. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... This brochure outlines this company's custom DC motor design and manufacturing services for applications that include medical devices. Products include brushless DC, with or without embedded electronics, brush-type DC, linear actuators, drivers...

Photoetching. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Capable of producing production quantities in normal prototyping lead times, this company can photoetch intricate burr-free medical parts from both standard and exotic non-corrosive metals, including titanium, without inducing stresses common...

Dispense valve. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... The 752V-SS dispense valve provides accurate deposits and clean, drip-free cutoff to increase productivity, improve appearance and reduce downtime when dispensing UV-cure adhesives. The pneumatically operated valve features a 10+ million cycle...

Isolatin transformer. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Eliminating the need for dedicated computer-grade AC power sources, the SRT isolation transformer filters out line noise and spikes from "dirty" current. The "Faraday Shield" design of these transformers places a shield between the primary and...

Tape. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Bioflex Rx100P single-coated, medical-grade pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is designed for direct skin application. Breathable, conformable and lightweight, this tape is suited for TENS, EKG electrode and bandage applications. The coated...

Power supply. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... The GPFM1200 1200W switch-mode DC power supply has an input of 85 to 264 VAC, 47 to 63 Hz single phase and output of 48 VDC at 25A. Integral power factor correction meets EN61000-32 Class A. It is housed in a fully-enclosed 11- x 6- x 4-in....

Shuttered outlet. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Type 4719 compact shuttered outlet contains both an integrated fuseholder and neon indicator. The fuse blows in the event the equipment supplied by the outlet fails, allowing power strips to maintain safe uninterrupted power to remaining...

Linear actuator. (Medical Products).
November 1, 2002... Cost-effective in high-force applications, the compact DuraPlus linear actuator serves as a drop-in replacement into existing stepper motor systems and allows tight system integration. Designed specifically for axial load capacity it is...

Filter fan sensor protect equipment. (Top Product).
November 1, 2002... * microprocessor-based. The D6A filter sensor contains a microprocessor with complex algorithms that provide a temperature reference point to determine if a filter fan is moving the right amount of air. If the sensor indicates that it...

Trim seals. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... Push-On Trim Seals provide a tight seal with a finished look to cover raw edges and flanges. Available in a wide selection of profiles, these seals are produced from a variety of durable materials, including dual durometer sponge and solid...

Rotary drum filter. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... Designed to produce equivalent output at a lower cost and smaller footprint than traditional batch separation techniques, this disposable rotary drum filter consists of a polycarbonate outer shell housing a drum made from porous UHMW...

High-pressure filter. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... Designed to increase a manufacturer's ability to recycle and reuse valuable process liquids, the AFC-series high-pressure filter features RigidLok connections and three-way valves for backwashing. The simple design and quick-element access...

Filtration systems. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... With no seals to replace, the custom Rotary III constant pressure filtration system provides leak- and maintenance-free operation for extruder lines. The continuous screen changer provides no down-time during screen changes. Operating pressures...

Magnetic filtration. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... Suited for industrial processes, hydraulic systems and automobiles, the environmentally-friendly Magnom magnetic filtration system eliminates the need for disposable filter replacement. The system attracts metals and non-ferrous metals,...

Oil seal. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... The FG3015 oil seal keeps oil from wicking along wires where they exit machine housings. The compression seal conforms tightly to the cable jacket, holding oil to 50 psi. Unlike feedthrus or glass-to-metal seals, one can remove or adjust seal...

Catalytic particulate filter. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... Approved by the CA Air Resources Board, this catalytic particulate filter for natural gas engines reduces particulate matter to 0.006 grams per brake hp/hour--40% below the EPA'S 2007 emission standards. These cost-filters dramatically reduced...

Filter media. (Fluid Power: Filters & Seals).
November 1, 2002... Typar Super Scrim spunbonded polypropylene media decrease resistance to airflow while providing high strength, resistance to tearing, stiffness and the non-dusting characteristic of continuous filaments. It can be electro-statically charged for...

New seal material for pumps. (Application Xtra).
November 1, 2002... * increased lubricity * increased thermal shock resistance An engineered material that can survive marginal lubrication conditions for extended periods has increased the life of seals used in a variety of applications. In one...

CAD/CAM heats up design and manufacturing: company quickly automates with no prior CAD/CAM experience. (Tech Upgrade).
November 1, 2002... One clear indicator that the recent recession is over has been the surging production of appliances. According to appliance industry associations, U.S. shipments of gas and electric ranges totaled 8.3 million units in the past year alone, with...

Mobile enclosure. (Top Product).
November 1, 2002... * withstands harsh environments * off-the-shelf convenience Designed for airborne, ship and ground mobile systems and other harsh environment applications, the 3/4ATR-WA-M28 Airborne Rack accommodates 6U VME63x boards as well as any...

Shielding gaskets. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... This brochure offers an expanded range of standard profiles and sizes for its durable nickel-plated metalized fabric over elastomer EMI/RFI shielding gaskets. The gaskets are offered with easy-to-install Stick-on mounting in many sizes for the...

PC case. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... The Jupiter aluminum PC case combines style with built-in temperature sensor to ease successful user upgrades and warn of heat-related failures. Included are exterior color light displays and an optional side window designed to showcase any...

PC enclosure. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... The TS8 PC enclosure features two levels of installation in the vertical profile for increased space and internal mounting for component shelves. Suited for use in industrial control systems, the TS8 is designed to house up to a 21-in. monitor,...

Mounting plates. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... Series 7000 lightweight aluminum mounting plates provide a flat, stable surface for mounting sensitive equipment. Half an inch thick, with a black anodized finish, the portable, nonmagnetic plates are available in five standard sizes up to 24-...

Latch. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... Designed to meet the needs of marine applications, this Pull-to-Open Latch offers a flush surface when latched--suited for critical space inside cabins and enclosures. It installs into a single round hole and offers intuitive operation. A...

Wall-mount enclosures. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... New sizes and floor stands have been added to this company's line of SN wall mount enclosures. Single- and double-door enclosures feature foamed-in-place gasketing, 180-degree metal hinges, reversible doors, 8 mm tamper-resistant locks,...

Shielding tapes. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... Three items have been added to this company's line of EMI shielding tapes: 1120 EMI 2-mil aluminum foil tape with conductive acrylic adhesive, 1125 EMI 1.4-mil copper foil tape with non-conductive acrylic adhesive and 1126 EMI 1.4-mil copper...

Safety enclosures. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... Increased Safety Enclosures with Intrinsically Safe Terminals are suitable for areas where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases, vapors, liquids and dusts can exist under normal operating conditions. Protection is rendered by restriction...

Custom enclosures. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... These custom enclosures accept the Compact PCI ejector latching system and shielding. Designed to combine structural rigidity and close tolerances built to customer specifications, there is no limit on rack size, spacing, special holes, cutouts...

Keypad lock. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... This company offers the Door-Gard Keypad for its Auto-Seal RF Door to provide limited access to a shielded enclosure or room. Up to 120 users are allowed and the easy-to-install system accepts power from any 12- to 24-volt AC/DC supply. Since...

Cooling fan. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... The compact 7.9-in Mixed Flow DC fan is suited for telecommunications, computer cabinet and rack cooling. Designed to overcome increased airflow resistance in limited spaces, the unit delivers 375 CFM. (Mechanical Enclosures & Fixtures) and a...

Circuit board shield. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... With a footprint area of 25-65% less than individual shields, this Multicavity CBS shield eliminates space between shields, reducing the cavity-to-cavity distance to 0.1-in. (the width of the solder land). The interior walls of the knife-edge...

PCI front panels. (Mechanical: Enclosures & Fixtures).
November 1, 2002... This line of aluminum Compact PCI front panels is compatible with most manufacturer's chassis, racks, ejectors, handles or gaskets. Using its own extrusion equipment, the company can design, finish and assemble fully customized variations to...

Cool CPU case. (Application Xtra).
November 1, 2002... * fast time-to-market * facilitated processor upgrade When Intrusion Inc. was developing its PDS 1000 series Small/Home Office desktop security appliance, their requirements included running the latest firewall software and VPN...

Thermostat housing: PPA material provides chemical resistance, manufacturing economy in conversion from aluminum. (Revision X).
November 1, 2002... Engineers at Chrysler Group selected a grade of AMODEL polyphthalamide (PPA) from Solvay Advanced Polymers, Alpharetta, GA, for the thermostat housing on the 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine that is standard on rear-wheel-drive versions of the Jeep...

Hermetically sealed interconnects. (Top Product).
November 1, 2002... * for many environments * extensively tested This complete line of I/O connecting devices can accommodate a wide range of demanding environments. Designed to protect against leakage that occurs is a variety of conditions, the...

PC connectors. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... The MINISNAP PC connector is a plastic push-pull locking device, suited for patient monitoring, instrumentation, surgical devices and catheters. Configured in 3 sizes with 2 to 27 contacts, it meets IP 50 to 54 classifications, and is...

Micro-coaxial cables. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Available in the 36-48 AWG range, the MCX family of cables feature high flexibility while maintaining maximum signal integrity, low line-to-line skew, low EMI and virtually no crosstalk. They easily route as individual cables, in a bunched...

Microwave test cables. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Phaseflex test assemblies are available in frequency ranges up to 65 GHz. These internally ruggedized microwave coaxial assemblies are intended for production test applications, or where the test area is not located in the vicinity of the...

Sub D connectors. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Available in 9-, 15-, 25- or 50-pin configurations, these Sub D Type (MILC-24308) connectors have ultrahigh vacuum leak ratings of less than 1 x [10.sup.-10] atm cc/sec helium. They are offered as weldable or flanged units. The company also...

Terminal blocks. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... The ST line of mini spring cage terminal blocks has expanded with the addition of knife disconnects, multi level terminal blocks, a pluggable system and a 5 x 20 mm fuse block. The knife disconnects have test sockets for 2.3 mm test plugs on...

Terminal lugs. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... YAZ terminals offer an inspection window to ensue proper cable insertion before and after crimping. The components are made from high conductivity seamless electrolytic wrought copper and are tinplated. They are UL486 listed and GSA certified...

Appliance terminals. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... These thermal disconnects combine a fire-retardant nylon insulator with a high temperature alloy which maintains the spring characteristics of brass at 150[degrees]C. The devices have an open barrel "F" crimp rather than a rollover to assure a...

Moisture-proof DC wiring devices. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Receptacles and plugs are offered in 12 and 24 VDC ratings, with a green pilot LED on the 12V plug and a red LED on the 24V plug. A front mounting plate allows installation of the receptacles into dashboards. Suitable for a variety of on- and...

Communications converter. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... This Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) to HSSDC-2 converter is designed for use with Fibre Channel, Gigabit Ethernet, Infiniband, or any other application where an MSA compliant SFP is used. The hot swappable device is used to actively transmit...

Custom connectors. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... This company's connectors are custom engineered to resolve space, mating and assembly issues for a wide range of power or signal interconnect needs. Specializing in high-density configurations, the company can integrate brackets, terminal...

Medical bus lines. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Pre-engineered with a flame-retardant jacket, this Medical Information Bus (MIB) cable provides clear, reliable signal transmission with excellent extension and retractile characteristics. The cable consists of six conductors--one 28 AWG...

Industrial strength connectors. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... The ILME line of multi-pole connectors is built for ruggedness and watertight requirements. Inserts can be configured for different applications according to the voltage rating (250 to 690V), current rating (10 to 80A), number of poles (2 to...

Twisted pair circuits. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Twisty-Flex circuits provide the noise reduction of twisted wire pairs or coax cable in a flexible circuit, using alternating conductors connected between layers by micro-vias. The Minco Products Inc, Minneapolis, MN. Circle 114, or...

Tailor-made coaxial cabling. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Hybrid cable designs are offered by this company to resolve unusual problems. Many past designs have included hoses or strength members bundled into single round cables for space savings. Custom coaxial cables from this company can be used with...

Modular connectors. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Well protected against EMI, the TM21 plug and receptacle system are offered with receptacles in single, 1 x 4, 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 ganged jack configurations. The indicator light in the receptacle is not an integrated LED, further reducing the...

Cable carrier. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Gortac GX-Series carriers feature a corrosion-resistant one-piece metal link design that eliminates the need for screwed-on crossbars. It also incorporates half-shear lockouts that eliminate the need for pins, snap rings and similar lockout...

Wire and cable protection. (Electrical/Electronics: Wires, Cables & Connectors).
November 1, 2002... Expando 686DM oversleeve is designed for aerospace applications where chafing, cutting and abrading of cable assemblies, hoses and wire harnesses may occur. The high-temperature rating of the sleeving allows it to withstand exposure to heat...

Building lead-free electronics. (Application Xtra).
November 1, 2002... * meets environmental specs for Japan and Europe * plastic substrate tolerates heat Environmental factors and new legislation requiring the use of lead-free electronic components led to the development of a telecom/signal relay...

Development platform. (Engineer's Toolbox).
November 1, 2002... ObjectAssembler 2.0 extends the Sun ONE Studio integrated development environment with a simplified and accelerated approach to the design, development, assembly and deployment of J2EE applications. Tedious, complicated and error-prone...

Software/hardware bundle. (Engineer's Toolbox).
November 1, 2002... Until December 27, 2002, a purchase of DesignStudio 3D design software will also receive a Cintiq 18sx LCD pen display. The tablet has a high-resolution of 1280 x 1024 in its 18.1-in, screen that can even be used while held on one's lap in a...